Under Tarasoff and related standards, what is the duty of a clinician when there is a credible threat?

• A. Clinicians must warn third parties without exception
• B. Clinicians should only warn when the patient consents
• C. Clinicians must warn or protect a third party if there is a credible threat
• D. The duty to warn applies only to non-clinical staff

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that when a patient makes a credible threat of violence against a specific person, the clinician has a duty to take protective action to prevent harm. That duty can involve warning the potential victim and/or notifying authorities, and it may include steps like hospitalization or other safety measures to protect the identified person. The threat must be credible and specific enough to pose a real risk; vague or non-specific concerns do not automatically trigger the duty. The aim is to protect identifiable victims, even if it means breaching confidentiality in this limited, carefully assessed way. So, the correct understanding is that clinicians must warn or protect a third party if there is a credible threat. Warnings without exception, consent-based limits, or restricting the duty to non-clinical staff do not fit Tarasoff standards.