clinical social work association

February 18, 2020

The Washington Post article (see below) sent to you yesterday on the confidentiality violation of migrant children in detention has generated many responses and a call for what we can do to stand up for LCSW ethical standards.

CSWA recommends sending the following message to your members of Congress. You can find their email addresses or contact information at https://www.congress.gov/members?searchResultViewType=expanded&KWICView=false

A suggested message is as follows:

“I am a constituent and a member of the Clinical Social Work Association. Please take action to end the way that immigrant minors being held in detention have no right to confidentiality when seeing a clinical social worker for psychotherapy. This fundamental ethical principle of psychotherapy is currently being violated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement according to the Washington Post (see article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/immigration-therapy-reports-ice/?utm_campaign=wp_evening_edition&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_evening). The process of psychotherapy becomes potentially traumatic without the right to confidentially. I would be happy to discuss this with you further."

Please feel free to use your own language in this message. Contact me if you have questions or need more information. As always, let me know when you have sent your messages. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

- Laura Groshong, LICSW, CSWA Director of Policy and Practice, Government Relations Chair