LIMITING THERAPIST EXPOSURE TO TARASOFF LIABILITY - GUIDELINES FOR RISK CONTAINMENT

The ''duty to protect'' third parties, first imposed by the Tarasoff case, has concerned and perplexed clinicians. A series of guidelines is offered for reducing therapist exposure to suit, based on expert witness experience in a number of cases raising this form of tort liability. These guidelines concern the assessment and management of risk, the documentation of information and activities, the formulation of written policies, and damage control when risk is realized.