The Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California case involves the family of Tatiana Tarasoff and the team of professionals who was taking care of Prosenijit Poddar’s mental health. Tarasoff and Poddar were just friends but Poddar wanted more than that. Tarasoff let Poddar know she was not interested in him. Poddar did not like that and started to stalk Tarasoff. Poddar had made threats about hurting Tarasoff but the professionals taking care of him did not alert the right authorities, Tarasoff, or her family. From withholding that information Poddar ...view middle of the document...
Regents of the University of California case has made huge impact in the human service field. As human service professionals we have to protect our clients as well as others. With this ruling we now have to take in the consideration of our clients as well as people who are close to client and the general public. Human service providers have always been taught to protect and help our clients. Now with the Tarasoff ruling human service professionals need to make sure that those closes with the client are not any danger and if they are they need to be alerted. As human services providers our ethical decision has to be alter. Statement 3 in the ethical standards of human service professionals states that all human professional are to protect their client right of privacy and confidentiality but if the client is threat to their self or others then appropriate authorities should be notify. Statement 4 goes in to detail that if a Human Services Professional suspects any client will cause harm to their self or others professionals are suppose the make sure the client and others are safe and aware of the action of the client. With this ruling there is a fine line drawn between confidentiality of the client and when to alert the right authorities if a human professionals believes that their clients really plans to hurt an individual.