A. No person licensed pursuant to the provisions of the Marital and Family Therapist Licensure Act as a marital and family therapist, nor any of his employees or associates, shall be required to disclose any information which he may have acquired in rendering marital and family therapy services, except when:

1. Authorized by other state laws;

2. Failure to disclose such information presents a clear and present danger to the health or safety of any person;

3. The marital and family therapist is a party defendant to a civil, criminal or disciplinary action arising from such therapy in which case any waiver of the privilege accorded by this section shall be limited to that action;

4. The patient is a defendant in a criminal proceeding and the use of the privilege would violate the defendant's right to a compulsory process and/or right to present testimony and witnesses in his own behalf; or

5. A patient agrees to waiver of the privilege accorded by this section, in the case of death or disability of the patient, the consent of his personal representative or other person authorized to sue or the beneficiary of any insurance policy on his life, health or physical condition. In circumstances where more than one person in a family is receiving therapy, each such family member must agree to the waiver. Absent such a waiver from each family member, a marital and family therapist shall not disclose information received from any family member.

B. No information shall be treated as privileged and there shall be no privileges created by the Marital and Family Therapist Licensure Act as to any information acquired by the person licensed pursuant to the Marital and Family Therapist Licensure Act when such information pertains to criminal acts or violation of any law.

C. The Marital and Family Therapist Licensure Act shall not be construed to prohibit any licensed person from testifying in court hearings concerning matters of adoption, child abuse, child neglect, battery or matters pertaining to the welfare of children or from seeking collaboration or consultation with professional colleagues or administrative superiors on behalf of his client.

Added by Laws 1990, c. 166, § 11, eff. Jan. 1, 1991.