The Tarasoff duty to warn is best described as requiring clinicians to take what action when a patient poses a credible threat to a specific person?

• A. Always contact law enforcement and notify all potential victims.
• B. Warn the potential victim or take reasonable steps to protect them; applicability varies by jurisdiction.
• C. Document the threat but take no direct action.
• D. Only apply to threats of property damage, not harm to persons.

Answer: (B)

When a patient presents a credible threat to a specific person, clinicians have a duty to take steps to reduce that risk by warning the identified victim or taking reasonable protective actions. This principle comes from Tarasoff, which holds that the therapist cannot ignore a credible threat and must act to prevent harm, but the exact action can vary by jurisdiction. Some places require directly warning the potential victim, others require protective measures such as involving authorities or seeking involuntary commitment, and many systems do both. The best description captures both warning the person and taking protective steps, with the caveat that the precise duties depend on local law. The other ideas—always notifying law enforcement and all potential victims, or merely documenting the threat without action, or limiting the duty to property damage—do not align with the established approach to threats against persons.