What is the Tarasoff duty to warn?

• A. It applies uniformly in all jurisdictions.
• B. It requires notifying law enforcement in all patient threats.
• C. Clinicians may have a duty to warn or take reasonable steps to protect identifiable third parties if a patient presents a credible threat; applicability varies by jurisdiction.
• D. It only applies to minors.

Answer: (C)

When a patient makes a credible threat against a specific, identifiable person, clinicians may have a duty to warn or take steps to protect that person. This duty balances patient confidentiality with public safety, and the exact obligation isn’t the same everywhere. Some jurisdictions require warning the potential victim, others require protective actions such as notifying authorities or arranging hospitalization, and some impose both. The key elements are that the threat must be credible and directed at a named or identifiable person. The duty is not uniform across all places, and it’s not limited to minors.