Which statement about sharing information with third parties is correct?

• A. Information may be shared with third parties without consent if necessary for operations.
• B. Information may be shared with third parties only with consent, except as required by law or agency policy.
• C. Information may never be shared with third parties.
• D. Information can be shared with any partner for joint programs without consent.

Answer: (B)

Protecting client information means you only share with third parties when you have consent, unless there’s a legal or agency policy requirement to disclose. This keeps clients in control of their personal data while allowing needed collaboration to keep children safe and services coordinated.

Consent is typically obtained via a release of information that names what will be shared, with whom, and for what purpose. There are important exceptions: laws requiring disclosure (such as mandated reporting of abuse or safety risks) or agency policies that authorize sharing with other professionals involved in a case. These rules ensure disclosures happen for legitimate reasons and with appropriate safeguards.

Sharing information for ordinary operations without consent isn’t appropriate, and partnering with others on joint programs without the proper consent or policy-based authorization would bypass necessary protections. That’s why the correct statement is that information may be shared only with consent, except as required by law or agency policy.