Differentiate between confidentiality and privacy in CPS work.

• A. Privacy is the obligation to protect information; confidentiality is the client's right to control access to their information
• B. Confidentiality is the obligation to protect information; privacy is the client's right to control access to their information
• C. They are the same
• D. Privacy applies to providers

Answer: (B)

In CPS work, it’s essential to separate what you must do to protect information from what the client is allowed to decide about sharing it. Confidentiality is the professional duty to protect information shared by the client within the helping relationship. You keep what the client tells you confidential, and you only disclose it with the client’s consent or when there’s a legitimate exception such as safety concerns or a legal requirement.

Privacy, on the other hand, is about the client’s right to control access to their information. The client decides who can see what, and you honor their preferences by seeking consent before sharing and by explaining any limits to privacy, including any situations where you must share information (like mandated reporting).

This framing—confidentiality as the obligation to protect information, privacy as the client’s right to control access—best captures the distinction. Some options mix up who holds the obligation and who has the rights, or imply they’re the same, which isn’t accurate. In practice, you discuss limits of confidentiality with the client, obtain consent before sharing, and respect their privacy choices while complying with mandatory reporting and safety laws.