Confidentiality of medical information: psychotherapy.

Existing law prohibits providers of health care, health care service plans, and contractors from releasing medical information to persons authorized by law to receive that information if the information specifically relates to a patient's participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist, unless the requester of the information submits a specified written request for the information to the patient and to the provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor. However, existing law excepts from those provisions specified disclosures that are made for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of a patient. This bill would also except from those provisions disclosures that are made to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a reasonably foreseeable victim or victims.