RSWs need to comply with privacy laws, standards of practice and other legislation when it comes to keeping, storing and destroying records. RSWs who work for organizations have the benefit of existing organizational policies and processes.  As an RSW in private practice you need to comply with all applicable laws, standards, and legislation and you must also establish your own policies concerning record management including:

  • storage
  • allowing and refusing access
  • correction of records
  • destruction of records

It is important to store both clinical and financial records securely, but clinical records need extra attention.  Both records must be stored for seven years, but there are additional considerations for clinical records, for example the records for minors must be stored longer and for clinical records, confidentiality must be kept for the entire lifecycle of the file.