The American Psychological Association recently revised its "Record Keeping Guidelines" (APA, 2007) in order to help psychologists determine the most up-to-date and appropriate methods for developing, maintaining, protecting, disclosing, and disposing of clinical documentation. The revised RKG are expanded in scope, critically different from their prior iteration, and subject to variable interpretation as a result of the complex array of record keeping options they identify. Psychologists who chaired the APA's Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS) during the development of the revised RKG discuss the specific relevance of these guidelines for clinicians providing psychotherapy and assessment services. The authors explore the interrelation of the revised RKG with the mandatory guidance of the APA's "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (APA, 2002) and with the requirements of state and federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, 1996). These substantial ethical and legal correlates underscore the critical importance of managing clinical documentation carefully in an era of evolving technologies.
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