Non-disclosure of life threatening circumstances around Larry's Death

Larry, 16 years old, is sent to a family guidance clinic by his parents. During the first session, the counselor sees Larry and his parents together. His parents express their concern for his health and well-being and ask that the counselor do everything they can to help Larry. She advises them, infront of Larry, that anything discussed in confidentiality with Larry will not be disclosed without his permission. The parents accept this and understand that confidentiality is necessary for trust to develop between their son and his therapist. At first, Larry is reluctant to come in, eventually, as the sessions go on, he discloses a serious drug problem. His parents know he has used drugs at one time, but he has told them he is no longer using. The counselor listens to anecdote after anecdote about Larry’s use of illegal drugs, and how he says he is “loaded at school every day” and about “he has already had a few brushes with death when he was under the influence of illegal substances”. Finally, she tells Larry she does not want the responsibility of knowing he is experimenting with illegal drugs and will not agree to continue to the counseling relationship unless he stops using them. At this stage, she agrees not to inform his parents on the condition he quits using but she does not tell him she will be talking with one of her colleagues about the problem. Larry apparently stops using for several weeks. However, one night under the influence of Methamphetamine he has a serious automobile accident. As a result, he is paralyzed for life. Larry’s parents angrily assert that they had a legal right to be informed that he was seriously involved in heavy drug use and file a suit against both the counselor and the agency.
It is proposed that the counselor should have informed Larry’s Parent’s about his drug use.