If direct disclosure could harm the patient, to whom may the information be released according to policy?

• A. The staff judge advocate (SJA)
• B. The next of kin (NOK)
• C. The MTF commander
• D. A physician named by the patient or a person qualified to make psychiatric or mental determinations

Answer: (D)

When there is a risk that disclosure could harm the patient, information should go only to someone who can act on it within care or assessment for the patient's safety. The policy allows release to a physician named by the patient or to a professional qualified to make psychiatric or mental health determinations. This ensures the information reaches the person best positioned to evaluate risk and determine appropriate care, while still protecting the patient’s privacy.

Sharing with a staff judge advocate, the next of kin, or the MTF commander isn’t appropriate in this scenario unless there’s explicit patient consent or a separate legal requirement, because they are not the ones directly responsible for medical assessment or treatment of mental health risk.