A Duluth psychologist has been reprimanded by the state Board of Psychology for revealing private information about a client, but the incident he was reprimanded for was not made clear by board members.
In an order adopted last month, Mark Ham, who has been a psychologist with the Human Development Center for the past 16 years, said that the information he revealed about a client "would have led to the identity of the client to a co-worker who was leaving their place of employment," according to the consent order detailing the reprimand.
Ham "admitted that at the time he revealed private information, he was aware it was inappropriate," the consent order said.
Ham said Thursday the event that led to the reprimand was complex, but said he could not provide details about what happened.
"I did break the letter of that code of ethics," he said, "but not in a way that had any ill intent."
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Ham said the person who he revealed information about was not his client and it was not done to discuss treatment options with another colleague.
"There is some ongoing stuff that is not board-related that I shouldn't go into," he said.
The Minnesota Board of Psychology's reprimand did not include any actual order of discipline such as a suspension of his license to practice or a requirement to take additional education courses.
Ham said he felt the reprimand was appropriate.
"I told the board they ended up doing what they should have done under the circumstances," he said. "It's not like I'm going around talking about patients at cocktail parties."
