Confidentiality Policy and Release of Information

Counseling requires a private and confidential relationship in which you can feel safe to talk about your concerns. Consequently, information you share with your counselor is treated as confidential, according to professional ethics, University regulations, and state and federal law.

What does this mean?
In general, we won't release information about you to others without your prior written consent, and information that you share in counseling does not become part of your academic record. We do not discuss information about you with your instructors or your supervisors, nor do we release information about you to your family members. However, there may be times when you want us to contact other counseling or medical providers; in that event, we would require that you complete a written consent form authorizing us to do so. In this way, you are in control of information about your counseling. The only exceptions to this policy are those unusual circumstances when confidential information is needed to protect someone's health or safety, for instance, if we feel you present a clear and imminent risk of danger to yourself or someone else, or in cases of suspected child abuse, where disclosure is mandated by law.