Confidentiality

Is information I disclose shared with anyone?

Information shared during your contacts with the Counseling Center will be kept confidential, consistent with State and Federal law and applicable ethical standards. Although the majority of our staff members are licensed Psychologists or licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, the Counseling Center does serve as a training site, and thus, some clients will be seen by a graduate student clinician in training. You would be informed if your therapist is a trainee, and you would be informed of the licensed staff member serving as a supervisor who will be kept abreast of your counseling. Licensed counseling staff members also consult with one another in order to ensure you of the highest quality services; however, information about you would not typically be released outside of the Counseling Center.

State and Federal law and professional ethics do allow for a few exceptions in which some information may be shared with others. The following are examples of the types of circumstances which may warrant the discussion of confidential information with others:

• If you request, in writing, that information about you be shared with someone outside of our department, we would honor that request.
• If information you share gives a counselor reason to suspect that a child or elderly person may be a victim of abuse or neglect, appropriate authorities would be notified.
• If there is reason to suspect that you are a danger to yourself or others, appropriate steps would be taken to protect the safety of all concerned.
• If a judge orders a release of information regarding your counseling, we may need to comply with such a court order. In such exceptional instances, efforts would typically be made to alert you the possibility, or actuality, of release of information occurring.

If you have any questions regarding this information, please raise them with your counselor