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Confidentiality
& Privacy
Federal and state laws
along with professional ethical standards prohibit the
disclosure of any information you provide us unless we have
your proper written consent. Thus, if a St. Ambrose
University official or your parents or anyone else should
inquire about your receiving services here, we would not be
able to disclose any information about you without your
written permission. Having said that, there are a few
exceptions to the confidentiality laws and standards, as
follows:
· If your counselor
believes that you or someone else is in clear and imminent
danger of harm, your counselor is legally obligated to
inform proper authorities and others in order to prevent the
harm from occurring. This information would be disclosed
only to appropriate professional workers, necessary
university and public authorities, a potential victim of
aggression or the client’s family.
· If you provide
information indicating that someone under 18 years old is
being abused, your counselor is legally required to notify
proper authorities.
· In rare cases, a court
may order your counselor to disclose information about you.
· If you are under 17 ½
years old, your parents or legal guardian may have access to
your treatment records.
· When the client requires
hospitalization for severe psychological problems, suicidal
ideations or attempt, or other life threatening issue. In
these instances, the counselor must notify the client’s
parents or spouse, the Dean of Students, and, if the client
lives in a residence hall, appropriate members of the
residence life staff. Only relevant, limited and necessary
information will be shared with these individuals, who are
always notified whenever a serious medical emergency arises
with a student.
In the preceding
situations, the counselor will, whenever possible first
discuss the disclosure of information with the client. The
counselor will provide reasons why the disclosure is
appropriate and necessary and will attempt to secure the
client’s permission to release information. The client and
counselor may jointly be involved in sharing the
information. However, should the client fail to give
permission, the counselor will proceed to release the
information without the client’s consent. In some emergency
situations, there may not be an opportunity to discuss
disclosure of information with the client prior to the
actual disclosure.
It is possible that at
some point in the future you will be required by an outside
agency or employer to sign a release allowing that agency or
employer to review your treatment records. This may occur,
for example if you apply for health and life insurance, or
if you apply for licensure or certification in some
professions, or if you apply for employment in agencies that
require a security clearance. In any of these situations,
the counselor will first make an attempt to contact you
regarding what information you may want disclosed to the
requesting party.
Learn more about our
email policy
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