At the Wellness Center, confidentiality is one of the most important components to ensuring a student’s right to privacy and creating an experience for effective therapy and medical care. Our strict confidentiality policy guarantees that any information regarding a student will not be disclosed without her/his permission except as required by State and Federal laws. Utilizing the Counseling Center does not become part of a student’s academic record. It is up to the student to decide whether any contact with the Counseling Center can be shared with their parents, friends, administrators, professors, or other individuals.
If you’re referring a student to the Wellness Center:
Faculty, staff, family, and concerned others referring students to the Wellness Center understandably want to know if a student has followed-up with the referral and seen a Wellness Center staff members. Confidentiality laws, however, prohibit us from providing anyone with information about a student’s contact, or lack thereof, with the Center without written permission from the student. Our strict confidentiality policy can cause frustration for concerned others desiring basic information about students they’ve referred. We encourage students referred to us by others to let them know whether they have made and/or attended an appointment with a counselor. As a concerned person, you can also follow-up with the student directly to inquire about their contact with the Center, as students are not bound by legal restrictions and are free to disclose any information they choose to share. If you would like to be able to talk with a provider, you may ask the student if they would be willing to sign a release for us to speak with you.
