The Counseling and Psychological Services staff adheres to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines set by the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and Pennsylvania law.
In doing so, the Office maintains confidential records of all counseling. This means that information about a student's contact with the office is not released to any other office or individual without a student’s written permission and signature.
There are exceptions to confidentiality. Counselors are mandated to report certain information, which includes possible harm to the client or another person, cases of child abuse, or in the event of a court order.
Though these situations can happen, they are rare. It is important to remember that a counselor’s primary goal is to provide a safe environment where students feel comfortable to talk about personal concerns.