What Do I Need to Know About Confidentiality? As someone who cares about students and their well-being, it is completely understandable that you may want to know specifics regarding the services that a student might be participating in at Counseling Services. However, as mental health-care providers, Counseling Services is legally and ethically required to uphold standards of confidentiality and the laws regarding privileged communications. Treating information confidentially means that Counseling Services cannot release any protected and privileged information to professors, advisers, parents, or concerned friends without the student’s consent. Confidentiality also prohibits the Counseling Services staff from confirming that a student has made an appointment or attended sessions at Counseling Services without the student’s explicit permission. Our staff recognizes that this may be difficult for those concerned about a student; however, our duty is first and foremost to our student clients, and we must maintain confidentiality consistent with our professional guidelines and mental health laws. The practices and operations regarding confidentiality utilized by Counseling Services staff are informed and guided by law (the Florida Mental Health Code), and by our ethical standards within mental health, marriage and family counseling as well as social work (via our accrediting bodies).
Without confidentiality, the therapeutic process has little chance of being effective.
There are narrow exceptions to when confidentiality must be “broken” including when we consider the student-client to be a threat to self or others; in order to protect children or minors from current potential abuse; or if court ordered by a judge in a current proceeding. 18
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