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Because counseling includes discussion of sensitive personal information, you should feel safe in your conversations with counselors and confident that your privacy is protected.

Our staff have a legal and ethical obligation to protect your privacy. Information about your counseling is confidential and counseling records are not part of your academic or administrative records. We won’t disclose information related to your counseling without written permission from you. This includes responding to questions from parents, friends and faculty members.

However, there are a few exceptions to the general rule of confidentiality.

We would be required to release information, and possibly contact the appropriate people, under the following circumstances:

• There is a danger you may harm yourself or someone else.
• We learn information which leads us to believe a child or elderly person is being abused or neglected.
• We receive a court order to release information (i.e., you are involved in a criminal or civil case in which your emotional or mental health is a concern).

To ensure we provide you with the best care we can, there’s another way your information might be shared. Our staff members may consult with other Counseling Services staff members (protecting your anonymity as much as possible) in order to determine the best way to help you.

If any of these circumstances occur, we’ll discuss it with you when possible.

If you would like to provide written permission for us to speak with someone about your care, you will need to fill out the Authorization to Release Protected Health Information Form, which can be accessed by emailing counseling@limcollege.edu.

The Office of Counseling Services offers more than just counseling. We provide a number of helpful consultative resources and educational programs.

A consultation can be very helpful for anyone worried about a particular student. Consultations are available for ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß¹Û¿´Èë¿Ú staff and faculty for a range of issues, including:

• How to recognize students who need help
• Strategies for helping connect a student with the Office of Counseling Services or other support services
• Crisis intervention and management

Counseling Services staff members are also available to consult with concerned family members and friends or roommates of students experiencing emotional distress.

All information about students is confidential and information regarding counseling sessions cannot be released without a student’s written permission, unless there is a threat of danger. However, we can provide general information about how to understand, provide assistance to, or get help for the person and situation you describe.

Confidentiality doesn’t limit what you can tell us. If a staff or faculty member would like to follow up on a referral to the Office Counseling Services, it’s best to speak directly with the student, who is not legally obligated by the same promise of confidentiality as the counselors.