The staff of Student Health Services is strongly committed to maintaining strict confidentiality. To provide optimal care and service, we may sometimes consult with another clinician or health care professional within Health Services. However, information and records are not shared outside of Health Services without your written consent. There are some exceptions to the privilege of confidentiality. The clinician may disclose information deemed necessary to protect you and/or others from imminent danger, to report child or elder abuse, or upon court order. If we are contacted by an authorized federal official to disclose your health information, we may be required by law (such as the Patriot Act) to do so. By law we cannot reveal when we have been required to disclose such information to the government. These exceptions are rare. In every other case, your visit is completely confidential.

Parental Notification – Students over 18

Strict confidentiality maintains the integrity of the student-SHS staff person healthcare relationship. Students are adults and should be treated as such. Therefore, parents and family members will not ordinarily be involved in or made aware of treatment unless they are informed directly by the student. There may be times when the SHS staff feel that parent or family notification would be beneficial in supporting the student; in these cases, they will notify parents only after a discussion has taken place between the health care provider and the student and the student has given written permission to do so. Giving written permission is voluntary and is viewed as ultimately helpful to the student’s health and safety. There are situations where the SHS staff, after consultation with the director or assistant vice president for Student Health and Support Services, decide that it is necessary to notify parents or family about a student's immediate health concerns, with or without the consent of the student. The staff will use the ethical and legal standards of their field of practice to make these decisions. These situations are rare and the decision to notify is always carefully considered.