Confidentiality

All records are confidential. Your records are NOT part of your academic or administrative records. Your records and personal history are available to no one including parents, family, police, employers, faculty, or administrators unless you provide written consent. No information about your counseling will be released to anyone without your authorization except under the following circumstances:

• If referred by someone else, we will confirm attendance at your first session for the referral source. No further information will be provided to them without your written permission.
• Information released to other professionals involved in treatment. Most commonly this would be to other members of the counseling staff at LeTourneau University, our psychiatric consultant (if involved in your treatment), or a LeTourneau Student Heath Center nurse (if assisting in managing your treatment). 
• If you are under 18 years of age, your parents or legal guardian(s) may have access to your records and may authorize their release to other parties. 
• If you are determined to be in imminent danger of harming yourself or someone else. 
• If you disclose abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or disabled persons. 
• If you disclose sexual misconduct by a therapist. 
• To qualified personnel for certain kinds of program audits or evaluations. 
• To individuals, corporations, or governmental agencies involved in paying or collecting fees for services. This includes insurance companies. In addition, please note that most applications for health insurance include a release of information for medical records. This would include counseling records. 
• In criminal court proceedings. 
• In legal or regulatory actions against a professional. 
• In proceedings in which a claim is made about one's physical, emotional, or mental condition. 
• When disclosure is relevant in any suit affecting the parent-child relationship. This includes divorce and child custody deliberations. 
• Where otherwise legally required.

COUPLES COUNSELING: Records related to couples counseling sessions are maintained separately from records related to those of an individual who has sought individual counseling therapy. Permission to release records relating to couples counseling must be authorized separately by each individual involved.

NOTE: Students should be aware that many states, including Texas, ask about therapy as part of application to the bar. In a few states medical boards request this information as well. Similar information is requested by some religious denominations prior to ordination. Some federal agencies require releasing this information for applicants for sensitive government positions. In the past we have responded to these requests with brief summaries, which have been sufficient. This information is only released with your written consent.

The staff adheres to the ethical principles and code of conduct for psychologists of the American Psychological Association.