The APA Code of Ethics and Washington State law consider the personal information you discuss in counseling to be confidential. This means that no record of counseling is made on an academic transcript, and that information regarding your counseling is not released without your written permission, unless otherwise indicated by law as noted below. This means that if you want someone else to be informed that you have received services at the Counseling Center, you must sign a specific authorization to disclose information. Electronic records are kept of your appointments.
Information about your contact with the Counseling Center will not be shared with others outside the Counseling Center without your written consent, except in specific circumstances described below:
- If there is imminent danger to the health and safety of yourself or another person;
- The information involves the abuse or neglect of a child (under 18 years) or vulnerable adult. Counselors are required to report such incidents to authorities;
- You bring charges against your counselor, and/or the counseling center;
- We receive a court order for your records.