Confidentiality

The essence of an effective therapeutic relationship is based on safeguarding a client's privacy. To the extent permitted by law, the Seattle University CAPS maintains complete confidentiality of all that is communicated between you and your counselor. Your written permission is required before any information about you, including acknowledgement of your contact with the Center, is released to anyone. Parents, deans, friends, and others do not even have access to information that you are a client here, unless you authorize us (both verbally and in writing) to release such information.   Exceptions to this include: 

• A counselor is required by state law to report knowledge of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation of children (under 18 years), developmentally disabled adults or elders.
• If you become a danger to yourself or another person, the counselor may break the confidentiality agreement; if you are a threat to an identifiable victim, we may be required to notify the appropriate authorities.
• A counselor may be court-ordered to reveal information.
• If you are gravely disabled due to mental illness/disability AND dangerous to yourself or others, information may be released to a county-designated Mental Health Professional if you refused to accept treatment voluntarily.
• If you inform us that you are HIV positive and your counselor is the primary health care provider, either you or your counselor must disclose the identities of any IV drug-using/or sexual partners to the Department of Health.
• When applying for a federal job that requires security clearance or a position with the postal service, please be aware that you may be asked by the prospective employer to sign a comprehensive authorization to release information which can include disclosure of your counseling records.

Law students should be aware that some states ask for information about therapy experiences as part of the application for admission to the bar. In a few states, medical boards request this information as well.  Some federal agencies make inquiries regarding applicants for positions with them. In our experiences to date, we have responded to such requests with very brief summaries, which have sufficed. Such information is released only with your written consent.

Since CAPS is also a training center, your counselor may be an intern. All interns are supervised and their situations will be discussed with their supervisors. The intention of this supervision is to promote the highest quality care. To that end you may be asked by your counselor to have some of your sessions audio taped and/or video taped. If you are to be taped, that process will be discussed with you and your written permission requested. At all times your privacy and care will be treated with the highest regard.

Your counselor may consult with other professionals, including the Psychiatric Resident at CAPS, in order to provide the best possible treatment for you.