Is counseling confidential? Is it part of my academic record?

Because Counseling Center staff members licensed psychologists in the State of New York (or working under the supervision of a licensed psychologist) they are required by law and ethics to maintain confidentiality. This means that no information about a student’s experience at the counseling center, even the fact that he or she attended an appointment, can be released without the student’s signed permission. This makes them different from high school counselors, academic counselors, or other types of counselors on campus, where confidentiality is not as fully protected.

Our staff members cannot and will not tell anyone -- not faculty or staff members, parents, or other students -- that a student is seeking services without his or her permission.

We will not disclose to anyone what a student talks about during their sessions at the Counseling Center. No information gathered by the Counseling Center is included in a student’s academic record; when students leave Poly, their participation in counseling remains private.

Please note that there are legal exceptions to confidentiality that require mental health care professionals to take responsible action. These generally involve situations involving child or adult abuse or neglect, court orders or subpoena of records, or danger to self or others.

If you are a student majoring in a professionally regulated area (e g., Law, Medicine, Nursing, etc.), or if your work requires government security clearance (e.g., Department of Defense), please be advised that those regulatory boards may ask you to authorize disclosure of your Counseling Center records.

Any communication you have with a therapist at the Counseling Center outside of a therapy session may be recorded in your file at the Counseling Center. Communication could be information shared face to face with your Therapist, e-mail messages, phone calls, etc. Please be aware that if you use e-mail to communicate with your counselor, we cannot guarantee a prompt response or that your e-mail message will be secure in transit.

We train graduate students from the mental health professions, and you may have one as a therapist. Professional staff supervises graduate students, and they may ask your permission to record sessions for confidential supervisory purposes. You have the right to know your therapist's supervisor's name and how to contact that supervisor; your therapist will provide this information at your first meeting. Information regarding students is routinely shared internally among Counseling Center staff, primarily for case consultation and therapist supervision.

Effective counseling requires an atmosphere of trust. If students have any questions about confidentiality, they should raise them at the beginning of their first meeting.