CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

Student Service counselors respect an individual's right to privacy and the confidential nature of information disclosed within the counseling setting. Information received from students or teachers will remain confidential provided there is no legal obligation to report and no threat to the student's personal safety or well-being. If any student reports abuse/neglect or discloses plans/thoughts of hurting themselves or someone else, the student and counselor will discuss the best approach to informing parents or guardians.

For the safety of our students, our department has a broad definition of what it means to "hurt yourself." This definition includes but is not limited to self-injurious and risky behaviors (i.e. suicidal ideation, abortion, illegal activity, cutting, etc.), mental health issues that require outside counseling, and various other teenage issues.

We encourage students to approach situations as a partnership between themselves, their parents, and the school. So that all parties can best support the success of our students, limited general information may be shared with other school staff for purposes of consultation and collaborative efforts to address needs.