Counseling Center: Rights, Privacy, Responsibilities and Consent to Treatment

Rights

You have the right to:

  • ask questions and be informed about the nature of Counseling Center services
  • a defined counseling goal mutually decided upon by you and your counselor
  • be referred to another helping professional if you desire or if your concerns go beyond our expertise

Responsibilities

You have the responsibility to:

  • be on time for appointments with your counselor
  • inform the front office by phone (417-836-5116) as soon as possible if you cannot meet your appointment time

Op5.04-1 University Counseling Center Student Service Eligibility

The purpose of this policy is to define eligibility for counseling services at Missouri State University’s Counseling Center (Counseling Center). The Counseling Center offers time-limited counseling services to assist students to promote development and psychological well-being. Services are not available to nonstudents. All enrolled full-time and part-time MSU students, taking at least one (1) credit hour, are eligible for counseling services at the Counseling Center.

Full-time and part-time faculty and staff of the university, excluding student-employees, are not eligible for services at the Counseling Center, even if they are also enrolled as a student. However, faculty and staff are eligible for services through Magers Family Health and Wellness Center and the university’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) managed through the university Human Resources office.

Op5.04-2 Confidentiality

All communication within the Counseling Center is confidential. No record of counseling is contained in any academic, educational, or job placement file. Information regarding the content of interviews or the results of testing counseling sessions or client’s clinical file can be released only with the written permission of the client. The exceptions to this policy are:

  1. when the information relates to clear and imminent danger to an individual or group
  2. when state law requires the reporting of information (threats of violence, child/elder abuse or neglect)
  3. when the consent of a parent/guardian is required to provide services to a minor student or an adult student under legal guardianship
  4. when information is requested by court order.

Any disclosure in these situations will be made to an appropriate authority, and will be limited to material directly pertinent to the issue involved.