Confidentiality

Confidentiality

Respecting your confidentiality is one of the Counseling and Wellness Center's highest priorities. To ensure your confidentiality, counseling records are kept in an electronic database stored in a secured, password-protected environment separate from all other academic records. In order for counselors to discuss any information about you with any individual or agency outside of our center, you must give signed consent. However, there are exceptions to confidentiality to be aware of before beginning counseling.

These exceptions are:

• If you are in danger of hurting yourself or another, your counselor is obligated to protect you or the other person. Please note that Illinois law mandates that the parents of a minor must be notified.
• If your counselor suspects that a minor or an elderly person is being abused or neglected.
• If we receive a court order to release a copy of your information.
• If you have been reported to the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), the counselor will disclose to the BIT that the student has received services.
• If we need to seek legal advice from Triton’s policy and legal affairs advisor.
• If the parents of a minor (under the age of 18) request information.
• Social Networking and Confidentiality:
  Triton counseling staff will not accept friend or contact requests on social networking sites from current students with whom they have professional relationships. This policy exists to minimize the potential for online relationships that could compromise client confidentiality and the privacy of both clients and staff.

Optional Mental Health Disclosure

The Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act, 110 ILCS 74/1 et seq. requires that institutions of higher learning maintain a policy that provides all students the opportunity to authorize, in writing, the disclosure of certain private mental health information to a designated person. A designated person is defined by this Act as a parent, guardian, or other person over the age of 18 designated by a student to receive disclosure of certain private mental health information. The choice to designate a contact person is at the student’s discretion.

What information will be disclosed?
Under the Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Policy, Triton College may disclose a student’s mental health information to the student’s designated person if a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner who is employed by Triton College makes a determination that the student poses a clear danger to themselves or others. In order to protect students or other person(s) against a clear, imminent risk of serious physical or mental injury, disease or death being inflicted upon themselves or others, Triton College may disclose the student’s mental health information as set forth herein.

The information will be disclosed by the qualified examiner to the designated person as soon as practical, but in no more than 24 hours after making the mental health determination.

Who is a qualified examiner?
A qualified examiner is defined by 405 ILCS 5/1-122 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code Act as a clinical social worker, a registered psychiatric nurse, a licensed clinical professional counselor or a licensed marriage and family therapist.

If you wish to designate a contact person, please complete the Student Optional Disclosure of Mental Health Information Form. You will need to login to the student portal to complete the disclosure form. This information will be stored confidentially and securely. only Triton College counselors, the dean of student services, and the dean of enrollment services may access these forms.

This information will be stored confidentially and securely. Only Triton College counselors, the Dean of Student Services, and the Dean of Enrollment Services may access these forms.

This form will remain valid until the student revokes authorization by notifying the college in writing that s/he is withdrawing this authorization. Additionally, students wishing to change the name for the designated contact person may do so by submitting a new Optional Disclosure of Mental Health Information Form.

For more information about this act and disclosure, please contact a Triton College counselor at 708-456-0300, ext. 3588.