Confidentiality Policy

 Rice University General Annoucements Statement on Rice Counseling Center Confidentiality 

Counseling services are confidential; information about a student is not released outside the university without that student’s written permission. Information to protect, or information necessary to assess the need to protect, the health, safety and welfare of the student or other members of the community may be released within the university to administrative officials who are in a need to know position without a specific signed waiver.  Students may be required to share assessments, diagnoses, or treatment plans from non-Rice treating professionals with the counseling center or with need-to-know administrative officials if that information is necessary to protect or assess the need to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the student or other members of the community.  In addition, by state law, confidentiality does not extend to circumstances where (1) there is risk of imminent harm to the student or others; (2) the counselor has reason to believe that a child or an elderly or handicapped person is, or is in danger of, being abused or neglected; (3) a court order is issued to release information; (4) the student is involved in a criminal lawsuit; or (5) the counselor suspects that the student has been the victim of sexual exploitation by a former health provider during the course of treatment with that provider.