Protecting your privacy: Understanding confidentiality

The Psychological Counselor: Confidential Advocate at CCNY offers a safe and confidential environment for you to discuss your concerns. As such, everything you share with your counselor is confidential. Information will never be shared with anyone without your written permission.

Personal concerns shared to the Psychological Counselor: Confidential Advocate are not integrated with a student’s academic record. However, there are a few exceptions to confidentiality guidelines, and these apply to any health or mental health treatment center in New York State. Legal exceptions to confidentiality include:

• If you are in danger of hurting yourself or another, your counselor is obligated to protect you or the other person
• If you are 17 or younger your counselor is obligated to inform your parents that you are attending counseling and obtain their consent for services. Your parents also have a right to request a copy of your record
• If your counselor suspects that a minor or an elderly person is being abused or neglected
• If your counselor receives a court order to release a copy of your file