Information shared with Counselors in the Office of Student Success is confidential and no information will be released beyond the Counselors without written consent from the student. Exceptions to this confidentiality policy are:
When there is risk of imminent danger to self or others.
When there is a suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being sexually or physically abused or is at risk of such abuse.
If a court order subpoenas counseling records.
Or as permitted by Virginia law.
All communication between a client and Counselors in the Office of Student Success is confidential and will not, except under the circumstances explained above, be disclosed to anyone outside of Counseling Services unless written authorization to release information is given. Counselors routinely consult and collaborate with other professionals in the Office of Student Success regarding student needs. However, Counselors do not disclose that students are receiving counseling services or any information disclosed in counseling sessions. Written permission to exchange information is needed prior to sharing confidential information, except as noted above.
Minors can receive services without parental consent. Unless there is a signed written release of information, we cannot speak to anyone about treatment received with counseling services. Students under 18 may consent to mental health treatment and may be seen at counseling center without parental notification.
However, a minor’s parents do have the legal right to request and receive mental health treatment records, unless the treating mental health professional determines that the release of said records would be reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the minor. It is counseling center’s practice to discourage parents from requesting such information so that a trusting working relationship can be established.
Counseling services are available to all EHC students free of charge. The Counseling Center operates on a semester calendar, meaning that counseling services are offered only for the duration of each academic semester (spring, summer, winter). All students are closed to services at the end of each semester; if a need arises to return to counseling, a student will collaborate with their counselor to assess and modify treatment goals as needed. If a student needs or desires counseling during breaks in the academic year, it is likely that the Counseling Center will recommend you establish a relationship with a provider in the community, or with a virtual provider, to ensure uninterrupted care.
If you are facing ongoing difficulties (6 months or longer) or if you have engaged in ongoing therapy in the past, it is likely that the Counseling Center will recommend you establish arelationship with a provider in the community, or with a virtual provider, to ensure you have access to mental health treatment that is not limited.
Because of the high demand for our services, we urge our clients to contact us 24 hours in advance to cancel a scheduled appointment. Repeated “no-shows” may result in termination of that service.
Adjustment (dealing with transitions, new life circumstances, etc.)
Grief and loss
Trauma, sexual assault
Students needing medical detoxification and/or medical stabilization
Students who are already receiving ongoing therapy with another mental health provider
Mandated mental health evaluation or counseling
Students who are unable to comply with treatment
Recent or multiple psychiatric hospitalizations
Chronic thoughts of suicide, frequent self-injury behaviors, or history of repeated suicide attempts
Need for drug testing
Presence of severe or long-standing eating disorder symptoms
Request for formal psychological assessment (e.g., ADHD testing)
Request for psychological evaluation for the purpose of employment clearance or other non-academic purpose
Request for services to fulfill students’ court-mandated assessment or treatment requirements
Students seeking therapy for the sole purpose of obtaining documentation for another office
Court-mandated counseling services (i.e., anger-management or substance abuse), forensic or custody evaluations
Counseling or assessment services required by employers, government agencies, or academic departments
Documentation of psychological conditions for purposes such as special academic, employment, travel, or housing accommodations (i.e., emotional support animals), except when the student making the request is, or has been, a Counseling Services client, and available clinical records and information are sufficient, in the opinion of the clinician, to do so.
Individual counseling initiated only for course credit
In order to meet significant student demand for service and use resources most effectively, the counseling center utilizes a brief therapy model. Brief therapy is short-term and focused on helping students to resolve or effectively manage a specific problem or challenge, or to make a particular desired change. The therapy is typically goal-oriented, and sessions are geared towards direct and active intervention to help clients achieve specific goals. Frequency of sessions may be weekly at first, but more often are every other week.
When a student decides to pursue counseling within the college, services begin by developing a treatment plan. Developing a treatment plan is a collaborative process between a student and a counselor, designed to maximize effectiveness of therapeutic services and give you a sense of empowerment and autonomy in your mental health journey. A treatment plan includes a specific goal or goals to help with current mental health challenges, as well as an estimated number of sessions needed to achieve goal(s).
The Counseling Center does not conduct psychological evaluations for the purpose of determining disability status and also does not make accommodations/recommendations for persons who have been identified as differently abled. For this reason, we cannot provide documentation for students seeking authorization for an emotional support animal, even if the student is a current or former Counseling Center client. The Counseling Center can provide students with a referral to a community provider for a disability evaluation. An off-campus psychologist or psychiatrist can evaluate a student’s disability status and determine if, based on the student’s condition, an emotional support animal is medically necessary. Alternatively, students may choose to consult with their primary physician.
If a student’s needs are outside the scope of practice for the Counseling Center, or if a student prefers a counselor, appointment availability, treatment method etc. that is not provided by the Counseling Center, counselors will work with students to identify the most appropriate course of action for treatment. Emory & Henry values its partnerships with community providers, and our counselors maintain positive working relationships with our local CSBs (Highlands Community Services for our main campus students and Mount Rogers Community Services for our Marion students). When services from a community provider such as a CSB are deemed appropriate, a counselor will typically make a phone call to said provider with the student present and have a collaborative conversation about need and availability. Other parties may be involved in the referral process if the student wishes and completes a release of information for said parties (i.e., a parent, previous provider). Students are also welcome to reach out to community providers independently of a counselor.
Counselors can also help connect students with a provider via the TimelyCare app-based platform. TimelyCare is a new resource available to students as of Fall 2022, offering all virtual services for both medical and mental health issues. For mental health needs, students can access one-on-one personal counseling with a licensed provider of their choosing. TimelyCare also offers a 24/7 “Talk Now” feature for students experiencing non-life threatening challenges that need immediate attention. The Counseling Center maintains a private, confidential space inside of our suite, allowing students to access TimelyCare services if a private space is not available to them.