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Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) Statement of Confidentiality

The Department of Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) is part of the University Health Center (UHC) and is dedicated to providing high quality psychological and psychiatric care. By maintaining a strict policy of confidentiality, your privacy is respected and better care is promoted. An important way of insuring confidentiality is to provide you with detailed information on the CAPS policy on confidentiality and the Georgia law on privileged communication between you and a CAPS professional.

Under Georgia law, counseling records are privileged and confidential. Exceptions to confidentiality can occur only under certain circumstances. These exceptions include serious immediate threat to your life or welfare or to the life or welfare of another person. This includes child abuse or imminent danger to the community at large. Disclosures may be made to select University officials when needed to protect the campus community or to ensure the continuity of care in treatment. When possible, you (the student) will be notified in advance if disclosure is deemed necessary.

No one outside the University Health Center (UHC) professional staff may have access to your records, and no one outside the UHC may be given information without your written consent. This includes your parents, teachers, housing staff, friends, insurance company, etc. If it is important for us to discuss your care with anyone outside of the UHC, we need written authorization from you to do so. If you feel this is needed, please discuss the needs with your therapist or psychiatrist so we can best meet your needs without divulging unnecessary information. It is important for your parents to understand this limitation as we are bound by law to protect your clinical information. We must have a signed, written release of information form to discuss your care with your parents once you become 18 years of age. A form is available at our reception desk for your specific release of CAPS information.

It is important for you to know that Georgia law outlines a protected relationship between mental health professionals (specifically, psychologists and psychiatrists) and their clients. This privileged relationship means that clinicians may not reveal or be compelled by law to reveal any communication, observation, test result or other information gained as a result of the treatment relationship. Information conveyed to CAPS by someone other than yourself is not considered confidential and may be shared directly with you. Privileged communication between you and your therapist or psychiatrist may be waived by a judge in child custody adoption cases, in lawsuits where mental condition is an important consideration, and in criminal lawsuits.

In order to provide you with a continuum of high level care, there may be times when a CAPS staff will need to contact you or respond to you via electronic mail, voice mail, facsimile machine, cellular phone and/or answering machine, unless you instruct us otherwise. It is important for you to realize there is the potential that these messages could be inadvertently received or overheard by an unintended third party. E-mail is not a secure means of communication (i.e. may be intercepted by others outside the intended audience). CAPS staff members prefer to minimize our use of email with you whenever possible.

Although counseling records are maintained separately from the general health record, entries are made in the medical record at the University Health Center for coordinated health care purposes. This documentation includes, but is not limited to: 1) date of your visits and the name of your therapist, 2) diagnosis or general description of the problem addressed in CAPS and 3) any psychotropic medication prescription. This information is in a separate "Special Information" section and is not released under a request for release for "Medical Records."

During the academic year, the CAPS office is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday and Friday and from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday through Thursday. During summer and break periods, CAPS hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Our phone number is 706-542-2273. Emergency services are available 24 hours every day of the year. The emergency services can be reached during hours the clinic is not open by calling 706-542-2200, which is the number for UGA Police who will contact the CAPS professional staff on-call. We understand that confidentiality and comfort level in talking to campus police can be an issue. If you desire, you do have the option of only using your first name. The UGA Police dispatcher will also request a phone number where you can be reached. When the CAPS staff talks with you, at that time, your name and student number will be needed for our records. If you have any questions on confidentiality or procedures, please bring them to the attention of your therapist. Counseling and Psychiatric Services encourages you to help us maintain high quality care by your active participation in and knowledge of the treatment process.