Confidentiality

Appointments
Link

Prior to a health care and/or counseling appointment, students will receive a private email and text message containing details of how to proceed when arriving for the appointment(s).

Drop-In
Link

Upon arriving to the Barnes Center at The Arch first floor reception area, students will be escorted to private meeting areas. Within the private meeting areas, students will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the health and wellness team to further discuss services and resources available to meet unique needs.

Navigating the Barnes Center at The Arch Link

The Barnes Center at The Arch was designed to facilitate privacy. The physical layout of the space provides students the opportunity to access services and resources from multiple entry points, enhancing privacy without providing a clear identification of actions to others.

Counseling Services Link

Counseling services are completely confidential, except in cases where there is a court order requiring the release of information or there is imminent danger to self or others. For you, this means we do not release information to your parents, faculty, staff or others about your counseling without a signed release from you that would permit such an exchange of information.

Counseling Policy Link

Counseling services adheres to the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association, including strictly respecting your right to confidentiality of records and information shared by you in a counseling session. All records, computerized and written, will be stored, retrieved and maintained according to acceptable ethical guidelines. Counseling services will generally release records only to other mental health care providers; however, you should be aware that there are certain circumstances under which your right to confidentiality may be outweighed by a conflicting legal or ethical duty of the Counseling services to disclose confidential information. For example, if the Counseling services determines that you are potentially harmful to yourself or others, or learns of child neglect or abuse, or is ordered by a court of law or otherwise required by law to surrender its records (as in child custody cases), then the Counseling services may have to disclose information that you shared on a confidential basis. In all other circumstances, the Counseling services will obtain your prior written permission before disclosing your confidential information to anyone.

Academic Records Link

Counseling services records are separate from a student’s academic record. No one in the University has access to a student’s Counseling services record unless the student gives permission for that access.

Taped Sessions Link

As a training site for counseling programs at Syracuse University, permission may be requested of clients to videotape sessions for the purpose of enhancing counselor development. These recordings will be used to aid the counseling process and gain further understanding of important aspects of treatment. You will never be video recorded without your consent, and you have the right to decline being taped without any impact on your ability to receive counseling services.

Electronic Mail Link

Due to concerns regarding confidentiality, the Counseling services does not use email to communicate with clients.

Excuse Notes Link

As a general policy, Counseling services will not write notes to excuse you from your academic responsibilities. In specific circumstances, mutually agreed upon by you and your therapist, the Counseling services can verify only that you were a client at the center and the dates that you attended sessions. Missed classes or incomplete work are issues between you and your instructor.

Health Care Link

The Barnes Center at The Arch Health Care Services is designated as a covered entity by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), and as such is governed by the privacy and security regulations provided within the FERPA legislation. The Health Care Service Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) is made in compliance with the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (the Privacy Standards) established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and summarizes the privacy practices of the Health Care Services at the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Treatment Records Link

Treatment Records, as defined by FERPA and its accompanying regulations (the Privacy Standards), is individually identifiable health information, including demographic information, that is created, received, transmitted or maintained by Health Care Services, regardless of form (oral, written or electronic), that relates to:

• the past, present or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual;
• the provision of health care services to an individual; or
• the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual.

Treatment records may include, but are not necessarily limited to, medical records, billing records, medical images, consultant reports, laboratory or other diagnostic testing results, and any other individually identifiable information.

Confidentiality of Records Link

All treatment records created, received, transmitted or maintained by Health Care Services are confidential and remain the property of Health Care Services. Confidentiality extends to treatment records in any medium, including information that is on paper, in the computer systems of Syracuse University or communicated verbally.

Employees may not divulge, copy, transfer, alter or destroy any treatment records, or remove any treatment records from Health Care Services, except as authorized by Health Care Services. Employees must hold in strictest confidence any and all access codes, passwords and/or authorizations provided by Health Care Services as an employee of Health Care Services.

Administrative Safeguards Link

Health Care Services has implemented appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of treatment records and to safeguard treatment records from any intentional or unintentional uses or disclosures that are in violation of the Privacy Standards and/or the policies and procedures of Health Care Services. Employees must strictly comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and all policies and procedures established by Health Care Services relating to the confidentiality and protection of treatment records.

Privacy Practices Link

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES As Required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) Privacy Regulations

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

Please review carefully.

A. Introduction Link

This Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) is made in compliance with the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (the Privacy Standards) established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as required under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). This NPP summarizes the privacy practices of the Health Care Services at The Barnes Center at The Arch (Health Services). The Privacy Standards shall control in the event of a discrepancy between this NPP and the Privacy Standards.

Health Care is required under FERPA to protect the privacy of your treatment records, as defined below, and to inform you, through this NPP, about:

1. the duties of Health Care with respect to your treatment records;
2. how Health Care may use and disclose your treatment records;
3. your privacy rights with respect to your treatment records;
4. your right to file a complaint with Health Care and with the Secretary of the DHHS; and
5. who to contact for further information about the privacy practices of Health Care.

Treatment records, as defined by FERPA, includes individually identifiable information about you that is transmitted or maintained by Health Care, including demographic information, and includes information that is created or received by Health Care that relates to:

• your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition;
• the provision of health care services to you; or
• the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care to you.

Health Care is required to abide by the terms of the NPP that is currently in effect for Health Care. Health Care reserves the right to revise or amend the terms of this NPP. Any revision or amendment to the NPP will be effective for all records that Health Care has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records that Health Care  may create or maintain in the future. You will be informed of any material changes made to our NPP. In addition, Health Care will post a copy of our most current NPP in our reception area at all times. You may also obtain a copy of our most current NPP at any time by asking for a copy at the time of your next visit, or by calling 315.443.8000.

If you have any questions about this NPP or would like further information about FERPA, please contact Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244, or by calling 315.443.8000.

B. How Health Care May Use and Disclose Your Treatment Records Link

FERPA permits Health Care and their agents/subcontractors, if any, to use and/or disclose your treatment records, without prior authorization, for the purposes of treatment, payment and other health care operations of Health Care, which are described below. Health Care will disclose your treatment records to its agents/subcontractors only if it has received satisfactory assurances that its agents/subcontractors will appropriately safeguard your treatment records. FERPA also permits Health Care to use and disclose your treatment records, without prior authorization, for other specific purposes that are also described below. For each category, we have provided a description and some examples of the permitted uses and/or disclosures. The following examples are illustrative and are not meant to be a complete description of the permitted uses and disclosures of Health Care.

1. Treatment. Health Care may use and/or disclose your treatment records with other health care providers who are involved in your care and treatment. For example, Health Care may use or disclose treatment records about you to physicians, nurses, paraprofessionals, technicians or other Health Care personnel who are involved in your care and treatment. Many of the people that work for Health Care, including, but not limited to, our health care providers, may use or disclose your treatment records in order to treat you or to assist others in your care and treatment. We may also disclose treatment records about you to health care providers outside of our office who are involved in your care or treatment. For example, we may disclose your treatment records to a referring physician or a pharmacy for treatment purposes. We may also share your treatment records in order to coordinate services, such as laboratory work and/or X-rays.
2. Payment. Health Care may use and/or disclose your treatment records in order to bill or to collect payment for services you have received from Health Care. For example, we may use or disclose treatment records to your health insurer or to another party responsible for payment in order to obtain payment, or to certify that you are eligible for benefits. We may also disclose to your insurer information about a treatment or service you may receive from Health Care in order to obtain prior approval for such service, or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment or service.
3. Health Care Operations. Health Care may use and/or disclose treatment records in order to conduct its normal business operations. For example, Health  Care  may use your treatment records to review the treatment and services it provided, to evaluate the performance of its staff in caring for you or to educate its staff on how to improve the care they provide to you. Health Care may also disclose your treatment records to another entity that performs business services on behalf of Health Care, such as billing companies, technology and software vendors, attorneys or external auditors. Prior to such disclosures, however, FERPA requires Health Care to sign a Business Associate Agreement with such entities to ensure the protection of your treatment records.
4. Appointment Reminders/Follow-Up Telephone Calls/Emails. Health Care may use and/or disclose treatment records to contact you with a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care. Such contacts may include telephone messages and/or electronic mail messages. We may also call to follow up on care you received, to communicate test results, or to confirm an appointment with Health Care or another health care provider.
5. Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. Subject to the Family Educational Rights in Privacy Act (FERPA), FERPA permits Health Care to disclose your treatment records to a family member, other relative or any other person identified by you, if:

• you are present for, or otherwise available prior to the disclosure and we have either obtained your agreement to the disclosure, provided you the opportunity to object to the disclosure, or Health Care has reasonably inferred from the circumstances that you do not object to the disclosures;
• due to your incapacity or an emergency circumstance, Health Care has determined that a disclosure is in your best interest – in such circumstances, Health Care will only disclose treatment records that are directly relevant to the person’s involvement with your health care.

6. Emergencies. Health Care may use and/or disclose treatment records to provide you with emergency treatment in emergency situations.
7. As Required by Law. Health Care may use and/or disclose your treatment records if we are required to do so under any federal, state or local law.
8. Public Health Risks. Health Care may use and/or disclose your treatment records to authorized public health officials (or a foreign government agency collaborating with such officials) so such officials may carry out public health activities. For example, Health Care may disclose your treatment records to public health officials for the following reasons:

• to prevent or control disease, injury or disability;
• to report vital events such as births and deaths;
• to report abuse or neglect of children or adults;
• to report quality, safety or effectiveness of FDA-regulated products or activities;
• to notify people of product recalls they may be using;
• to notify a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition; or
• to your employer, if your employer hires us to provide you with a medical evaluation or to evaluate whether you have a work-related illness or injury that your employer must know about in order to comply with employment laws.

9. Victims of Abuse, Neglect or Domestic Violence. Health Care may disclose your treatment records to government authorities, including a social service or protective services agency, authorized by law to receive reports of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. For example, Health Care may report your treatment records to government officials if it reasonably believes that you have been a victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. Health Care will make every effort to obtain your permission before releasing this information, however, in some cases Health Care may be required or authorized to act without your permission.
10. Health Oversight Activities. Health Care may disclose your treatment records to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These agencies typically monitor the operation of the health care system, government benefits programs and compliance with government regulatory programs. The oversight activities may include audits; civil, criminal or administrative investigations or actions; inspections; and/or licensure or disciplinary actions.
11. Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Health Care may use or disclose your treatment records in response to a court or administrative order, if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. Health Care may also disclose your treatment records in response to a discovery request, subpoena or other lawful process that is not accompanied by an order of a court or administrative tribunal, but only if we have first received satisfactory assurances from the party requesting the information that reasonable efforts have been made to inform you of the request, or if Health Care has received satisfactory assurances that efforts have been made by the party seeking the information to obtain a qualified protective order. A qualified protective order is an order of a court or an administrative tribunal or a stipulation by parties to the litigation that prohibits the parties from using or disclosing treatment records for any purpose other than the litigation or proceeding. A qualified protective order will require the return of treatment records to Health Care at the end of the litigation or proceeding.
12. Law Enforcement Purposes. Health Care may disclose your treatment records to law enforcement officials for the following reasons:

• in response to court orders, warrants, subpoenas, or summons or similar legal process;
• to assist law enforcement officials with identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person;
• if you have been or are suspected of being a victim of a crime and you agree to the disclosure, or if we are unable to obtain your agreement because of incapacity or other emergency;
• if we suspect that a death resulted from criminal conduct;
• to report evidence of criminal conduct that occurred on our premises;
• in response to a medical emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victims of the crime; or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime).

13. Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. Health Care may disclose your treatment records to a coroner or medical examiner for the purpose of identifying a deceased person, determining cause of death or other duties as authorized by law. Health Care may also release treatment records to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.
14. Research. In most cases, Health Care will ask for your written authorization before using and/or disclosing your treatment records to conduct research. However, in limited circumstances we may use and/or disclose treatment records without authorization if: (i) the use or disclosure was approved by an Institutional Review Board or a Privacy Board; and (ii) we obtain representations from the researcher that the information is necessary for the research protocol, treatment records will not be removed from our practice and the information will be used solely for research purposes; or (iii) the treatment records sought by the researcher relates only to decedents and the researcher agrees that the use or disclosure is necessary for the research.
15. To Avert Serious Threat to Health or Safety. Health Care may use or disclose your treatment records when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety, or the health or safety of another person or the public. In such cases, Health Care will only share your treatment records with a person or persons reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat, including the target of the threat; or if it is necessary for law enforcement authorities to identify or apprehend an individual.
16. Specialized Government Functions. Health Care may use and disclose treatment records regarding:

• Military and veteran activities;
• Intelligence, counter-intelligence and other national security activities authorized by law;
• Protective services for the President, to foreign heads of state or to other persons authorized by law;
• Inmates to a correctional institution or a law enforcement official having lawful custody of an inmate or other individual.

17. Workers' Compensation. Health Care may disclose your treatment records for workers' compensation or other similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses.

Except as otherwise indicated in this NPP, uses and disclosures for all other purposes will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke any authorization at any time, provided that your revocation is done in writing, and except to the extent that Health Care has already relied upon your authorization.

C. Your Rights Regarding Your Treatment Records Link

FERPA provides you with the following rights regarding the treatment records we maintain about you:

1. Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding; and treatment records maintained by Health Care that is subject to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.

A "designated record set" is a group of records maintained by or for Health Care that is the medical records and billing records about you.

To inspect or obtain a copy of your treatment records contained in a designated record set, please submit a request in writing to Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. If you request a copy of your record set, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies we use to fulfill your request. The standard fee is $0.75 per page and must generally be paid before or at the time we provide you with copies of your treatment records. Health Care will respond to your request for inspection of records within 10 days, and will respond to requests for copies within 30 days if the information is located within our facility. If Health Care needs additional time to respond to your request for copies, we will notify you in writing within the time frame above to explain the reason(s) for such delay and when you can expect to have a final answer to your request. Under certain circumstances, Health Care may deny your request to inspect or obtain a copy of your treatment records. If your request for inspection is denied, we will provide you with a written notice explaining our reasons for such denial, and will include a complete description of your rights to have the decision reviewed and how you can exercise those rights.

2. Right to Amend. You have the right to request that Health Care amend your treatment records or a record about you in a designated record set for as long as the information is kept by Health Care, if you feel that the treatment records Health Care has about you is incorrect or incomplete.

Health Care may deny your request for amendment if it determines that the treatment records or record that is the subject of the request:

• was not created by Health Care, unless you provide a reasonable basis to believe that the originator of the treatment
• is not part of the designated record set;
• would not be available for your inspection under the Privacy Standards (as described in Right to Inspect and Copy Section, above); or
• is accurate and complete.

To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. In addition, your request should include the reasons(s) why you believe Health Care should amend your information.

Health Care will respond to your request for amendment no later than 60 days after the receipt of your request. If Health Care needs additional time to respond to your request, we will notify you in writing within 60 days to explain the reason(s) for the delay and the date by which we will complete your request.

If Health Care denies your request for an amendment, we will provide you with a written notice of the denial that explains the reasons for doing so. You will have the right to submit a written statement disagreeing with the denial. You will also be informed of how to file a complaint with Health Care or with the Secretary of the DHHS. These procedures will be explained in greater detail in any written denial notice.

3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have a right to request an “accounting of disclosures” which identifies certain disclosures of your health information made within the six years prior to your request. An accounting of disclosures does not include all disclosures of your health information outside of the Barnes Center. Notably, an accounting of disclosures does not include information about the following disclosures:

• Disclosures to carry out treatment, payment and health care services operations;
• Disclosures made to you;
• Disclosures made pursuant to your authorization;
• Disclosures made in a facility directory or to persons involved in your care;
• Disclosures for national security or intelligence purposes;
• Disclosures to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials; or
• Disclosures made before Monday, April 14, 2003.

The accounting of disclosures will be in a format that is consistent with the requirements of the Privacy Standards. To request an accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to: Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. Your request must include a time period of requested disclosures, which may not be longer than six years and may not include dates before Monday, April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. Additional lists within the same 12-month period will be assessed a charge for the costs of providing the list. Health Care Services will notify you of the cost involved, at which time you may choose to withdraw or modify your request before any costs are incurred.

Health Care Services will respond to your request for an accounting of disclosures within 60 days from the receipt of such request. If Health Care Services needs additional time to prepare the accounting, we will notify you in writing within 60 days about the reason for the delay and provide you with the date when you can expect to receive the accounting.

4. Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the treatment records Health Care uses or discloses about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the medical information that Health Care discloses about you to someone who is involved in your care, like a family member, relative, friend or other person(s) identified by you.

Health Care is not required to agree to your request for restrictions. If Health Care does agree to a requested restriction, Health Care may not use or disclose treatment records in violation of such restriction, unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency care or treatment, or as otherwise required by law. Under certain circumstances Health Care may terminate its agreement to a restriction.

To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to: Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, disclosures to your spouse.

5. Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that Health Care communicate with you and your treatment records in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that Health Care only contact you at work or by mail.

Health Care will not ask you the reason for your request, and will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted, and how payment for health care will be handled if Health Care communicates with you through this alternative method or location. To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to: Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244.

6. Right to Receive a Paper Copy of This NPP. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this NPP. You may ask us to give you a copy of this NPP at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this NPP electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this NPP. To obtain a paper copy of this, please ask any of our staff members at Health Care.

D. Complaints Link

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Health Care and/or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with Health Care, please submit a written complaint to: Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. The submission of a complaint to Health Care or to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services will not affect your status as a patient Health Care. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

E. Contact Person Link

If you have any questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, please contact: Syracuse University Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244 or by calling 315.443.8000.

Parents Link

Parents are welcome to call 315.443.8000 or visit the Barnes Center at The Arch with questions or concerns. Please understand that we cannot discuss your student’s health care information (including whether or not the student has even visited the Barnes Center at The Arch) without the student’s expressed consent.

For a list of patient rights and responsibilities, please visit the Mental Health webpage and the Health Care webpage.