The UNG Office of Student Counseling exists to:
In accordance with law, what a client discusses with their therapist is kept strictly confidential unless the client provides written permission to release information to other parties. However, there are limited exceptions where information can be legally and ethically released without the client’s consent or authorization.
The exceptions include:
Minors cannot be seen for treatment without the informed consent of their legal guardian. It is also our practice to get assent from the minor seeking services.
In emergency situations, it may be necessary to provide crisis intervention, but ongoing services cannot be offered before consent from the legal guardian is obtained. The legal guardian must be present at the first appointment to provide written consent to the Student Counseling Center. If the parents are divorced only the legal guardian with the right to make healthcare decisions can sign the consent and a copy of the most current court-approved parenting plan must be submitted prior to the start of therapy. Other legal guardians must present similar paperwork from the court. The legal guardian is only required to attend the first few minutes of the first session.
After consent and assent are given, the legal guardian is able to leave the session. If a legal guardian is unable to attend the first session, UNG students are welcome to contact the 24/7 mental health support line at 833-910-3368 to obtain free, confidential therapy services.
The staff of the University of North Georgia (UNG) Office of Student Counseling seeks to promote human welfare. Consistent with this principle, we believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect. We value acceptance and appreciation for all differences among people including those of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, functional ability, socio-economic status, age, religious or spiritual identification, and other characteristics that comprise identity. We work toward providing respectful care to students of any background/identity.
We believe that valuing cultural diversity facilitates human growth and development as well as enhances the quality of life on campus and in our communities. Therefore, we are committed to enhancing the awareness and understanding of cultural diversity, incorporating this philosophy into our professional activities and clinical services.
We are also committed to the respect for the autonomy, self-determination, and self-authorship of the client by the therapist. It is important that clinicians work with clients in a way that helps the client own their life and make their own decisions with the only exception being when, in the clinician’s professional judgment, clients’ actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others. The clinician has expertise in matters of mental health and therefore, within the scope of their practice, can offer particular suggestions within that limited realm. Examples might be recommended treatments for depression, suggestion of a medication consult, etc. The therapist should only operate within the scope of their competency and license.