Confidentiality of Medical Records at Health Services
A student鈥檚 care at Health Services is confidential. Without permission, no information will be disclosed to others (parents, school administrators, professors, etc) in accordance with federal law except in rare, specific cases. Exceptions include:
- - if we judge that you are at imminent risk for seriously hurting yourself or someone else
- - if you tell us about any current instance of child or elder abuse
- - if we are court-ordered by a judge to disclose records
- - in life-threatening situations, where information may be released on a need-to-know basis.
Parental/Guardian Access
Under federal privacy laws, parents/guardians do not have the right to know if or why their student has visited Health Services. Students aged 18 and older can sign a Release of Information form, allowing Health Services staff to discuss care related to a specific issue or condition as indicated in the release. Written (or, in some cases, verbal) permission must be provided each time a student wishes for Health Services to discuss their care with parents or legal guardians.
Note: Long-term, general Release of Information forms are not accepted.
For Students Under 18
If a student is under 18 years old, Health Services staff will request the student's permission before discussing their care with parents or guardians. In New York State, a provider may withhold information from a parent/guardian if:
- The provider believes disclosure would negatively affect the student's treatment, the relationship between the student and provider, or the relationship between the student and parent/guardian.
- A student over the age of 12 objects to the disclosure.
- The provider reasonably believes the student is subject to abuse or neglect by a parent/guardian, or that disclosure could put the student in danger. In such cases, it may be deemed not in the student's best interest to involve the parent/guardian.
For more information, please visit the specifically for teens.