1. Right to Confidentiality
Written records of your contact with CAPS are not part of your academic record. In the usual course of events, you have the right to keep your counseling services at CAPS private. This means that, without your written permission, no information about your contact with CAPS is available to anyone outside of CAPS, including university personnel, parents, family members, friends, or outside agencies. There are, however, certain exceptions. Please read carefully through our confidentiality statement for a list of those exceptions, and be sure to ask your clinician if you have any questions.
2. Right to Release Information
You have the right to request that CAPS release information in your record to other parties that you designate. You may do so by signing a release of information authorizing CAPS to share this information with outside sources, and you have a right to discuss specifically what information will be released. You also have the right to rescind this release if you change your mind at a later date. You may do so by documenting in writing to CAPS your desire to withdraw this authorization. If you have worked with or are currently working with other health care providers (e.g., Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Physician, etc.), your CAPS clinician may request that you sign a release of information allowing consultation between CAPS and the outside provider for continuity of care purposes.
3. Right to View Your Record
You have the right to view and discuss the information in your record with your CAPS clinician unless it is specifically noted by your clinician that doing so would be of harm to you.
4. Right to Termination
You have the right to end your counseling at any time.
5. Right to Share Concerns
If you have concerns about how your counseling is going or with your assigned clinician, as a first step, we strongly encourage you to discuss these concerns directly with your clinician. CAPS clinicians are open to having these discussions, and often these discussions are powerful growth opportunities. However, if this does not resolve your concern, you have the right to discuss alternative options by contacting the CAPS Associate Director of Clinical Services at (703) 993-2380.
6. Right to be Informed
You have the right to be informed about the services available to you here, and, unless it is an emergency, to participate in the process of deciding whether or not to utilize these services.
7. Right to Inquire
You always maintain the right to question the focus of your sessions.
8. Right to Know Clinician’s Credentials
You have the right to know the credentials of your provider. You can always ask your provider for their credentials. You may also read clinician biographies here: https://caps.gmu.edu/about-us/our-staff/
9. Right to Ask for a Second Opinion
You have the right to ask for a second opinion at any time. Please talk to your clinician if you have questions about how to do this. You may also reach out to the Associate Director of Clinical Services at (703) 993-2380 or contact another clinician (see https://caps.gmu.edu/community-provider-search/ for how to contact community providers).
10. Right to Present a Complaint
You have the right to present a complaint, knowing that your care will not be compromised in any way. If you have a problem concerning your care, which you cannot solve with your CAPS clinician, call the CAPS Associate Director of Clinical Services at (703) 993-2380.