Georgia Tech Counseling Center Policies and Procedures Manual rev 7.2014

GEORGIA TECH COUNSELING CENTER

POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL Revised July, 2014

Table of Contents Section

Page

Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Section I: Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2 A. Georgia Institute of Technology ........................................................................................................ 2 B. Office for Vice President of Student Affairs ....................................................................................... 2 C. Counseling Center .............................................................................................................................. 3 D. Counseling Center Diversity and Inclusivity Mission Statement ....................................................... 4 Section II: Staff Composition and Administration......................................................................................... 6 A. Senior Staff, Administrative Staff, Trainees ....................................................................................... 6 B. Administration ................................................................................................................................... 6 C. Senior Staff Duties ............................................................................................................................. 7 D. Administrative Professional Staff Duties ........................................................................................... 7 Section III: Professional Behavior and Dress Code ....................................................................................... 9 A. Professional Behavior ........................................................................................................................ 9 B. Dress Code ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Section IV: Center Operations..................................................................................................................... 11 A. Hours of Operation .......................................................................................................................... 11 B. Weekly Coverage ............................................................................................................................. 11 C. Use of Titanium Schedule ................................................................................................................ 12 D. After-Hours On Call.......................................................................................................................... 18 E. Emergency & Evacuation Procedures .............................................................................................. 19 F. Campus-wide Evacuation ................................................................................................................. 20 G. Inclement Weather.......................................................................................................................... 21 H. Leave of Absence ............................................................................................................................. 22 Section V: Confidentiality and Consent to Treatment ................................................................................ 24 A. Confidentiality ................................................................................................................................. 24 B. Consent to Treatment...................................................................................................................... 25 C. Electronic Recording of Counseling Sessions ................................................................................... 25 Section VI: Clinical Services ......................................................................................................................... 26 A. General Description of Services ....................................................................................................... 26 B. Eligibility for Services ....................................................................................................................... 27 C. Amenability for Services .................................................................................................................. 27 D. Scope of Care ................................................................................................................................... 28 E. Stepped Care .................................................................................................................................... 29 F. Workshops ....................................................................................................................................... 34 G. Groups ............................................................................................................................................. 34 H. Individual Counseling....................................................................................................................... 35 I. Outreach and Consultation .............................................................................................................. 36 J. Testing and Assessment................................................................................................................... 36 K. Client Referrals................................................................................................................................. 37 Section VII: Crisis Intervention and Campus Crisis Response ..................................................................... 39 A. Individual Crisis Intervention and Hospitalization ........................................................................... 39 B. Students Returning to Campus after Hospitalization ...................................................................... 42 C. Student Death .................................................................................................................................. 43 GTCC Policies & Procedure Manual (rev. 7/2014)

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D. Violent/Uncontrollable Clients ........................................................................................................ 43 E. Campus Crisis Response ................................................................................................................... 44 F. Students of Concern Committee ...................................................................................................... 44 Section VIII: Psychological Records ............................................................................................................. 45 A. Contents........................................................................................................................................... 45 B. Security ............................................................................................................................................ 45 C. Record Keeping ................................................................................................................................ 46 D. Records Maintenance ...................................................................................................................... 46 E. Electronic Records............................................................................................................................ 46 F. Client Requests for Records ............................................................................................................. 49 G. Requests for Records from Healthcare Providers ............................................................................ 49 H. Requests for Records from Legal Entities......................................................................................... 49 Section IX: Providing Documentation for Clients ........................................................................................ 50 A. Academic Petitions .......................................................................................................................... 50 B. Documentation for Counseling Attendance .................................................................................... 51 Section X: Training ...................................................................................................................................... 52 A. Practicum Training Program ............................................................................................................ 52 B. Internship Training Program ............................................................................................................ 52 C. Recording Sessions........................................................................................................................... 52 Section XI: Administrative Professional Staff Office Operations ................................................................ 54 A. Confidentiality ................................................................................................................................. 54 B. Requests For Client Information ...................................................................................................... 54 C. Opening/Closing Procedures ........................................................................................................... 55 D. Greeting Visitors .............................................................................................................................. 55 E. Answering the Phone ....................................................................................................................... 56 F. Scheduling an Appointment and Entering Client Information......................................................... 56 G. Guidelines for Administrative Professional Staff in Seeking Consultation with Backup Counselor . 58 H. Testing and Assessment ................................................................................................................... 59 I. Marketing and Promotional Materials.............................................................................................. 64 J. Other Duties...................................................................................................................................... 64 Section XII: Assessment and Evaluation...................................................................................................... 66 A. Staff Assessment and Evaluation ..................................................................................................... 66 B. Assessment and Evaluation of Trainees .......................................................................................... 66 C. Center Assessment and Evaluation.................................................................................................. 66 D. Client Assessment by Session .......................................................................................................... 66 Section XIII: Computer and Internet Use and Security ............................................................................... 68 A. Use ................................................................................................................................................... 68 B. Security ............................................................................................................................................ 68 C. Electronic Data Management .......................................................................................................... 68 Section XIV: Use of Center Equipment........................................................................................................ 70 Section XV: Employee Relations ................................................................................................................. 71 A. Conflict Management ...................................................................................................................... 71 B. Filing an Informal Complaint............................................................................................................ 71 C. Filing a Formal Complaint ................................................................................................................ 71 D. Harassment and Discrimination ...................................................................................................... 72 E. Filing A Harassment Complaint ........................................................................................................ 72 F. Resolution of a Complaint ................................................................................................................ 73 Section XVI: Policy & Procedure Review and Updates ............................................................................... 74

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A. Policy & Procedure Review .............................................................................................................. 74 B. Creation of New Policies or Procedures .......................................................................................... 74 C. Policy & Procedure Updates ............................................................................................................ 75 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 76 APPENDIX A: Counseling Center Guidelines and Standards for Accreditation....................................... 77 International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) Standards ................................................... 78 APA Guidelines and Principles for Accredited Internships................................................................. 96 APPENDIX B: Ethics Guidelines and Principles...................................................................................... 104 American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct....... 105 State of Georgia Code of Ethics ........................................................................................................ 126 University System of Georgia Ethics Policy ...................................................................................... 127 Other Relevant Professional Guidelines........................................................................................... 134 APPENDIX C: State of Georgia Laws and Rules ..................................................................................... 135 Georgia Board of Psychology ........................................................................................................... 136 Confidentiality of Certain Communications ..................................................................................... 143 Reporting of Child Abuse.................................................................................................................. 144 Protection of Disabled Adults and Elder Persons............................................................................. 149 Georgia Department of Human Services Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect ................................... 152 Georgia Child Abuse Reporting Legislation ...................................................................................... 153 APPENDIX D: Organizational Chart ....................................................................................................... 157 Georgia Tech Counseling Center Organizational Chart .................................................................... 158 Senior Staff Time Allocation Form ................................................................................................... 159 APPENDIX E: Client Forms and Triage................................................................................................... 160 Authorization for Services Form ...................................................................................................... 161 Authorization for Release and/or Exchange of Information Form .................................................. 163 Client Information Form ................................................................................................................... 164 Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 ...................................................... 170 Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-34 ...................................................... 172 Parental Consent Form for Students Under 18 Years of Age ........................................................... 173 Consent to Audio/Video Record Form ............................................................................................. 174 Behavioral Definitions for Severity and Urgency Likert Scales on the Initial Consultation Note .... 175 Initial Client Consultation Form ....................................................................................................... 177 Follow-up Client Consultation Form ................................................................................................ 178 Termination Summary Form ............................................................................................................ 179 Testing Request Form....................................................................................................................... 180 Form 1013-Emergency Evaluation Certificate and Report to Peace Officer .................................... 182 Counseling Center Crisis Resource Card .......................................................................................... 185 APPENDIX F: Ridgeview Institute MOU, Client Transportation ............................................................. 186 Ridgeview Institute Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Student Hospitalizations ............ 187 Ridgeview Institute Transportation Service ..................................................................................... 188 Taxi Cab Transportation ................................................................................................................... 189 APPENDIX G: Orientation to Stepped Care Model and Client Care Team ............................................ 190 Orientation to Stepped Care Model................................................................................................. 191 Orientation to Client Care Team ...................................................................................................... 193 APPENDIX H: Employee Relations and Institute Policies ...................................................................... 194 Georgia Tech Anti-Harassment Policy .............................................................................................. 195 Georgia Tech Equal Opportunity Complaint Policy .......................................................................... 198 Georgia Tech Computer and Network Usage and Security Policy (CNUSP) At A Glance ................. 201

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APPENDIX I: Miscellaneous Forms........................................................................................................ 202 Georgia Tech Equipment Loan Agreement Form ............................................................................. 203

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Purpose The purpose of this manual is to provide the Georgia Tech Counseling Center’s staff and trainees with the necessary policies, procedures and information to assist them in performing their duties. All staff members and trainees will be provided a copy of this manual. All staff members and trainees are required to become familiar with the policies and procedures described in this manual. In addition, staff members who also are members of the General Faculty are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook (http://www.policylibrary.gatech.edu/faculty_handbook). Classified employees are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Employment Guide (http://policies.gatech.edu/employment-0). Interns and practicum students are required to familiarize themselves with the training handbooks/manuals for additional policies and procedures.

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Section I: Introduction A. Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's top research universities, distinguished by its commitment to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology. Georgia Tech's campus occupies 400 acres in the heart of the city of Atlanta, where more than 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive a focused, technologically based education.

Georgia Tech’s mission in education and research provides a setting for students to engage in multiple intellectual pursuits in an interdisciplinary fashion. As an academic institution, Georgia Tech is distinguished for providing a broad but rigorous education in the multiple aspects of technology. Georgia Tech seeks students with extraordinary motivation and ability and prepares them for lifelong learning, leadership, and service. As an institution with an exceptional faculty, an outstanding student body, a rigorous curriculum, and facilities that enable achievement, Georgia Tech is an intellectual community for all those seeking to become leaders in society.

Georgia Tech values its position as a leading public research university in the United States and understands full well its responsibility to advance society toward a proper, fair, and sustainable future. By seeking to develop beneficial partnerships within public and private sectors in education, research, and technology, Georgia Tech ensures relevance in all that it does and assures that the benefits of its discoveries are widely disseminated and used in society.

Georgia Tech pursues its mission by giving the highest respect to the personal and intellectual rights of everyone in our community. In return, we expect that all members of our community will conduct themselves with the highest ethical principles.

B. Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs The Division of Student Affairs (“Enriching the Educational Experience”) supports and enhances the educational mission of Georgia Tech and assists students in meeting their goals. The Division works collaboratively with faculty, staff and students to provide a comprehensive learning environment that fosters the intellectual, psychological, social, ethical and career development of students.

The Division of Student Affairs promotes an enriched education experience by providing programs, facilities, and services that guide, support, inform, and challenge the highly talented students at Georgia Tech to develop and succeed as leaders in a technologically driven world.

The Division of Student Affairs recognizes its role as a partner in the Georgia Tech global community. As its vision, the Division of Student Affairs looks to shape the future of the student affairs profession through vision and innovative work by providing world-class services, programs, practices, and facilities that define the technological research university of the 21st century. As part of its mission, the Division’s core values include:     

Contributing to the Institute’s teaching, research, and public mission; Excellence through collaboration, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit; An environment that promotes civility, compassion, and caring; A diverse community where everyone is treated with respect and dignity; Making every opportunity a learning opportunity;

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     

Promoting the intellectual, social, and emotional growth of all students; Demonstrating integrity, accountability, and professionalism; Professional development of our employees; An intentional and comprehensive approach to providing and improving services, programs, and facilities; Embracing and pioneering new technology in our daily work; Cultivating internal and external Institute partnerships.

C. Counseling Center The mission of the Counseling Center is to support the personal and professional development of Georgia Tech students, the educational mission of the Institute and the Division of Student Affairs by providing short-term counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment to students, and outreach and consultative services to the Georgia Tech community. These services are offered with respect for others, appreciation of individual differences, and compassion.

The Counseling Center is a unit of the Division of Student Affairs at Georgia Tech. The Center is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience and success of all students by providing a variety of counseling and psychological services to individuals and the campus community. We provide short-term counseling services to address a wide range of personal and career concerns. Our services are available at no charge to currently enrolled students. The Counseling Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) and abides by its standards for accreditation (APPENDIX A) and abides by state and national ethical guidelines and principles (APPENDIX B).

To accomplish this mission, the Counseling Center provides services and programs that:         

Enhance students’ self-awareness, interpersonal skills and personal development through individual, couples and group counseling, psychotherapy and educational workshops; Increase students’ self-knowledge and sensitivity to others through groups and workshops designed to foster an appreciation for differences; Enhance student academic skills and learning strategies through academic counseling and learning skills workshops; Support students’ career exploration; decision-making and professional growth by providing career counseling, assessment and workshops; Emphasize programming needs assessment and support to underserved populations in the Georgia Tech campus community; Provide crisis response and consultation to students, parents, faculty, student organizations and administrators within the Georgia Tech community; Facilitate therapists’ psychotherapeutic interventions through psychological testing and assessment; Advocate and support mental health in the Georgia Tech community through consultation, presentations and psychological workshops; Support the continued education and wellness of the Counseling Center staff through ongoing personal and professional development.

The Counseling Center is also a training site for graduate practicum students and pre-doctoral interns.

The practicum training program offers supervised training experiences in providing direct psychological services to students and the campus community. The pre-doctoral training program offers an internship

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in psychology to doctoral students wishing to gain experience in a counseling center setting. The Counseling Center is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The internship is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and abides by its guidelines and principles of accreditation (APPENDIX A). The Counseling Center is also a member of the following professional organizations: Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services (ACCCCS), and the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH).

D. Counseling Center Diversity and Inclusivity Mission Statement Vision To create an inclusive and dynamic space of awareness, respect and appreciation for all forms of diversity wherein all share the responsibility of fostering and nurturing cultural competence in the service of promoting excellence and leadership of global citizens.

Mission The Georgia Tech Counseling Center (GTCC) has the primary mission to provide the highest quality of multiculturally-competent counseling and psychological care to meet the educational, developmental, and social needs of Georgia Tech as an institution.

Our diverse services range from online resources, community outreach, assessment, prevention, education, and therapeutic interventions. The services are offered with compassion, respect for others and appreciation of individual differences.

Our training program affords experiences in providing direct services within a counseling center setting among a culturally diverse campus population. We seek trainees from diverse backgrounds who value and model diversity, sensitivity and inclusivity.

GTCC recognizes that intersecting identities, internalized oppression and socio-political and historical factors adversely impact certain populations. Therefore, we are committed to the development of a culturally diverse and competent staff who aim to respect and empower diverse individuals and groups.

Furthermore, we take great pride in our efforts to promote social justice, provide corrective emotional experiences and decrease stigma.

Striving for true diversity and inclusivity is our ultimate goal. With our world and students continually changing, our diversity mission and our center will continue to be progressive and open to change.

Values Excellence: We believe in providing the highest quality services that facilitate students’ and trainees’ health and development, based on empirically-supported principles and a commitment to continual professional and organizational improvement.

Respect: We believe that every person should be accorded fundamental respect and deserves services that are congruent with their worldview. Our staff is committed to developing the knowledge, awareness, and skills necessary to fulfill this value. We provide services that honor diversity and are inclusive and welcoming of everyone.

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Justice: We believe in promoting social justice in our community by advocating for fairness and institutional responsiveness. We seek to change conditions that negatively impact equal access to services, resources and benefits.

Integrity: We believe cultural competence is achieved through individual and collective accountability and responsibility as guided by ethical standards, professional development and self-assessment.

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Section II: Staff Composition and Administration The Counseling Center is a unit within the Division of Student Affairs. The Director reports directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Center’s budget is included as part of the overall budget of the Institute. The organizational chart is presented in APPENDIX D. A. Senior Staff, Administrative Staff, Trainees 1. Senior Staff - Senior staff are designated as mental health professionals licensed in the State of Georgia to provide counseling and psychotherapy.

2. Administrative Support Staff - There are 3 administrative professional staff positions at the Counseling Center: Administrative Professional III (office manager), Administrative Professional I (Front Desk Secretary/Receptionist) and Administrative Professional I (part-time administrative clerk).

3. Psychology Interns - The Counseling Center offers a doctoral Internship in psychology. Doctoral students are selected annually in a national search to fill the 12-month, full-time positions.

4. Practicum Students - The Center also sponsors a practicum training program for graduate students in counseling and psychology, accepting a number of graduate students each year.

During their time at the Center, practicum students take part in conducting individual and group counseling under the supervision of senior counseling staff or postdoctoral resident. In addition, practicum students may become involved in outreach opportunities presented to the Center. As part of the practicum training experience, senior staff provides weekly orientation and training seminars for practicum students.

B. Administration 1. The Center is administered by the Director and the 2 Associate Directors. The Director has overall primary administrative responsibility for the Counseling Center. The Director also serves as the Counseling Center’s representative on Divisional and Institute committees and events, and provides accountability information to the Division and the Institute. The Director is responsible for internal and external public relations. In the event of an inquiry from external media, the Director will consult with the VPSA and Director of Communications and Marketing.

2. There are 2 Associate Directors, either of whom may serve as Director in the absence of the Director. The Associate Director/Training Director directs the predoctoral internship program and oversees the training program. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director oversees and directs clinical services and serves as the keeper of psychological records. Both Associate Directors work collaboratively with the Director in performing administrative duties and overseeing the functioning of the counseling center and the staff.

3. The Counseling Center has established a core group of work groups that function to monitor the various aspects of service and training. Each committee is charged with regular evaluation and assessment of each area at the end of the Spring semester and to make recommendations for change as needed during the summer working retreat. The following are standing Counseling Center work groups: a. Clinical services b. Outreach & consultation c. Training d. Administration The Director may establish additional work groups on an ad hoc (as needed) basis.

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C. Senior Staff Duties 1. Senior staff is responsible for coverage for initial consultation hours and backup consultation hours. Senior staff is also responsible for maintaining an active client load and outreach and providing consultation. Some staff may also be involved in providing training and supervision of interns and practicum students.

2. During the Fall and Spring semesters, senior staff will submit their time allocation to the Director using the time allocation Form (APPENDIX D). The time allocation form is based on a 40-hour work week (minimum) and designed to allow staff to designate their time in various areas.

3. Other senior staff may also serve as coordinators of various areas of Center service and functions. These areas include: a. Testing and assessment – coordinates the testing and assessment operations and training of the Center. b. Groups – coordinates the organization, promotion, and implementation of the Center’s group programs. c. Outreach and Consultation – coordinates campus educational programming and campus consultation requests. d. Practicum training – coordinates the recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation of practicum students and practicum training program. e. Diversity programs – coordinates aspects of diversity programming, service, and training of the Center. f. Technology – coordinates the technology needs of the Center. g. Other areas as specified by the Director D. Administrative Professional Staff Duties 1. Administrative professional staff are responsible for providing support for the daily operations of the Counseling Center. Administrative professional staff are familiar with their primary areas of responsibility and are also familiar with other areas of administrative professional staff responsibilities to provide support as needed.

2. Administrative Professional I (Front Desk Secretary/Receptionist): The secretary/receptionist greets clients and guests to the Counseling Center and is responsible for the opening and closing of the Center. The position entails processing client paperwork, scheduling appointments, answering phone calls (routing messages and voicemails), creating and maintaining client files, and maintaining data on new clients to the Center. The secretary maintains appearance of reception area, maintains an inventory of office equipment and supplies, provides administrative support to the counseling staff, as well as other duties as assigned by Director.

3. Administrative Professional III (Office Manager): The administrative assistant III serves as the office manager for the Counseling Center. The administrative assistant III provides administrative support to the Director with budget reports, planning, & reconciliation. The administrative assistant III also processes leave time (vacation/sick) & payroll, travel requests and reimbursements, and serves as a contact for vendors in ordering and maintaining supplies for the Center. In addition, this position coordinates and maintains inventory, provide administrative support to the counseling staff, provide administrative assistance with testing and various general office duties, and other duties as assigned by the Director.

4. Administrative Professional I (Administrative Clerk): The administrative clerk is primarily responsible for supporting the testing and assessment area and the outreach programs of the Center. This position schedules clients for testing and assessment, creates informational materials for clients as needed, and supports the outreach services of the Center. In addition, this position serves to support the Secretary/Receptionist position in greeting clients and guest

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to the Center, processing client paperwork, scheduling appointments, and answering phone calls (routing messages and voicemails). This position also is responsible for tracking the use of testing materials and placing requests for additional testing material through the Administrative Professional III. This position is also responsible for other duties as assigned by the Director.

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Section III: Professional Behavior and Dress Code A. Professional Behavior The Counseling Center values an atmosphere that fosters respect among staff, trainees, and clients.

Counseling Center staff and trainees will engage in professional behavior during their time at the Center in all areas of their professional interactions, duties, and responsibilities. The Counseling Center strives to create and maintain a working atmosphere of respect, collegiality, and integrity consistent with the ethical guidelines of our profession. To that end, all staff and trainees will:                  

Comply with ethical guidelines and guidelines for professional behavior as established by our professional organizations and the Institute.

Assure that issues that affect individual performance are directly and respectfully addressed with that individual.

Demonstrate cultural awareness in all interactions with staff, trainees, and clients.

Effectively listen to each other.

Engage in respectful dialogues utilizing effective communication skills.

Accept and incorporate feedback in a non-resistant and non-defensive manner Accept responsibility for failure or errors.

Engage in peer consultation as needed.

Follow through on decisions and plans as expected.

Directly communicate your concerns to those involved and, if not then satisfied, to the Director.

Not engage in behavior that is aggressive, inconsiderate, or otherwise unacceptable.

Be respectful and encouraging of individuals presenting new ideas. Utilize positive brainstorming when an idea is presented.

Establish realistic, concrete goals.

Support each other and work cooperatively. Use available resources to help the work of the Center run smoothly.

Give appropriate lead-time to accomplish tasks to those involved.

Maintain a professional demeanor that is not hostile, abusive, dismissive or inappropriately angry.

Refrain from expressing anger physically.

Follow generally accepted professional norms regarding appearance, dress, and professional behavior.

B. Dress Code It is the policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology that each employee's dress and grooming be appropriate for our work environment1. This policy will be in effect at the beginning of the summer semester and ending after the Labor Day holiday. Fridays throughout the year will be designated as Business Casual Dress Day. It is the intent that each employee may choose to wear less formal attire as long as clothing is in good taste and will not negatively affect the Institute's image.

All staff at the Counseling Center should be aware of the various individuals, groups, and constituent communities with whom they may interact at any given time. As such, it is important that staff dress in an appropriate and professional manner.

1

Georgia Tech Policy 5.8 http://www.policylibrary.gatech.edu/business-casual-dress-policy-summer-and-fridays

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The dress code norm at the Counseling Center is business casual attire. The Counseling Center has designated Fridays throughout the year as dress casual. The dress code norm for Fridays may include, in addition to business casual attire, rip-free, dark denim jeans. During the summer, the dress code may be relaxed to provide a more practical and comfortable clothing standard.

Acceptable personal appearance is an ongoing responsibility of each employee. Specifically, "common sense" should be the basic guideline and employees should not wear suggestive attire, athletic clothing, shorts, T-shirts, novelty buttons, baseball hats, and similar items of casual attire that do not present a businesslike image.

As always, supervisors are responsible for determining appropriate dress for each specific work situation or environment. Radical departures from conventional dress or personal grooming standards will not be permitted. When dealing with customers and the public, your attire should be consistent with a positive business image.

Employees whose jobs require them to wear uniforms and/or whose attire must meet prescribed safety standards are not covered by this policy.

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Section IV: Center Operations A. Hours of Operation 1. The Counseling Center is open on Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The last time for new clients to begin initial paperwork is 4:30 p.m. each day.

2. Administrative support staff arrive at the Center by 8:00 am. Senior staff and interns, and postdoctoral residents arrive at the Center no later than 8:30 am. Practicum trainees arrive at the Center at least 15 minutes prior to the first scheduled appointment of the day (client, seminar, meetings).

3. Administrative support staff who may be late or are sick for the day will call the Director (or Associate Directors in the absence of the Director) as soon as possible. Senior staff and trainees (i.e., interns, postdoctoral residents, practicum students) who may be late or are sick for the day will call the front desk secretary. The front desk secretary will inform the Associate Director/Director for Clinical Services regarding the absence. The front desk secretary will be responsible for contacting the clients of those staff members or trainees who are absent for the day to inform them of the absence and to make an offer to reschedule for the next regularly scheduled time.

4. Counseling sessions are limited to the hours of 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., with extended hours on Thursday evenings (8 a.m. – 7 p.m.) during the Fall and Spring semesters. Trainees do not meet with clients outside these hours without licensed supervision available.

5. The Center has extended hours on Thursdays, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the Fall and Spring semesters. Extended evening hours begin each semester after the first week of classes and end after the last week of classes. When applicable, there may be no extended hours during Fall and Spring breaks.

6. Extended hours may be used for on-going individual or couples counseling appointments, group counseling, follow-up consultation, or emergency consultations. No new initial consultation appointments will be scheduled during Thursday evening hours.

B. Weekly Coverage 1. The Counseling Center provides weekly hours for new clients, coverage for client emergencies or urgent situations, consultation with students, faculty, or staff, and for on-going clients in counseling.

2. Coverage Types: a. Initial consultation – An initial consultation session is the first meeting of a new student with a counselor. During this time, the counselor obtains the necessary information from the client to assess for the client’s eligibility and amenability for counseling and appropriateness for services. b. Follow-up consultation – A follow-up consultation session is any subsequent session with a client by the initial counselor to monitor client progress and needs through the stepped care system. A counselor may designate up to 4 follow-up consultations per initial consultation client before final determination for services. c. Backup consultation and coverage – A backup consultation session may be designated to meet with students in crisis or in urgent situations. Any student presenting in crisis or in urgent situations at or beyond 15 minutes before the hour will be seen by the backup counselor on duty during the next hour. Counselors on backup consultation may also be called on to consult with parents, staff, faculty, or students. In some cases, the backup counselor may be called upon to provide triage assessment. The following procedure is to be utilized in providing triage assessment:

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i. Clients endorsing a “2” or greater on any CCAPS critical items (#12, #46, #52, and #60) should be seen prior to student leaving the counseling center and prior to making an Initial Consultation appointment. ii. Consider seeing students who endorse critical items with a “1” especially if they have endorsed other risk factors associated with harm to self or others. Other items on initial paperwork to consider in combination with CCAPS critical items:       

Questions related to harm to self or others AOD related questions Previous hospitalization for mental health reasons Recent significant loss Questions related to history of trauma Attempted suicide History of self-injury

iii. Review the questions, “Thoughts of harming another person?”, and “Have you had thoughts of ending your life in the past month?”. Clients who indicate, “Yes, and I am thinking about doing it” must be seen by the backup counselor prior to leaving the Counseling Center or scheduling an Initial Consultation. iv. In addition, the backup counselor will meet with clients who are visibly upset and request to speak with the backup counselor. v. A student may be accompanied to the Center by a faculty or staff member who requests to consult with the backup counselor in order to provide information about the student. The backup counselor will meet with the student to provide an assessment as to the student’s mental status and condition based on the information provided by the referring faculty or staff member. After the assessment, a signed Release of Information form will be obtained to allow the backup counselor to provide follow-up consultation to the referring faculty or staff person. d. On-going appointments – Coverage for on-going appointments is designated on each counselors’ schedule for regularly occurring counseling appointments. On-going appointments may be individual, couples, or group clients.

C. Use of Titanium Schedule Titanium is the Center’s centralized integrated database/schedule program that allows for central scheduling of clients, administration of initial information and assessment of clients, and for documentation of client sessions and contacts.

1. A Titanium account will be established for each staff member and trainee. It is the responsibility of each staff member and trainee to maintain the security of their access to Titanium.

2. Staff members are responsible for maintaining their appointments on the Titanium schedule. In addition, room reservations for other Counseling Center ancillary meetings or events (e.g., groups, trainings, workshops) are to be scheduled on Titanium by the staff member (or designee) coordinating the event.

3. Access to client records and client documentation is granted only to senior staff, interns, and practicum students.

4. Staff members will use the following appropriate appointment code for each scheduled event:

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a. Individual Appointment – Appointment scheduled for a single client. Use this appointment code to include the appointment as part of the client’s appointment history. Otherwise, schedule as an “Other” Appointment. The following appointment designations may be used for individual appointments: i. Brief Contact—brief email, telephone, or in-person contact with a client that is more of a case management nature rather than counseling or crisis intervention. ii. Consultation: Clinical, Non-Psychiatric—consultation about (a) client(s) with other mental health professionals, doctors, instructors, family, friends, etc. iii. Consultation: Psychiatric—formal or informal consultation (with psychiatrist) that occurs outside case conference time. Consultation that occurs during Case Conference is not entered separately from Case Conference. iv. Counseling: Career—individual session with a client in which career issues were the primary focus. v. Counseling: Individual—individual counseling session not focused primarily on career issues. vi. Crisis Intervention—in-person or telephone contact with an individual in crisis (according to the counselor’s professional opinion). vii. Emergency Coverage—daytime crisis coverage. Formerly titled “Duty”. viii. Emergency Coverage Backup—backup to daytime crisis coverage person.

Formerly titled “Duty Backup”. ix. Screening: Initial, Extended—formerly named “extended intake”—for those times when you meet more than once with a client for initial screening purposes before making recommendations with regard to treatment. x. Screening: Group—meeting with an individual to determine his/her appropriateness for a specific group. xi. Screening: Initial—formerly named “intake”. Initial appointment with individuals interested in our services. xii. Testing: Career—time spent administering career assessment instruments. xiii. Testing: Cognitive/Achievement—time spent administering cognitive/achievement assessment instruments and/or related clinical interviews outside the context of an LD/ADHD evaluation. xiv. Testing: Consultation—time spent consulting with other professionals with regard to assessment of a particular individual. xv. Testing: Feedback—time spent providing assessment results/feedback and recommendations to individual clients. xvi. Testing: Learning Disability/ADHD—time spent administering assessment instruments and/or clinical interviews for the specific purpose of screening for LD/ADHD. xvii. Testing: Personality—time spent administering assessment instruments and/or clinical interviews for the purpose of assessing personality and/or psychological well-being. xviii. Testing: Substance Abuse—time spent administering assessment instruments and/or clinical interviews for the purpose of screening for substance abuse problems. b. Group and Couple Appointment – Appointment scheduled for more than one client.

This appointment definition is used for groups, workshops, and couples. A group

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appointment may be associated with a registered group. The following appointment designations may be used for group or couple appointments: i. Counseling: Couples—counseling session with a couple. ii. Screening: Initial, Couples—initial screening session with couple seeking couples counseling. iii. Counseling: Group—group session. iv. Screening: Group – initial screening session with potential group member v. Psychoeducational Workshop (in-house) - workshop or seminar with counseling center clients as part of the stepped care system c. Outreach and Consultation Appointment – Appointment scheduled for outreach activities or consultation with faculty, staff, students, or community members. The following appointment designations may be used for outreach or consultation appointments: i. Outreach Presentation—workshop/presentation to the campus community (students, faculty, and/or staff). ii. Outreach Program Prep—time spent preparing for an outreach presentation. iii. Consultation: Campus Group—meeting/discussion with a campus member about a non-client (or non-client issue) about whom (or which) that person may be concerned. iv. Consultation: Faculty/Staff – meeting/discussion with a faculty or staff member. v. Consultation: Parent – meeting/discussion with a parent. vi. Consultation: Student – meeting/discussion with a student (non-client). vii. Consultation: Community – meeting/discussion with individuals or groups outside the Tech community. d. Training and Supervision – Appointment scheduled for time related to intern/practicum training and supervision activities. The following appointment designations may be used for training and supervision appointments: i. Provide Training Seminar—presenting in or leading in-house training seminar. ii. Supervision: Prep—reading, reviewing notes, listening to tapes, etc. in preparation for providing or receiving supervision. iii. Supervision: Provide Assessment Sup (Dyadic)—one supervisee; focus on assessment services. iv. Supervision: Provide Assessment Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on assessment services. v. Supervision: Provide Group Therapy Sup (Dyadic)—one supervisee; focus on group therapy services. vi. Supervision: Provide Group Therapy Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on group therapy services. vii. Supervision: Provide Individual Therapy Sup (Dyadic)—one supervisee; focus on individual and/or couples therapy services. viii. Supervision: Provide Individual Therapy Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on individual and/or couples therapy services. ix. Supervision: Receive Assessment Sup (Dyadic)—one supervisee; focus on assessment services. x. Supervision: Receive Assessment Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on assessment services.

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xi. Supervision: Receive Group Therapy Sup (Dyadic)—one focus on group therapy services. xii. Supervision: Receive Group Therapy Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on group therapy services. xiii. Supervision: Receive Individual Therapy Sup (Dyadic)—one supervisee; focus on individual and/or couples therapy services. xiv. Supervision: Receive Individual Therapy Sup (Group)—two or more supervisees; focus on individual and/or couples therapy services. e. After Hours Appointment – Appointment scheduled for time related to after-hours clinical services. The following appointment designations may be used for after-hours appointments: i. After Hours Emergency Coverage—to be designated once at the onset of each week-long shift. ii. After Hours On-Site Consultation—actual time on site (campus or another location) responding to calls after hours. iii. After Hours Other—other work done after hours related to emergency coverage (e.g., contacting center staff regarding emergency calls, enlisting staff to work with students in a catastrophic event, etc.). Work done after hours that is not related to emergency coverage should be recorded under the appropriate specific category (e.g., Clinical Notes/Reports, Outreach Prep, etc.). iv. After Hours Telephone Consultation—actual time speaking on the phone with after-hours callers. f.

Administrative Appointment – Appointment scheduled for time related to non-direct service activities. The following appointment designations may be used for administrative appointments: i. Administrative Meeting—includes meetings with the support staff, with the deans, with the vice president, the weekly director's meeting, etc. Do not include University Committee Work (e.g., SVTF, SA Technology Committee, SA Professional Development Committee, SA Holiday Committees, etc.) in this category. ii. Attend Training Seminar—participation in in-house training seminar. iii. Client Care Team – participation in weekly meetings to review and assign new clients and participation in peer consultation iv. Case Conference—the one-hour, weekly clinical discussion/peer consultation meeting v. Case Management—service on behalf of a client or clients that does not involve direct contact with clients, such as case management committee meetings, copying/sending records. vi. Clinical Notes/Reports—time spent writing progress notes, initial screening reports, consultation notes, termination summaries, treatment summaries (e.g., when records are requested), or completing referral forms. vii. Clinical Preparation—reading, reviewing case notes, or other preparation related to client sessions. viii. Correspondence—non-clinical letters, emails, extended phone calls (e.g., letters of recommendation).

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ix. Functional Area—time spent individually working in an area of formal responsibility, such as Outreach, Assessment, Technology, and Training.

(Working/meeting with a committee in any of these areas would be recorded under Committee Work.) x. Peer Supervision—meetings among more than two staff that are intended to provide support to one another around professional issues (e.g., supervision, group leadership). (Meetings between two staff for the purpose of clinical consultation/guidance falls under Consultation: Clinical, Non-Psychiatric.) xi. Research—time spent on all research-related work. xii. Search: Other—time spent in all activities related to filling university positions outside the counseling center. xiii. Search: Staff—time spent in all activities related to filling a GTCC staff position. xiv. Search: Trainee—time spent in all activities related to selecting GTCC trainees. xv. Staff Meeting: Divisional—attendance at divisional staff meetings/working retreats. xvi. Staff Meeting: In House—attendance at in-house staff meetings/working retreats. xvii. Testing: Notes/Report—time spent scoring instruments and developing/writing testing notes and reports. xviii. Testing: Prep—time spent in studying, reading, practicing, etc. related to testing/assessment. xix. University Function—attendance at a university function, such as retirement receptions, Take Back The Night, Staff Appreciation Breakfast, Winter Celebration Luncheon, etc. xx. Other Planning and Administration—any administrative tasks that do not fit into more specific categories (including time spent learning/practicing Titanium). g. Leave Appointment – Appointment that is related to leave or absences from work.

Other than campus closings, staff must request leave time in writing from the Director two weeks prior to the event. Sick leave (not in advance) should be requested as soon as the staff member returns to the Center. The following appointment designations may be used for leave appointments: i. Leave: Campus Closed—used to document time away from the office due to university holidays or other campus closures (e.g., due to inclement weather). ii. Leave: Sick—time taken for illness/medical treatment of self or immediate family member under one’s care. iii. Leave: Vacation—vacation time taken. iv. Leave: Other—other approved leave time, such as unpaid disability leave. Does not include time away from office for professional development activities, as this is recorded under the appropriate professional development category. h. Professional Development Appointment – Appointment that is related to professional development activities. The following appointment designations may be used for professional development appointments: i. Professional Development: Conference/Workshop—attendance at professional conference or workshop.

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ii. Professional Development: Other—professional development activities other than conference/workshop attendance (e.g., professional reading not related to a specific client). iii. Professional Service—participating in a leadership role in a committee or organization at the area, state, regional, national, or international level (e.g., APA/APA Division Board, GPA/GPA Division Board, MCC Board, etc.). iv. Professional Service Prep—preparing for participation in a professional service activity (as defined above). v. Professional Workshop Prep—time spent preparing for a professional workshop presentation. vi. Professional Workshop Presentation—workshop on a professional topic presented to professionals in mental health or related fields. i.

Other Appointment - Appointment that is non-client-related. The following appointment designations may be used for administrative appointments: i. Committee Work: In House—meetings of GTCC committees (e.g. internal staff search committees, internal professional development committee, policies and procedures committee, etc.), including related prep work. ii. Committee Work: University—time spent working as part of a university committee (e.g., SVTF, SA Professional Development, SA Technology Committee, etc.). iii. Networking—time spent interacting informally (no agenda) with colleagues and other GT staff. iv. Other—activities that do not fall into other specific categories (e.g., briefly out of office).

5. Procedure for Adding Clients to the Initial Consultation Waitlist: a. After the client has completed the initial paperwork, select “Approve incoming data” to create a client file. b. On the main page for the client, click on the icon marked “Waitlist” at the top. c. Select “Initial Consultation” from the pull-down menu and click on the button marked “Add to Selected Waitlist”. d. This will defer to the current date. Click on “Save” and “Exit” and the client will now be added to the waiting list for Initial Consultation. If the current date is not the actual date the client completed paperwork, you can modify the date prior to saving and exiting. e. Once the client completes the Initial Consultation, the intake counselor will mark it as complete and the client will no longer be on the waiting list.

6. In the event that a program code does not exist, the issue will be brought to the weekly senior staff meeting to be addressed and resolved.

7. The Associate Director serving as the Technology Coordinator will be responsible for any additions of new appointment designations, revisions of current appointment designations, and elimination of appointment designations that are out of use or no longer needed.

8. The Associate Director serving as the Technology Coordinator will also be responsible for periodic review and update of appointment codes and notifying staff and trainees of updates to appointment codes as indicated.

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D. After-Hours On Call The Counseling Center provides an after-hours on-call counselor after office hours and on the weekends to be available for consultation or in the event of a crisis or campus emergency.

1. All senior staff and interns are designated as the on-call counselor on a rotating, weekly basis as determined by the on-call schedule which is made available at the beginning of each semester.

2. The on-call counselor shall be available after hours to provide consultation and crisis intervention to students or to Institute staff (e.g., Dean of Students, Housing, GTPD, psychiatrists) who are directly involved in a student crisis or emergency.

3. A cell phone is provided to the on-call counselor for the purposes of after-hours consultation.

The on-call counselor will be available at all after-hours times (and other times as designated) to respond to requests for after-hours consultation. It is the responsibility of the on-call counselor to maintain the confidentiality and security of the On-Call Log Book, cell phone, and other on-call materials. It is the responsibility of the current on-call counselor whose rotation ends to provide the next on-call counselor with the cell phone, On-Call Log book, other on-call materials, and to assure that the cell phone is fully charged and that all messages are cleared.

4. The on-call counselor will document each call received in the On-Call Log Book. Documentation of an after-hours consultation shall include, but not limited to: a. Time and date of incident b. Names of person(s) involved in the incident c. Nature of incident d. Intervention(s) provided e. Consultation with other parties (e.g., Director, Dean of Students, Housing, GTPD, psychiatrists) f. Course of action 5. Each consultation entry will be signed and dated by the on-call counselor.

6. When initiating calls from the cell phone, the on-call counselor will initiate each call with *67 to maintain privacy of the cell phone’s number. Use of the cell-phone is limited to purposes directly related to the duties of the on-call counselor.

7. Instances in which a student is identified as a current or former client, a similar consultation entry will be made in the client’s record by the on-call counselor.

8. Prior to the end of each consultation, the on-call counselor will refer the student to make an appointment at the Counseling Center the following day. The student will be scheduled with the next available backup consultation time to determine the student’s current status and to assess for further counseling services. It is the duty of the on-call counselor to: a. inform the Secretary/Receptionist of the name of the student to be referred; b. inform the counselor on backup consultation coverage of the referral; c. provide a written entry in the client’s record of the after-hours consultation (if applicable).

9. In cases where a student may be hospitalized voluntarily, the on-call counselor may notify the Director (or designee) the following day. The Dean-on-call may be notified of a voluntary hospitalization once a verbal consent has been obtained from the student. In cases of an involuntary hospitalization, the on-call counselor will notify the Director (or designee) and the Dean-on-Call immediately after the consultation with the student is concluded.

10. In cases where a student death has occurred or in cases of a campus emergency, the on-call counselor will immediately notify the Director (or designee) and the Dean-on-Call.

11. The on-call counselor may contact the Director (or designee) for consultation at any time.

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12. The contents of the On-Call Log Book will be maintained on a regular basis. The Associate Director/Training Director will be responsible for removing previous entries from the On-Call Log Book at the end of each semester. Previous entries will be maintained in a folder in the file room and kept for a period of 1 year after which time the previous entries will be destroyed.

E. Emergency & Evacuation Procedures In the event of a full building evacuation, all staff and trainees will comply with the evacuation protocol.

A copy of the general evacuation protocol is posted in the Counseling Center. The following procedures are for the purposes of Counseling Center staff and trainees to augment the general evacuation protocol.

1. In the event of a full building evacuation, the Director (or designee) will notify all staff and trainees.

2. The Director and Associate Directors will direct staff to the appropriate exits and facilitate evacuation of the Center.

3. Do not use the elevator during evacuations.

4. The secretary/receptionist is designated as the roll taker for the Center. In the event that the secretary/receptionist is absent or unable to perform the roll taker duties, the administrative professional III is the designated alternate.

5. The designated rendezvous site for evacuations will be the Pecan Grove, located on the west side of the W02 parking deck.

6. In case of inclement weather and a full building evacuation is ordered, the rendezvous point will be the first floor (ground floor) atrium of the Student Center.

7. In case of a tornado, the designated rendezvous point will be room 117 of the Student Services Building.

8. Staff and trainees will close their office doors and evacuate the Center via 1 of 2 exits in the Center: a. Staff and trainees located in rooms 241, 242, 244, 246, 247, 248, and 251 will exit the Center via the main office door. Staff will proceed down the back stairwell to the designated rendezvous site. b. Staff and trainees located in rooms 252, 253, 254, 255, 258, 259, 260, 261, and 262 will exit the Center via the exit located at the end of the hallway. Staff will proceed down the stairwell to the building Atrium and exit via the North exit and proceed to the designated rendezvous site. c. Staff located in the front area of the Center will exit the Center via the main office door and proceed down the back stairwell to the designated rendezvous site. d. Students in the front area or testing area of the Center will be escorted by the administrative professional III staff to exit via the main office door and proceed down the back stairwell to the designated rendezvous site. e. If there is a group or workshop in process, the counselor or trainee will escort students to the exit via the main office door and proceed down the back stairwell to the designated rendezvous site. f. In the event that staff and trainees are in session with a client, the client will be escorted to the appropriate exit with the staff or trainee and proceed to the designated rendezvous site. g. If a designated exit is inaccessible, everyone will proceed to the next accessible exit.

9. The Director (or designee) will check to make sure that all office doors are closed and that all staff and students have exited prior to evacuating the Center.

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10. Once at the designated rendezvous site, the secretary (or designee) will begin roll call of all staff and trainees. The secretary will also gather then names of students accompanied to the designated rendezvous site as part of the report. The secretary will then report to the Director the status of everyone present. In the event of an absence or if a status cannot be determined, the secretary (or designee) will inform the building manager.

11. Students accompanied by a Center staff or trainee may not be dismissed until their names have been recorded by the secretary.

12. If a student has been accompanied by a Center staff or trainee, the student may be dismissed by staff as they deem it appropriate for the situation. Trainees should consult with their supervisors before dismissing a student.

13. Re-entry into the Center will only be allowed once a formal announcement has been made.

14. In case of a tornado, the same procedures are to be followed to the designated rendezvous site.

F. Campus-wide Evacuation In the event of a campus-wide evacuation, all staff and trainees will comply with the building evacuation protocol. After leaving the building, all staff and trainees are to meet at the rendezvous site using individual or coordinated transportation. The rendezvous site is designated as the Target department store in Atlantic Station (375 18th Street Northwest). All staff and trainees will rendezvous in the covered ground level parking area. Map and directions from the Georgia Tech campus (point A) to the rendezvous site (point B) are listed below:

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G. Inclement Weather Weather or other emergency situations may make it necessary for Georgia Tech to declare either "classes cancelled" or "campus closed" conditions. Other declarations may include "classes canceled until time" or "classes cancelled, but staff report to work," etc. The specific type of declaration that is made will determine which employees are required to come to work.

1. When a "classes cancelled" condition is in effect, all classes and instructional laboratories are affected; students and instructional faculty are not required to report to campus. Administrative and research activities not directly tied to the instructional function will generally continue as normal, unless otherwise instructed by a supervisor. Other support employees may also be instructed not to report to work at the discretion of the administrator responsible for each major division.

2. When a "campus closed" condition is in effect, no employees are to report to work, except those previously designated as "emergency essential" by their department, or otherwise instructed by a supervisor.

3. When the decision is made by the executive vice president for Administration and Finance to declare either "classes cancelled" or "campus closed," the Office of Communications will immediately notify local radio and television stations and place the campus status decision on the Institute's main web page. The Office of Communications will also contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to place a message on the main campus information line, 404-8942000, noting the status of the campus. Employees may call this number to hear a pre-recorded message.

4. In the event of the Center closing due to inclement weather, the Director will inform all staff and trainees by email (or other means) of the initial decision to close if the notice is received during normal office hours. The Director will also contact GTPD to inform them that the after-hours counselor-on-call will remain on-call and available for emergency consultation. If a notice to close the Institute (and consequently the Center) is announced after normal working hours, all staff and trainees are to refer to the Institute’s home webpage for any official announcement, announcements through the local news media, or by calling the main campus information line,

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404-894-2000. All staff and trainees are to monitor the status of the Institute’s subsequent operation by referring to the Institute home webpage at gatech.edu, announcements through the local news media, or by calling the main campus information line, 404-894-2000.

H. Leave of Absence 1. All staff may request a leave of absence from the Center to cover vacation time, sick time, or professional leave. Leave requests may not be made to exceed the amount of leave time (e.g., vacation, sick) accrued.

2. All leave requests must be submitted using the Time-Out system. The Director has the responsibility for approval and denial of all leave requests. Reasonable effort will be made to accommodate the staff’s wishes in this matter, but the time selected must be mutually acceptable to the staff and to the supervisor.

3. Vacation time must be requested no later than 2 weeks in advance of the anticipated beginning leave date. Taking of vacation time must not be allowed to interfere with essential work.

4. Sick leave must be reported for any instance involving health or medical related concern. All staff are responsible for informing the Director (or designee) of any illness that prohibits them from meeting their assigned responsibilities in instruction, research, and service.

5. Sick leave may be granted at the discretion of the Director for any of the following reasons: a. Illness or injury of the employee b. Medical or dental treatment or consultation c. Quarantine due to a contagious illness in the employee’s household d. Illness, injury, or death in the employee’s immediate family requiring the employee’s presence. Immediate family is defined as the employee’s spouse, parents, parents-inlaw, grandparents, children, brothers, sisters, and members of the employee’s household. e. Inability to report to work due to pregnancy f. Inability to report to work due to a disability 6. Sick leave may be requested no later than 2 weeks in advance of the anticipated beginning leave date. In certain circumstances, sick leave should be reported as soon as possible upon returning to work.

7. Sick leave in excess of five consecutive work days requested or taken for health reasons requires a physician’s statement clarifying the need for the employee’s absence from work and in order for future sick leave with pay to be taken. The statement should include: date of onset of illness, the date upon which the employee will be able to return to work, what percentage of time he/she will be able to work, and whether or not any restrictions are imposed on the employee’s daily work activities.

8. If sick leave is the result of an on-the-job injury, staff have the option of using unpaid leave even if paid leave is available. Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, a staff member injured on the job and unable to work may elect in writing not to use accrued leave. Under these conditions, the staff member may be granted sick leave without pay in keeping with the provisions of the leave without pay policy (see 2.11 Leave of Absence Policy for more details). The staff member required to submit medical verification from their physician to verify inability to perform their normal job duties. Failure to return to work at the conclusion of the leave period constitutes grounds for termination of employment.

9. Any regular staff member who is unable to work (due to injury or illness or due to illness, injury, or death in the employee’s immediate family requiring the employee’s presence) after exhausting all accrued sick leave and vacation leave may be granted sick leave without pay for a

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period not to exceed one year. The total amount of leave taken, including both paid and unpaid time, shall not exceed one year. Staff should request sick leave using the Time-Out system. The Director must approve a sick leave without pay and submit the required information through an Electronic Personal Services form (ePSF). Such approved leaves shall allow the staff member the right to continue his/her group insurance benefits by making arrangements through the Office of Human Resources Benefits Department to pay his/her portion of premiums due and the Institute will continue its share of the cost for such period. All other benefits for which the employee is eligible would not accrue. Failure to return to work at the conclusion of the approved leave period constitutes grounds for termination of employment. [Note: Employees should contact their Human Resources Representative or Human Resources Contact to see if they may be eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).]

10. Professional leave may be taken without using accrued vacation leave. Professional leave is taken for attending conferences, professional workshops, professional development opportunities directly related to the staff’s responsibilities at the Center. Pre-doctoral interns may use professional leave for dissertation defense.

11. Professional leave must be requested no later than 2 weeks in advance of the anticipated beginning leave date.

12. Other leave (“Miscellaneous Leave”) can be found at http://policies.gatech.edu/leave-absence.

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Section V: Confidentiality and Consent to Treatment A. Confidentiality The Center adheres to strict confidentiality according to federal and state laws, ethical principles and accreditation standards.

1. The relationship between a mental health professional and patient/client is privileged and that the communications between a mental health professional and patient/client are considered confidential.1 Confidential communication is defined as communications that occur within the context of the counselor-client relationship with the expectation that those communications will remain secret and private. a. Confidentiality between a client and a counselor continues after a client’s death.2 The right to confidentiality does not pass on to the decedent’s legal personal representative.

Any requests for records involving a client who is deceased will be received by the Clinical Services Director. The Clinical Services Director will consult with the Director and with the Office of Legal Affairs to determine the appropriate response and course of action. b. Limitations to confidentiality include: i. instances in which the client is deemed to be an imminent threat to harm self or others; ii. mandatory reporting in cases of child or elder abuse.3 c. In addition to consultation with the Director and Associate Directors, staff and trainees are also encouraged to consult with one another regarding questions of confidentiality. d. In the event that a legal consultation is required, staff will first consult with the Director or Clinical Services Director. The Director or Clinical Services Director will then consult with the Office of Legal Affairs as warranted.

2. There are situations that require informing the appropriate individual(s) about a student. These individual(s) include, but are not limited to the Dean of Students or his/her designee, the Office of Legal Affairs, the Chief of Police or her/his designee. Possible scenarios may include: a. if a student presents as an imminent threat to harm self or others; b. if a student provides written consent to inform the Office of the Dean of Students or their designee to receive information to assist them. This may include assistance with faculty/academic matters if a student is in therapy or hospitalized, if the student is seeking to withdraw from school past the drop date and related matters; c. if a student is seen for mandated assessment and a written consent is provided by the student to provide a written evaluation of the mandated assessment.

3. In the event that a counselor receives a request for release of client records, the request will be presented to the Director. The Director will consult with the counselor of record and the Clinical Services Director. The Director will present the request to the Office of Legal Affairs to begin consultation on the request. In some instances, the Director may inform the Vice President of Student Affairs regarding the request for records. The Center will comply with any subsequent advice and direction from the Office of Legal Affairs.

1

O.C.G.A. § 24-9-21 Remar, R.B., & Hubert, R.N. (2005). Confidential Relations and Communications. Law & mental health professionals: Georgia, p. 111, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association 3 O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5; O.C.G.A. § 30-5-3 2

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B. Consent to Treatment 1. Clients are asked to read an Authorization for Services document prior to first meeting with a counselor. This Informed Consent Form (APPENDIX E) includes information about the evaluation process, assignment to a counselor, confidentiality, staff consultations, recording of sessions by supervised trainees and evaluation of services.

2. If a student who is under age 18 is seeking services, parental permission must first be obtained.

Clients will be asked to complete the Parental Consent Form for Students Under 18-years of Age (APPENDIX E) prior to providing counseling services. If there is an urgent need for intervention, every effort will be made to contact the student's parent/legal guardian and appropriate consultation will be sought. (e.g., Office of Legal Affairs, Dean of Students).

C. Electronic Recording of Counseling Sessions 1. The electronic recording (audio or video) of counseling sessions is permissible for use in supervision, individual counselor review, or as part of an in-house professional development program.

2. All trainees must regularly record their counseling sessions as part of their ongoing supervision.

3. Client’s will sign the Consent to Audio and/or Video Record form (APPENDIX E) to indicate consent for recording their counseling sessions.

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Section VI: Clinical Services A. General Description of Services The Counseling Center is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience and success of all students by providing a variety of counseling and psychological services to individuals and the campus community.

We provide short-term counseling services to address a wide range of personal and career concerns as well as educational programming to the campus community.

In addition, the Counseling Center is also a training site for graduate practicum students and pre-doctoral interns. The practicum training program offers supervised training experiences in providing direct psychological services to students and the campus community. The pre-doctoral training program offers an internship to in psychology to doctoral students wishing to gain experience in a counseling center setting. The pre-doctoral program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The internship is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

1. Individual & Couples Counseling. The Center offers individual counseling for students who present with a wide variety of psychological, vocational, and academic concerns. The most frequently assessed concerns are depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. In addition, the Center provides couples counseling to currently enrolled students and their partners/spouses.

To be eligible for couples counseling, one member of the couple must be a currently enrolled student. The Counseling Center uses a short-term model of counseling to assist them in addressing their concerns.

2. Group Counseling. The Center offers several groups each semester. These include support group, therapy groups, and educational groups.

3. Outreach & Consultation. The Counseling Center offers campus consultation to various campus groups and a number of educational programs and workshops as well. These workshops are open to all Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Some of the workshops that are offered are on topics such as stress management, managing anxiety, relationships, and study skills.

4. Emergency & Crisis Services. The counseling staff provides crisis and emergency services during regular office hours as well as after-hours and during the weekend. Emergency walk-in times are available during the week for students experiencing a personal crisis. In addition, after-hours consultation and crisis service is available through the counselor-on-duty. The counseling staff is also available to provide emergency response to campus incidents and events.

5. Referral Services. Psychiatric referrals for medication evaluation and treatment are available through the psychiatrist at the Student Health Center. The Counseling Center works closely with the psychiatrist to facilitate referrals for psychiatric evaluations and follow-up as needed. In addition, a comprehensive listing is maintained by the Counseling Center for students who are in need of extended services or whose presenting concerns are beyond the scope of service at the Center.

6. Testing & Assessment. A variety of psychological, intellectual and personality tests are available from licensed psychologists for clients. These include screenings for ADHD, personality assessment, and interest inventories. Mandatory assessments (e.g., drug and alcohol, stress, anger, psychological) are also provided via referrals from the Office of Student Integrity.

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B. Eligibility for Services 1. Definition of Eligibility: a. Currently enrolled Georgia Tech students are eligible for full range of services offered by the Counseling Center. b. Students must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the time they seek services at the Center. “Enrolled” is defined as a student who has registered for classes and remains “registered for classes” on the first day of each term. The Institute verifies enrollment status for all registered students on the first day of each term.1 c. Students may be enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours), part-time (6-11 credit hours), or less than part-time (1-5 credit hours) to be eligible for services.2 If a student withdraws from all classes or is withdrawn from all classes, the student is deemed to no longer be enrolled. d. Partners/spouses are eligible for couples counseling only with their eligible partner/spouse. e. Students who are enrolled in the co-op program are eligible for services.

2. Persons Ineligible for Services: a. Faculty and staff b. Post-degree individuals (e.g., post-baccalaureate, post-doctoral) c. Persons enrolled in programs not affiliated with a degree (e.g., Language Institute, Dual Enrollment in a high school) 3. Exceptions to Eligibility. On occasion, there may be exceptions to the eligibility policy. These instances may include: a. In emergency situations, persons who do not meet the eligibility criteria may be seen for an initial crisis consultation and provided with referrals. b. Clients who withdraw from classes may be seen in counseling for a limited period of time that is required for stabilization and referral (if needed). c. Any other exceptions to the above policies as approved by the Associate Director for Clinical Services and/or the Director through the Client Care Team.

C. Amenability for Services Clients seen at the center for individual counseling should be amenable to short-term, time limited counseling services. Not all student requests for counseling can be met. Students who need more than short-term counseling will generally be referred to more appropriate agencies.

1. It may be possible to see some students on a limited basis as training cases in specialized treatment areas or to provide a student stabilization prior to referral. In addition, some students may be able to work on circumscribed problem areas with the realization that more extensive psychotherapy is necessary, but cannot be provided at the Center.

2. In general, clients are seen in one mode of therapy at a time (individual therapy or couples or group). Exceptions to this should be discussed during the Client Care Team meeting or in consultation with the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director.

1 2

Source: Reta Pikowsky, Registrar, Office of the Registrar (9/13/2011) www.registrar.gatech.edu/registration/fullpartstatus.php

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D. Scope of Care The Counseling Center provides a variety of counseling services to students. The scope of care is intended to outline the appropriateness and limits of the Center’s services to students seeking counseling.

1. Individual and couples counseling at the Center is based on a short-term model of service which involves up to 16 sessions per year during the client’s academic career as an undergraduate or graduate student. There is no session limit for group counseling. a. Students who require more than short-term counseling may be referred to more appropriate agencies or individuals in the community. b. It may be possible for interns or practicum students to see a limited number of students as training cases to focus on specialized areas of counseling. c. Some clients may also be seen for a brief period of time to provide necessary stabilization prior to referral.

2. Students who have previously been seen at the Center for individual counseling and have exhausted their 16 session limit are not eligible for additional individual counseling until a year from the date of their termination from their last individual counseling session.

3. If a client has exhausted their 16 individual sessions as an undergraduate and subsequently seeks counseling as a graduate student currently enrolled in a graduate program, the client is considered eligible for 16 new individual counseling sessions. Eligibility for continued counseling beyond 16 sessions is consistent with previously stated policy in this section.

4. Should an active client’s academic status change from undergraduate to graduate, the client’s remaining sessions may not be “carried over” to the new 16 session eligibility.

5. In general, clients are seen no more than one session per week. The exception might be a client in crisis or some other temporary situation that requires more frequent monitoring.

6. If a client does not arrive for an appointment or fails to cancel at least 24 hours in advance, it may not be possible to reschedule an appointment later in the week or for the same time the following week. Two consecutive missed appointments without 24-hour notification may result in the termination of counseling.

7. The Counseling Center does not offer family counseling. Families may be seen on a limited consultation basis when necessary as part of an overall treatment strategy for an individual client. If family counseling is indicated, the counselor of record will provide a list of referrals.

8. The Counseling Center attempts to offer appropriate short-term counseling to all eligible students within its resources. However, there may be times of heavy demand when even shortterm counseling will not be available without a significant wait. The Associate Director for Clinical Services will keep the staff informed on a weekly basis concerning current counseling resource availability.

9. When clients present with concerns that require longer-term care or concerns that are outside the scope of service, a referral may be made to appropriate community agencies or private practitioners. This category includes, but not limited to: a. Clients with severe psychopathology (e.g., schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, personality disorders, major affective disorders, severe eating disorders) where extensive, long-term psychotherapy and/or psychiatric treatment is needed; b. Clients with a chronic history of untreated psychological difficulties, lengthy past treatment records, or numerous psychiatric hospitalizations; c. Clients with addiction or substance abuse issues with consequences that present significant risks (e.g., repeated DUIs, judicial charges, legal issues);

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d. Clients presenting with an active eating disorder in which the client is significantly below ideal body weight and is in medical crisis, is regularly engaging in binging or purging behaviors or methods and or lacks insight or motivation to address their issues; e. Clients with concerns with which none of the senior staff demonstrates any degree of experience or expertise and would be determined as practicing outside the scope of professional competence; f. Clients currently engaged in physically abusive behaviors and is unwilling to discontinue the abusive behavior; g. Clients who have conditions which would benefit from treatment where ongoing medical management can occur; h. Clients who have utilized the services at the Counseling Center in an inconsistent and/or unproductive fashion; i. Other instances as defined by the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director and/or the Director.

E. Stepped Care The Counseling Center’s model for provision of direct client services is through its stepped care model (APPENDIX G). The Counseling Center recognizes that demand for direct services often cannot be met with resource intensive services (i.e., individual counseling) in an efficient and effective manner without consequences to students. The Counseling Center also realizes that clients’ needs vary and many clients may not need or want individual counseling. A number of clients’ concerns may be developmental or transitory and can be addressed with a scope of interventions that are not as resource intensive as individual counseling.

1. The Counseling Center’s stepped care model is designed to provide clients with the most effective level of intervention by utilizing a continuum of resource intensive counseling services by: a. beginning with the least intensive intervention likely to provide a significant gain; b. monitoring client progress; c. increasing the intensity level of intervention as needed.

2. In general, clients who are appropriate for stepped care include, but not limited to: a. clients whose presenting concerns are less severe or urgent; b. clients who are likely to be significantly helped by a lower intensity intervention(s); c. clients who are agreeable to the stepped care model 3. The Counseling Center recognizes its limits of service. Not all student requests for counseling can be honored and not all clients may be appropriate for stepped care. Students who may not be amenable to stepped care may include, but not limited to: a. Students presenting with more severe or urgent problems b. Students whose presenting concerns are outside the scope of service c. Students who refuse to comply with the stepped care model If staff or interns have questions regarding the amenability or appropriateness of a client for stepped care, staff are encouraged to obtain consultation from the Client Care Team or seek consultation with the Clinical Services Director (or Training Director or Director in the absence of the Clinical Services Director).

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4. Terms: a. Initial consultation –The purpose of the initial consultation is to assess for eligibility and amenability for services, to gather information on the client’s presenting concerns, and to determine the level (step) of intervention appropriate to address the concern(s). b. Follow-up consultation – A follow-up consultation is defined as a subsequent session by the initial consultation counselor with the student. The purpose of the follow-up consultation is to evaluate and assess the efficacy of previously prescribed steps of services and the need to prescribe more intensive levels of care (e.g., individual counseling, outside referral). Clients may have up to 4 follow-up consultations with their initial consultation counselor before a disposition is made for on-going counseling or outside referral. c. Ratings of Client Severity and Urgency – Ratings of client severity and urgency are made by the initial consultation counselor after the initial consultation session. Counselors will provide an assessment rating of severity and urgency consistent with the client’s presenting issues and need for services. Ratings of client severity and urgency will be based on the counselor’s objective assessment of the client’s presenting concerns and the degree to which the presenting concerns impact the client’s current functioning and safety to self and others. Each initial consultation counselor will provide a rating of a client’s severity and urgency on the Initial Consultation form using the following ratings (see APPENDIX E- “Behavioral Definitions for Severity and Urgency Likert Scales on the Initial Consultation Note” for detailed descriptions): i. SEVERITY (a rating of the degree of impairment in life functioning): 1=Severe (client is markedly restricted in functioning) 2=High Moderate (more than moderate & less than severe) 3=Moderate (client is somewhat impaired in functioning) 4=Low moderate (more than minimal & less than moderate) 5=Minimal (client is minimally impaired in functioning) ii. URGENCY (a rating of the urgency for intervention based on risk-factors and severity): 1=High (life threatening, immediate death of someone close, other type of reason that this client should not have to wait) 2=High Moderate (but low risk of threat to life) 3=Moderate (needs to be seen, however no immediate factor dictates high urgency) 4=Low Moderate 5=Low (less urgent, able to wait). d. Client Database – The Center maintains a client database used to track clients through the stepped care system. i. The Associate Director/Clinical Service Director (or designee) is responsible for maintaining the database, generating reports as needed, and revising the database as needed. ii. Senior staff and interns are responsible for entering initial consultation information for each client and to update the status of each client until a final disposition has been determined (e.g., group, individual).

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e. Client Care Team – Senior staff and interns are members of the Client Care Team whose purpose is to review clients seen for initial consultation from the previous week for assignment to individual counseling and to provide peer consultation. Clients may only be reviewed in the Client Care Team if: i. their initial consultation counselor has met with them after referrals (i.e., follow-up consultation) and completion of other preliminary steps of care (e.g., workshops) and has determined that the next level care of individual counseling is appropriate ii. the client’s presenting concerns and severity and urgency levels require individual counseling. iii. the client has completed primary steps of care (e.g., workshops, group, selfhelp) and is recommended for individual counseling by the initial consultation counselor.

The Client Care Team meets weekly and all staff and interns regularly attend the meeting. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director (or designee) is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the meeting.

Clients who are deemed to be of imminent threat to harm others or themselves and who have been assessed by their initial consultation counselor at the highest level of severity and urgency (i.e., SEVERITY=1, URGENCY=1) will be managed by the initial consultation counselor during the initial session and not delayed for consultation with the Client Care Team. Considerations for hospitalization and withdrawal from classes should be made in these cases.

Clients who are assessed by their initial consultation counselor as a “2-2” (i.e., SEVERITY=2, URGENCY=2), will present the client to Client Care Team for consultation prior to a final disposition. The initial consultation counselor will continue to manage the client until the client begins regular counseling appointments or until a referral is provided. f.

Counselor of Record – The counselor of record is defined as the senior staff or trainee designated as providing primary care (e.g., individual counseling, couples counseling, group counseling) for the client. i. The counselor of record is responsible for maintaining current client records, responding to client requests for letters (e.g., letters of withdrawal), and for providing information regarding clients as needed and appropriate to constituent agencies or individuals (e.g., Office of the Dean of Students, GTPD). ii. Should the counselor of record be absent from the Center or no longer at the Center when an information request is received, the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director (or designee) will be responsible for responding to the request.

5. Stepped Care Implementation: The initial step begins with the completion of client assessment forms, followed by an initial consultation, follow-up consultation (if needed), referral to workshops, referral to other self-help resources, referral to group, individual counseling, or outside referral. a. Completion of client assessment forms – Students seeking services are required to complete Authorization for Services form, the initial assessment information, and the

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CCAPS. All information is to be completed by the student while at the Counseling Center. At no time will initial assessment forms be allowed to leave the Center. The completed information is printed by the secretary and a file folder is prepared. b. If a client has been previously seen at the Counseling Center, the prior record is obtained and merged with the updated information. c. Prior to the initial consultation or other initial session (e.g., crisis), all clients must: i. sign the Counseling Center statement regarding records and confidentiality, and provides their correct name, and current address and phone number. The use of an alias is not permitted. ii. A consent for treatment of students under 18 years old is also obtained using the signed consent form (APPENDIX E) for students under age 18. g. Initial Consultation – An initial consultation session is defined as the first session for a new client. The purpose of the initial consultation is to assess for eligibility and amenability for services, to gather information on the client’s presenting concerns, and to determine the level (step) of intervention appropriate to address the concern(s). In determining the appropriate initial step for care for a client, the initial consultation counselor should consider all step options available at the Center, the Institute, and in the community. At the Counseling Center these options include not only individual and couples counseling, but also group counseling, workshops, self-help resources, and other Institute resources and services. i. Sometimes, a client’s presenting issues are successfully addressed and resolved by the end of the initial consultation session. At the end of the initial consultation, the client may be provided with suggestions for next level intervention(s) that are likely to meet their needs and to satisfactorily address their concerns which may include providing outside referrals. ii. Upon completion of the initial consultation, the counselor will complete the “Initial Client Consultation” form (APPENDIX E). If counseling ends after an initial consultation, the counselor will note the termination in the consultation form. No termination summary report is needed. iii. The initial consultation counselor is responsible for entering the client information after each initial consultation into the Client Database. In instances where a client may be referred for a group screening and is determined by the group facilitator(s) not to be appropriate for group, the group facilitator will be responsible for revising the client’s status in the Client Database. Similarly, if a client is assigned to an individual counselor and the schedules do not match, the assigned counselor will be responsible for revising the client’s status in the Client Database and facilitating reassignment of client during Client Care Team. h. Follow-up Consultation – A follow-up consultation is defined as a subsequent session by the initial consultation counselor with the student. The purpose of the follow-up consultation is to evaluate and assess the efficacy of previously prescribed steps of services and the need to prescribe more intensive levels of care (e.g., individual counseling, outside referral). i. Clients may have up to 4 follow-up consultation sessions (exclusive of any individual sessions) with their initial consultation counselor before a disposition is made for on-going counseling or outside referral. Upon completion of each

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follow-up consultation, the counselor will complete the “Follow-up Client Consultation” form (APPENDIX E). ii. If the client’s concerns have been satisfactorily addressed, counseling may be terminated. When counseling ends after a follow-up consultation, the counselor will note the termination in the consultation form. No termination summary report is needed. iii. If the client’s concerns need to be addressed further beyond additional steps (e.g., group, couples, self-help), the initial consultation counselor may present the client at the next scheduled Client Care Team meeting. i.

Client Care Team – The initial consultation counselor is responsible for providing a brief presentation of new clients to be considered for individual counseling during the Client Care Team meeting. i. Prior to the start of each meeting, the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director will prepare the list of clients to be assigned from the client database.

The Clinical Services Director will be responsible for facilitating the Client Care Team meeting and documenting client assignments and dispositions in the client database. ii. Prior to the start of each meeting, staff members and interns will note their available client dates/times on the whiteboard in the meeting room. Practicum supervisors will be responsible for noting the available dates/times of their supervisees on the whiteboard in the meeting room. After the meeting, practicum supervisors are responsible for giving the files of assigned clients to their respective supervisees. Practicum counselors are granted access in Titanium to the assigned files so they can contact clients to set up their first counseling session. iii. Upon assignment, each staff member or intern will be responsible to contacting clients for their initial session. Practicum supervisors will be responsible for notifying their supervisee of their client assignment and each practicum student will be responsible for contacting their clients for an initial session.

j.

Termination: Termination is defined as the closure of a client’s file at the end of any aspect of counseling services. The Termination Summary serves as a synopsis of the client’s presenting concerns, their progress while in counseling, and any recommendations for continued or further counseling. i. Senior staff and trainees are responsible for completing a “Termination Summary” (APPENDIX E) on all clients who complete counseling or who do not continue with counseling after a period of time. ii. Trainees are required to complete a Termination Summary for all clients prior to completing their training at the Center. Trainees who do not complete a Termination Summary will be asked to return to the Center to complete the documentation. Intern and practicum supervisors are responsible to assure that trainees’ files contain a completed termination summary for each client.

k. Transfer of Clients: In cases where the counselor of record may leave the Counseling Center (e.g., taking a medical leave, leaving for new position elsewhere, etc.) current clients may need to be transferred to a new counselor.

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i. The counselor of record will consult with the Clinical Services Director (or designee) to determine the disposition of the remaining clients. A Termination Summary must be completed by the counselor of record prior to leaving the Counseling Center. The Termination Summary must include plans for termination or, if eligible for continuing individual counseling, the client’s transition to a new counselor. ii. Interns and practicum students will consult with their supervisors and complete a Termination Summary prior to the end of their training. Trainees who do not complete a Termination Summary will be asked to return to the Center to complete the documentation. Intern and practicum supervisors are responsible to assure that trainees’ files contain a completed termination summary for each client.

F. Workshops As an integral part of its stepped care model, the Counseling Center offers workshops for clients as an initial step to address a client’s presenting concerns. Clients should be assigned to workshops that are appropriate to the client’s presenting concern and level of need.

1. Clients should be considered for a workshop (or series of workshops) prior to referral to the Client Care Team for individual counseling.

2. After completion of a workshop, it is the responsibility of the initial consultation counselor to follow-up with the client to determine the degree to which the client’s presenting concern was adequately addressed and resolved. a. If the client’s concerns were adequately addressed and resolved through participation in a workshop and no further counseling is needed, the counselor completes a Follow-up Consultation Form and counseling may be terminated.

When counseling ends after a follow-up consultation, the counselor will note the termination in the consultation form. No termination summary report is needed. b. If the client’s concerns were not adequately addressed and resolved through participation in a workshop, the counselor may then consider options for group counseling, individual counseling or outside referral.

G. Groups The Counseling Center offers a variety of groups throughout the year. As an integral component of the stepped care model, counselors will discuss with their clients the benefits of group as a means of addressing their concerns.

1. The Group Coordinator is responsible for managing the group programs offered each year as well as evaluation and assessment of the group program.

2. The Group Coordinator is responsible for compiling and finalizing a list of available groups each semester and monitoring the status of each group for availabilities or the continuation of each group. The group program for each term will be discussed by staff prior to the programs being finalized. Group facilitator(s) will provide any descriptive information and selection criteria to the Groups Coordinator to be used for referral and publicity purposes.

3. The Group Coordinator consult with the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director to identify new groups as needed.

4. The Group Coordinator is responsible for identifying administrative issues regarding the group program and in bringing those issues for review during weekly senior staff meetings. More

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comprehensive administrative issues may be addressed during the annual senior staff planning meeting during the summer.

5. Staff or interns wishing to provide a group should consult with the Group Coordinator prior to offering the group. Current staffing resources will be taken into consideration prior to establishing an additional group beyond the current group offerings for any particular semester.

6. Referral to Groups: Staff or interns may consider referring clients to group counseling to address a client’s presenting concerns. a. The initial consultation counselor may refer a client to a group by informing the group facilitator(s) of the referral. b. Group facilitator(s) will be responsible for scheduling and conducting group screenings for clients referred to their group. c. If a client is assessed as appropriate for group and is able to attend the group on designated day and time, the group facilitator(s) become the counselor of record and will notify the initial consultation counselor of the disposition. d. If a client is assessed as not appropriate for group, the group facilitator will notify the initial consultation counselor. The initial consultation counselor will arrange for a follow-up session with the client to determine next steps for care.

7. All rooms for groups are to be scheduled using Titanium. Group times are to be noted in the “Rooms and Resources” section of Titanium once a group time and date has been finalized.

8. All group counseling is to be conducted in the Counseling Center during normal hours of operation. No groups are to be conducted by trainees after hours.

H. Individual Counseling Individual counseling is provided to students whose presenting concerns may best benefit from shortterm, one-on-one counseling.

1. Clients are to be reviewed by the Client Care Team prior to assignment to individual counseling.

Client’s should be considered for individual counseling only after it is determined that initial steps of care (e.g., workshops, follow-up consultations, self-help) have been unsuccessful at remedying the client’s presenting concern.

2. In considering clients for individual counseling, the Client Care Team may aid in assessing the client’s eligibility and amenability for services, including the extent to which the client’s presenting concern is within the scope of care of the Center.

3. The initial consultation counselor will present clients referred for individual counseling to the Client Care Team by providing a client summary of information based on a completed Initial Consultation Report form. Additional information for consideration may include: a. pertinent cultural considerations b. client progress with initial steps of care c. additional information as needed 4. There may be instances where the initial consultation counselor may refer a client to the Client Care Team for individual counseling directly without the client’s participation in the initial steps of care (e.g., workshops). In these cases, the initial consultation counselor will present clients referred for individual counseling to the Client Care Team by providing a client summary of information based on a completed Initial Consultation Report form. Additional information for consideration may include: d. appropriateness for individual counseling e. pertinent cultural considerations

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f.

level of severity and urgency consistent with the client’s presenting issues and need for services (NOTE: Clients who are assessed at the highest level of severity [“1’] and urgency [“1”] will be managed by the initial consultation counselor during the initial session and not delayed for consultation with the Client Care Team.) g. a rationale for recommendation of individual counseling 5. Once it is determined that individual counseling is appropriate, the client may be assigned to an appropriate senior staff member, intern, or practicum student.

6. The initial session of individual counseling is defined as the first session with the individual counselor of record. Follow-up consultation sessions are not included in the session limits.

7. Once it is determined that individual counseling is no longer needed, the client file may be terminated or a referral made for additional services (e.g., group, outside referral).

8. The counselor of record will complete a Termination Summary prior to closing the client’s file.

The termination date will be noted on the outside of the client’s file in the upper right-hand side.

I. Outreach and Consultation The Counseling Center provides educational programming for the campus community as well as consultation services to faculty, staff, and students.

1. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for managing the outreach programs offered by the Center each year (i.e., Stress Management Series) as well responding to outreach requests received.

2. Requests for outreach will be processed primarily through the “Workshop Request” page on the Center’s website, http://www.counseling.gatech.edu/plugins/workshops/. In the event that a staff member receives an outreach request, the staff should direct the requestor to the webpage to make the request.

3. In certain instances, a staff member may receive a direct request to provide an outreach program. The staff member is responsible for either providing the requested program or directing the requestor to the webpage in the event that the staff member cannot honor the request directly.

4. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for compiling a list of requested programs and presenting the list to staff and trainees to request provision of programs.

5. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for identifying requests for consultation that may originate from faculty, staff, or students.

6. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for the social networking initiatives of the Center, including (but not limited to) posting information regarding programs and services, providing educational information, and informing followers or subscribers regarding pertinent information on mental health issues.

7. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for identifying administrative issues regarding the outreach and consultation services and in bringing those issues for review during weekly senior staff meetings. More comprehensive administrative issues may be addressed during the annual senior staff planning meeting during the summer.

J. Testing and Assessment The Center maintains a testing facility for the administration of various psychological tests and assessments, for use by staff members as part of the counseling process for their clients. An inventory of computer-based and other tests is available to counselors whose clients may require additional assessment.

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1. To refer a client for additional assessment, the student must be engaged in counseling services at the Center.

2. The counselor of record will complete a “Testing Request Form” (APPENDIX E) prior to administration of any assessment. (NOTE: Testing hours during office hours occur from 8:00 am3:00 pm. No testing will occur after 3:00 pm). Staff will refrain from scheduling clients for sameday testing.

3. Some tests and assessments are accompanied by a fee. Students are required to pay the fee upon their arrival for testing. The counselor of record may seek an exception from the Director for their client who is unable to pay the required fee.

K. Client Referrals Clients may be referred for psychiatric considerations or in instances where a client’s presenting concern is beyond the scope of services at the Center.

1. Referrals to Psychiatry Clinic: Referrals are made to the psychiatrists at the psychiatry clinic located in the Stamps Health Center. Psychiatric referrals may also occur if a student is not eligible for services at the Counseling Center (i.e., not currently enrolled but has paid his/her student healthcare fee). The counselor of record is responsible for providing the following documentation as part of the initial referral: a. Copy of Initial Consultation Form b. Copy of the CCAPS c. Copy of any additional assessments as appropriate Paperwork for on-campus referrals may be faxed to the secure fax number located in the psychiatry clinic.

2. On-line Counseling Center Referral Directory: A listing of outside agencies and private therapists is available on-line. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director is responsible for formal invitations to potential referral sources and for soliciting updates from existing database members. Senior staff or interns may access the database at the following web address: http://counseling.gatech.edu/plugins/referral/admin/index.php. When providing a referral, the counselor: a. will provide the client with a choice of at least three therapists or agencies, whenever possible. b. will note the referral in the client’s file, including a list of referrals provided to the client. c. may arrange for consultation prior to the referral with the referring agency or therapist.

If referral paperwork is requested, the following documentation should include: a. Copy of completed Initial Consultation Form b. Copy of the CCAPS c. Copy of any additional assessments as appropriate d. Copy of completed Termination Summary Form e. Signed Release of Information form 3. For referrals to the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS): a. If you are escorting a student to the office, please check in with the Secretary to the Dean (Julia Whitfield) or Administrative Staff (Carol Kinsey) and let them know that you GTCC Policies & Procedure Manual (rev. 7/2014)

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would like the student to be seen (please note if you would like the student seen that day). Do not ask for a specific Dean; the administrative staff will check the ODOS database and see if the student has been seen by a particular Dean and take that information into consideration as they schedule the appointment. b. If you are calling the office to discuss a student or refer a student, please call the main office number 404-894-2565. State who you are and the office you are calling from.

Do not call on a Dean’s private line and leave a message. Briefly explain what your concerns are and your request (again, please note if you would like the student seen that day). The administrative staff will check the ODOS database and see if the student has been seen by a particular Dean and take that information into consideration as they schedule the appointment. c. Any after hours or weekend/holiday concerns should be reported to the Dean-on-Call.

(770-891-7769).

4. Client referrals to current senior staff maintaining an independent practice: To avoid dual role relationships or other potential ethical concerns, current clients or currently enrolled students seeking services may not be referred outside for services to senior staff (including Tech Temp staff) currently working at the Center who also maintain an independent practice.

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Section VII: Crisis Intervention and Campus Crisis Response

Circumstances occur when students may appear at the Counseling Center experiencing an immediate crisis. There also may be instances where students engaged as clients at the Center may experience a crisis that leads to extreme and significant distress. Additionally, a campus-wide crisis situation may occur as a result of an event of great magnitude that affects a significant portion of the campus community.

A. Individual Crisis Intervention and Hospitalization 1. From the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday there will be a staff member on duty to meet with and assess clients who are experiencing a crisis.

2. Students coming to the Center for the first time may be scheduled for an initial consultation appointment or may be scheduled to meet with the backup counselor based on availability.

3. If any questions exist, administrative support staff will consult with an available counselor on duty for initial consultation or a backup counselor to determine the degree of immediate crisis.

4. The purpose for any crisis intervention is to determine the client’s current functioning, degree of distress, and ability to function independently. All students seen by a backup counselor will be provided with a GTCC Crisis Resource Card (APPENDIX E).

5. In cases where a client is determined to be suicidal or an imminent danger to harm others, the counselor will take steps to assure the safety of the client and others, including hospitalization and psychiatric evaluation of the client. Trainees and unlicensed staff will consult with one of the licensed clinicians regarding the appropriateness of hospitalization.

6. In the event of a client hospitalization during the Center’s operating hours, the counselor will seek consultation from any available senior staff member to corroborate and confirm the need for hospitalization.

7. Voluntary Hospitalization: The counselor will inform the client of the need for hospitalization and will attempt to solicit the client’s voluntary agreement and participation. a. If the client agrees to be admitted voluntarily to a hospital or psychiatric care facility, the counselor will contact the hospital or psychiatric care facility to facilitate the client’s referral for hospitalization. b. Assess whether student has health insurance to determine the most suitable facility for the student. i. If no insurance, Grady Hospital is the best option. Call the Triage Officer (404616-4762) on Grady’s psychiatric unit to inform the officer that your student is being transported for evaluation. The Triage Officer usually is one of the nurses on duty. You may also contact the attending psychiatrist (404-616-3330) on Grady’s psychiatric unit to inform her or him of your concerns and reasons for referring the student for voluntary or involuntary hospitalization. ii. If student has insurance contact facilities such as the ones below. The best facility will be selected based on the student’s issues and treatment needs (e.g.

AOD, Eating Disorder, Depression, etc.). 

Ridgeview (Access Center 770-434-4567) Community Liaison is Latoya Longshore, Outpatient Program Coordinator at 770-4344568, ext. 3217 or 770-243-0798. Secondary points of contact are Jamie Singletary cell 770-825-1087 or Chad Husted, 770-3399657.

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

Peachford Hospital ER (770-454-2302), Main Number (770-455-3200) 2151 Peachford Road Atlanta, Georgia 30338



River Woods (Contact 770-855-7748)



Summit Ridge Center for Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine (Gwinnett Medical Center) (678-442-5858).

c. Transportation to the referral facility may be arranged by contacting the client’s family GTPD, or by using a pre-arranged taxi service (APPENDIX F-“Taxi Cab Transportation”).

In cases where Ridgeview Institute is the referring facility, staff may also elect to use the ambulance service contracted by Ridgeview Institute for transport of Georgia Tech students (see “Referral and Transportation Procedures to Ridgeview Hospital,” APPENDIX F). d. A signed “Release of Information Form” will be obtained from the client as a follow-up consultation to the Office of the Dean of Students. e. Once obtained, the counselor will notify the Office of the Dean of Students of the hospitalization and provide the following information: i. Student’s name ii. GTID number iii. Nature of concern iv. Location of referral facility v. Other information as is pertinent to the situation To inform the Dean's Office of a student hospitalization, call the main office (894-6367) and speak to the Senior Administrative Professional or Administrative Professional I and ask if a Dean is available to talk (most likely it will be the Dean or Associate/Assistant Dean). If any one of the three are in the office, they will speak with you. If none of the three are available, you may provide basic information to the Senior Administrative Professional or Administrative Professional I (i.e., student's name, GTID #, and where the student is being transported). f.

The counselor will document the session and hospitalization in the client’s file. Copies of relevant forms (e.g., Release of Information Form) will be included in the client’s file.

8. Involuntary Hospitalization: If the client is not agreeable to voluntary hospital admission and it is deemed by the counselor that the client is an imminent threat to harm themselves or others or has been assessed as mentally ill requiring treatment, then the counselor may initiate a 1013 order for emergency admission and involuntary hospitalization. a. In the event that a 1013 order is considered, the counselor will consult with any available senior staff member to corroborate and confirm the need for hospitalization. b. The counselor will inform the client of the hospitalization order and will maintain constant observation of the client. c. The counselor or assisting counselor will contact GTPD for transportation to a referral facility. In cases where Ridgeview Institute is the referring facility, staff may also elect to use the ambulance service contracted by Ridgeview Institute for transport of Georgia

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d. e.

g.

h.

i.

Tech students (see “Referral and Transportation Procedures to Ridgeview Hospital,” APPENDIX F).

The counselor will contact the referral facility to inform them of the 1013 order and provide any information necessary to facilitate referral to the facility.

The counselor will complete and sign page 1 of “Form 1013-Emergency Evaluation Certificate and Report to Peace Officer” (APPENDIX E) prior to client transport to the referral facility.

The counselor will also prepare copies of any information (e.g., Crisis Intervention Report Form, copies of Initial Information Packet, copies of initial CCAPS or other assessments) necessary for referral.

The completed Emergency Evaluation Certificate along with the counselor’s contact information will be included in a packet and provided to GTPD or other transportation agent to give to the receiving referral facility.

The counselor will notify the Office of the Dean of Students that an involuntary hospitalization has been initiated and will provide the following information: i. Student’s name ii. GTID number iii. Nature of concern iv. Location of referral facility v. Other information as is pertinent to the situation To inform the Dean's Office of a student hospitalization, call the main office (894-6367) and speak to the Senior Administrative Professional or Administrative Professional I and ask if a Dean is available to talk (most likely it will be the Dean or Associate/Assistant Dean). If any one of the three are in the office, they will speak with you. If none of the three are available, you may provide basic information to the Senior Administrative Professional or Administrative Professional I (i.e., student's name, GTID #, and where the student is being transported).

j.

The completed Emergency Evaluation Certificate along will referral information will be included in a packet and provided to GTPD or other transportation agent to give to the receiving referral facility. k. The counselor will document the session and hospitalization in the client’s file. Copies of relevant forms (e.g., 1013 Form) will be included in the client’s file.

9. Assess whether student has health insurance to determine the hospital to which the student will be transported. a. If no insurance, Grady Hospital is the best option. Call the Triage Officer (404-616-4762) on Grady’s psychiatric unit to inform the officer that your student is being transported for evaluation. The Triage Officer usually is one of the nurses on duty. You may also contact the attending psychiatrist (404-616-3330) on Grady’s psychiatric unit to inform her or him of your concerns and reasons for referring the student for voluntary or involuntary hospitalization. b. If student has insurance contact facilities such as the ones below. The best facility will be selected based on the student’s issues and treatment needs (e.g. AOD, Eating Disorder, Depression, etc). o Ridgeview (Access Center 770-434-4567) Community Liaison is Latoya Longshore, Outpatient Program Coordinator at 770-434-4568, ext. 3217 or 770-

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243-0798. Secondary points of contact are Jamie Singletary cell 770-825-1087 or Chad Husted, 770-339-9657 o

Peachford Hospital ER (770-454-2302), Main Number (770-455-3200) 2151 Peachford Road Atlanta, Georgia 30338

o

River Woods (Contact 770-855-7748)

o

Summit Ridge Center for Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine (Gwinnett Medical Center) (678-442-5858).

10. Provide student’s demographic information to the hospital over the phone and determine if inpatient beds are available and inform the facility that a student will be transported for an evaluation. The hospital will request insurance information, so be sure to have the student’s insurance card or information available when calling the hospital. Whether voluntary or involuntary, leave your name and telephone number with the hospital personnel and request a follow-up phone call to receive results of the evaluation.

11. In cases where GTPD is contacted to transport a client, the counselor (or assisting counselor or administrative staff) will contact the Georgia Tech police at 404-894-2500 to request transportation to the hospital. The person calling should inform the police of the name and location of the hospital. The police may ask if a female officer is recommended, especially if the student being transported identifies as female.

12. Upon arrival, GTPD will be directed by the administrative staff to wait in an available conference room. When ready, the counselor (or assisting counselor or administrative staff) will inform GTPD that the student is ready for transport. GTPD will be asked to escort the student out of the backdoor exit for privacy and consideration of other counselors and clients.

B. Students Returning to Campus after Hospitalization Students returning to campus are to meet with the Dean of Students office and the Counseling Center for an assessment to determine if the student is suitably ready to re-enter as a student.

1. The Dean will meet with the student and then refer the student to the Counseling Center to meet with the backup counselor for an assessment.

2. Questions to cover in clinical interview: a. Is student capable of continuing academic pursuits? b. Does student wish to withdraw from the semester? c. What level of support does the student have? d. What is the treatment plan for student after discharge? e. Has the appropriate paperwork from the hospital been released to the Counseling Center?

3. Obtain a signed Release of Information form from the student in order to consult with the Dean’s office.

4. Meet with the Dean to discuss recommendations and make arrangements for appropriate follow-up as needed.

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C. Student Death 1. In the event of a suicide by an active client (i.e., a client currently engaged in Center services), the counselor of record will inform the Director or designee. If the counselor of record is a trainee, the trainee will report the suicide incident to his/her immediate supervisor.

2. In the absence of the Director, the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director will serve as the designee. In the absence of the Clinical Services Director, the Associate Director/Training Director will serve as the designee. The Director should be notified of the suicide as soon as possible by the designee.

3. The Director or designee will inform the VP for Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, and the Psychiatry Clinic that a student suicide has been reported to the Center. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will inform the Dean of Students of any planned campus outreach or consultation. The Director or designee will be responsible for coordinating relevant information to the VP for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students.

4. Within 2 weeks, the Director will conduct a case review of the client with all senior staff, trainees, and psychiatry staff. The purpose of the case review will be: a. to determine the circumstances around the client’s suicide; b. to attempt to ascertain any motivating factors that may have contributed to the suicide; c. to assess and evaluate the adequacy of counseling services provided to the client.

5. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will be responsible for initiating contact with relevant individuals, campus groups and departments to offer outreach and consultation services. Information regarding planned and provided outreach and consultation services will be provided to the Director or designee. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will coordinate any necessary follow-up services to the campus community.

6. In the event that the Center is informed of a non-client student death, the Director (or designee) will report the information to the VP for Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, and the Psychiatry Clinic. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will be responsible for initiating contact with relevant individuals, campus groups, and departments to offer outreach and consultation services. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will provide information to the Director or designee regarding outreach and consultation services that have been planned or have been provided. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will coordinate any necessary follow-up services to the campus community.

D. Violent/Uncontrollable Clients 1. In the event that a client’s behavior becomes uncontrollable, threatening or violent, staff should first consider whether it is safe to leave the office.

2. If staff deems it best to remain in the office and help is required, staff should use the alarm receiver in their office to notify the front desk.

3. If staff are unable to use the alarm, then staff will call the front desk and state the following: “Please let Dr. Green know that I will be late for my meeting.”

The key word, “Dr. Green” is an alert that help is needed.

4. Upon notification by alarm or call, the front desk staff will immediately contact the Director (or designee). The Director will then call the staff office to ask a series of “Yes-No” questions to ascertain the situation and the type of assistance that may be needed. Questions may include: a. “Is there an immediate danger to the client?”

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b. c. d. e.

“Is there an immediate danger to you?” If “yes”, ask “Does the client have a weapon?”

“Do you want me to come in?”

“Is there a need for a 1013?”

“Should I contact GTPD?”

5. The Director makes cure that the necessary calls and contacts are made, assists with necessary forms, and remains available until the crisis has passed.

E. Campus Crisis Response In the event of a significant crisis event that impacts the campus, the Counseling Center may be requested to provide crisis response services.

1. The Director shall serve as the point of contact in the event that crisis response services are requested. In the absence of the Director, the Associate Director/Clinical Services Director will serve as the designee. In the absence of the Clinical Services Director, the Associate Director/Training Director will serve as the designee.

2. The Director shall inform the Associate Directors and the Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator of the crisis situation and the request for response services.

3. The Director and Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator shall appoint available staff to respond to the crisis situation as needed. In the event that there are no available staff, staff may be requested to cancel their scheduled appointments in order to respond to the crisis.

4. The Associate Directors shall be responsible for coordinating backup coverage with remaining staff to respond to students seeking services related to the crisis.

5. The Director and Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will be responsible for meeting with the Crisis Response Team to coordinate response services to the campus. The Director will inform the VP for Student Affairs, and the Dean of Students of any planned campus outreach or consultation.

6. The Suicide Prevention/Crisis Response Coordinator will coordinate any necessary follow-up services to the campus community.

F. Students of Concern Committee The Counseling Center is represented by the director (or designee) on the Students of Concern Committee, sponsored by the office of the Dean of Students. The role of the Counseling Center on the Students of Concern Committee is to provide general consultation and guidance to the Committee in addressing student situations. In the event where a student presents an imminent danger to themselves or others, information will be provided by the Counseling Center to the Committee that is pertinent to the situation. Students who are not deemed to be an imminent danger and who are current clients of the Center may be requested to complete a Release of Information form in order to inform the student of the Committee’s concern and to be able to report back any pertinent information to the committee that is helpful in addressing the concern.

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Section VIII: Psychological Records The Counseling Center maintains psychological records for all clients seeking services and is the keeper and owner of all client psychological records. Records are maintained electronically and in paper format (when required). The Counseling Center seeks to maintain the confidentiality and security of its client records.

A. Contents 1. Each client will have a permanent record of services rendered to them at the Counseling Center.

The official permanent record will consist of a paper file and electronic records. The contents of the paper file includes: a. Completed Initial Information Form b. Completed CCAPS and other assessment results c. Signed Authorization for Services Form d. Completed Initial Consultation Form (or Crisis Intervention Form) e. Signed Release of Information Forms f. Completed Testing Report Forms (e.g., Substance Abuse Testing) g. Referral information provided (as indicated) h. Completed Termination Summary Form 2. The contents of the electronic records includes: a. Case Management Notes (including correspondence to and from client) b. Session Notes c. Follow-up Consultation Notes d. Completed Testing Report Forms (e.g., Substance Abuse Testing) e. Completed Termination Summary Form 3. Video or audio recordings of client sessions are regarded as client records for the purpose of supervision and training. These recordings are erased or deleted as soon as their use for supervision or training is completed. Video or audio recordings are not regarded as part of the official permanent client record.

4. The complete client record is regarded as the contents of both the paper file and the electronic records. The complete client record is the property of the Counseling Center.

B. Security 1. Clients’ paper files will be kept in locked file cabinets in the file storage room or in the counselor’s desk. Clients’ files will be handled confidentially by all staff and trainees.

2. Clients’ paper files cannot be removed from the Counseling Center.

3. Copies may not be made of clients’ paper files unless for official purposes (e.g., referral).

4. Clients’ electronic records will be stored in the Counseling Center’s client management system (Titanium).

5. All staff are responsible for the security of their Titanium account.

6. Clients’ electronic records cannot be removed from the Counseling Center.

7. Copies of clients’ electronic records may not be made.

8. Any printouts of a client’s electronic records that contain confidential client information are regarded as confidential client records and maintained in the client’s paper file.

9. In the event that access to Titanium is unavailable during regular office hours, session notes or other client records may be temporarily composed using Microsoft Word and stored on a flash

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drive until such time that the record can be transferred to the client’s file in Titanium. The flash drive containing temporary client files must be secured in a locked cabinet or drawer in the counselor’s office and may not be removed from the Center. Once the temporary client files have been transferred to the client’s file in Titanium, the counselor will delete the temporary files.

C. Record Keeping 1. Drafts of Crisis Intervention (during or after hours) or Brief Contact notes for students seen on After Hours Coverage or Back Up are to be completed before the counselor leaves the office that same day. Notes should be signed before the end of the next scheduled work day.

2. Initial Consultation notes are to be completed within 7 days of seeing a student. If there are extenuating circumstances or highly busy times during the semester, communication with the Clinical Director should be initiated by counselor to discuss potential delays in completing the note.

3. Progress Notes (group and individual) are to be completed within 72 hours of the appointment.

During busy times of the year, notes are to be completed before the next session.

4. Termination notes should be completed as soon as possible but no later than 4 weeks after terminating with client. The center will have termination writing days at the end of each semester in December, August, and May to ensure release time for completing all termination notes by the end of the semester when client was last seen.

D. Records Maintenance 1. All paper and electronic psychological records will be kept for a period seven (7) years from the last contact with the client.

2. Clients previously seen at the Center returning for services will complete updated information forms and their previous paper file retrieved and merged into the client’s new file.

3. Disposal of records after seven (7) years will be in keeping with their confidential nature. All written documents will be shredded and all electronic records deleted after 7 years. All audio and video recordings will be deleted at the end of supervision purposes.

E. Electronic Records Effective, July 1, 2014, the Counseling Center maintains all client records via a paperless electronic record keeping format using Titanium. Client files and information will no longer be printed and stored in a paper version.

1. New students or returning students seeking services will complete the initial client information in Titanium. Front desk receptionist or other administrative support staff will process the completed initial client information through Titanium. The front desk receptionist or other administrative support staff will review CCAPS items and, if elevations occur, provide the file number to the backup counselor for review.

2. To designate and track new client numbers, use the Excel spreadsheet “new clients” to track client numbers. The front desk receptionist will be primarily responsible for maintaining the data on the spreadsheet and other administrative support staff will keep accurate notes of clients coming in and file numbers assigned.

3. Two file folders will be maintained in the file room for documents to be scanned (“inbox”) and documents to be shredded (“outbox”).

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4. Process for scanning a. Counseling Staff  

b.

For each document to be scanned, write the client’s file number and your name in the upper-right hand corner of the document.

Place document to be scanned in “inbox” scanning folder located in the file room under mail boxes. These documents will be locked in file cabinets nightly.

Administrative Support Staff The front desk receptionist and other administrative support staff will be responsible to scanning hard copies of forms or other documents into the client’s electronic file, attaching scanned documents into the client’s file in Titanium, and shredding original documents once scanning has been completed. The following process will be used: Scanning Process:  Documents to be scanned will be placed in the “inbox” scanning folder located in the file room under the mail boxes.  Scan documents to M: drive folder can be found as follows: o M:\Services\A- Administration of Clinical Services\Scanned Client Documents o Scanned documents will be saved in the appropriate folder location.

Folders will be created for each semester and labeled as follows: YearSemester (e.g., 2014-Spring). o Scanned documents will be saved using client file numbers only.

Attaching Scanned Documents in Titanium:  

Before scanning a document, write the date and your initials in the top-right corner (or below the counselor’s information).

Locate client file in Titanium and select the “Client” tab.

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

Select, “Client File”, then select, “New Note”, and select, “Yes” in the dialog box.



Select, “Type of Note” for the appropriate document type (e.g., CCAPS, Authorization for Information) and select, “Attach a file.”



Locate file to be attached from the appropriate folder in M:\Services\AAdministration of Clinical Services\Scanned Client Documents and enter an attachment description.



Provide the appropriate attachment title, including the client’s file number (e.g., Authorization for Information, #00-000). Select “Close” and select “Save” to attach the document to the client’s file.

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After Scanning:  Scanned documents will be placed in the “outbox” located in the file room under the mailboxes and will be kept for two weeks before shredding.  Original documents will be cross-checked by the administrative support staff and shredded every two weeks.

5. Paper files will be maintained for psychoeducational testing batteries only. The file numbers will be consistent will student file numbers in Titanium.

F. Client Requests for Records 1. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director will manage any requests for records.

2. Records may not be released without a written authorization from the client.

3. When a release of records request is received from a client or former client, the Clinical Services Director will consult with client (or former client) as to the nature and purpose of the request.

The Clinical Services Director will also consult with the counselor of record regarding the release of records. The response time to the request should not exceed thirty (30) days.

4. The Counseling Center will provide a copy of the Termination Summary of the client’s record. The complete record will not be released. Only a paper copy of the Termination Summary may be provided to the client with a “COPY” designation made on the Termination Summary. No electronic copies may be made or distributed.

G. Requests for Records from Healthcare Providers 1. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director will manage any requests for records.

2. Records may not be released without a written authorization from the client.

3. When a release of records request is received from a client or former client, the Clinical Services Director will consult with client (or former client) as to the nature and purpose of the request.

The Clinical Services Director will also consult with the counselor of record regarding the release of records. The response time to the request should not exceed thirty (30) days.

4. The Counseling Center will provide a paper copy of: a. the Initial Information Form b. the Initial Consultation Form c. the initial and final CCAPS d. other pertinent testing and assessment results e. the Termination Summary Only paper copies of the above documentation may be provided with a “COPY” designation made on each document. No electronic copies may be made or distributed.

H. Requests for Records from Legal Entities In the event that a counselor receives a request for release of client records, the request will be presented to the Director. The Director will consult with the counselor of record and the Clinical Services Director. The Director will present the request to the Office of Legal Affairs to begin consultation on the request. In some instances, the Director may inform the Vice President of Student Affairs regarding the request for records. The Center will comply with any subsequent advice and direction from the Office of Legal Affairs.

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Section IX: Providing Documentation for Clients The purpose of providing documentation for clients may occur for a number of reasons. Typically, clients may request documentation for the purposes of providing support for an academic petition (e.g., petition to withdraw from the Institute, to reduce an academic course load) or for purposes to document their attendance in counseling.

The Center does not automatically provide supportive documentation for petitions. It is necessary for a student to consult with a counselor in order for the counselor to determine whether circumstances warrant providing supporting documentation for a petition. As appropriate, counselors may make treatment recommendations (e.g., including possible counseling, or referral, or follow-up) to the student.

A. Academic Petitions 1. Students often submit petitions to the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (IUCC) requesting late withdrawals from one or more terms, or withdrawal from individual courses in a term, citing various mental health issues as the primary rationale. The IUCC recognizes that college is a challenging time and that some students may experience increased challenges and stress. The IUCC takes into careful consideration petitions from students who present adequate documentation by mental health professionals confirming the student’s stated mental health concerns.

2. Petitions with complete documentation supporting the diagnosis and demonstrating that the symptoms of the condition significantly reduced the student’s ability to perform academically will be more likely to be successful than petitions without this information. It is important to note that each student petition is evaluated on its own merits by the IUCC, and many factors such as the student’s academic history and the timeliness of the petition are included in the decision process.

3. When a client requests a letter to support their academic petition, the counselor is to assess the following areas, including, but not limited to: a. The degree to which the client’s psychological circumstances (including the validity and severity of the concern) have impacted academic performance. b. Contributing factors regarding the client’s academic performance leading to an academic petition (e.g., class attendance, study habits, time management).

4. If the counselor determines that a client’s academic performance has been significantly impacted by their psychological circumstance, a letter documenting this may be written.

5. It is the student's responsibility to obtain petition forms, other corroborating evidence (e.g., instructor's letter, death certificate, etc.). In petitioning, the student is attempting to "build a case" with regard to their academic petition. This letter is only one of many possible pieces of evidence.

6. There may be instances in which a student may attempt to drop classes from their academic record based on a previous psychological condition. Unless the student has previously been seen at the counseling Center as a client, retrospective assessments of psychological functioning are not possible. Letters may comment on current functioning only. In some circumstances, there may be evidence of a delayed reaction due to a past event (e.g., delayed grief, PTSD). In these cases, comments should focus on current functioning based on the counselor’s assessment of the degree to which the past event significantly impacts the student’s academic progress.

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7. Counselors may comment on the relevant psychological aspects of a client's case as it impacts the client’s academic progress. However, counselors do not, under any circumstances, make a recommendation for a specific plan of action such as a grade change or accommodation.

8. Information in the letter should include: a. Client’s full name and GTID# b. Statement of purpose c. Documentation of time period involved in counseling (earliest to most recent) d. Summary of presenting concern(s) and clinical impressions e. Supporting assessment (e.g., CCAPS) and examples of how client’s psychological concern was manifested f. Degree of impact of psychological concern on client’s spheres of functioning (e.g., academic, social, personal) g. Other pertinent information that may be helpful to the client (e.g., continuing in counseling, referral for counseling) h. Recommended or supported action 9. A signed written release is required before any letters or information can be provided. Any letter written by a trainee must also be signed by the trainee's supervisor.

10. In the event that a request is received and the counselor of record is no longer at the Center, the Director for Clinical Services will provide the appropriate documentation.

11. A copy of all letters will be provided and placed in the client’s file.

B. Documentation for Counseling Attendance 1. There may be instances in which a client may request a letter documenting their attendance in counseling. In these cases, the counselor may supply a letter confirming the client’s attendance in counseling. Information in the letter should be limited to: a. Client’s full name and GTID# b. Statement of purpose c. Documentation of time period involved in counseling 2. A signed written release is required before any letters or information can be provided. Any letter written by a trainee must also be signed by the trainee's supervisor.

3. In the event that a request is received and the counselor of record is no longer at the Center, the Director for Clinical Services will provide the appropriate documentation.

4. A completed Release of Information Form is required before the letter is provided to the client.

A copy of all letters will be provided and placed in the client’s file.

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Section X: Training The Counseling Center serves as a training site for graduate practicum students and pre-doctoral interns.

The practicum training program offers supervised training experiences in providing direct psychological services to students and the campus community. The pre-doctoral internship training program is the capstone training experience for doctoral students in applied psychology. The internship training program offers training to those who are interested in gaining additional experience in working in a counseling center setting. The Counseling Center is a member of the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies (ACCTA) and the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Training Centers (APPIC).

The internship program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

A. Practicum Training Program 1. Practicum students are expected to adhere to professional and ethical standards of practice in all aspects of their activity at the Counseling Center.

2. The Practicum Coordinator is responsible for developing and updating a practicum handbook that provides the expectations for practicum students in their training at the Center. Practicum students are expected to comply with the training requirements as outlined in the Practicum Handbook.

3. Practicum students are expected to comply with all policies and procedures of the Counseling Center.

B. Internship Training Program 1. Interns are expected to adhere to professional and ethical standards of practice in all aspects of their activity at the Counseling Center.

2. The Training Director is responsible for developing and updating an internship handbook that provides the expectations for interns in their training at the Center. Interns are expected to comply with the training requirements as outlined in the Intern Handbook.

3. Interns are expected to comply with all policies and procedures of the Counseling Center.

C. Recording Sessions All training offices are equipped with web-based cameras and the recordings are stored on a secure server that is accessible from the computers within the counseling center only. The recordings are treated with the same level of confidential protection as any information within files of the counseling center. Each intern and practicum student is provided a computer folder on a shared network drive (N: drive) to store their individual recordings. At the end of each semester, recordings are routinely deleted, and they may be deleted earlier if there is need for additional memory on the drive.

There may be occasions when students in training at the center are required to present their clinical material at their home institution in the form of audio or video recordings. Whenever any recorded material is removed from the center, efforts must be made to ensure the privacy of confidential information. Any recordings that are temporarily taken out of the center must contain no identifying information. The following procedures are required whenever audio and video recordings are removed: 1. Trainees are expected to regularly record their sessions with clients for the purposes of supervision. Recordings may be in audio or video format.

2. Trainees must obtain permission from his/ her supervisor to remove an audio or video recording from the Center.

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3. In the case of audio recordings, trainees must ensure that there is no identifying information on the recording or within the session that is recorded.

4. In the case of video recordings, the recording must be encrypted and password-protected onto a flash drive so that the information is inaccessible should the flash drive be misplaced or stolen.

This can be done by using “Bitlocker Drive To Go” which is available on the trainees’ computer.

5. Recordings should be returned to the center at the earliest possible time, preferably when the practicum student or intern returns to the Center for their next regular work day.

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Section XI: Administrative Professional Staff Office Operations The purpose of this section is to outline the policies and practices of the administrative professional staff in providing services in the Center. It is important to create and provide a supportive environment for students who are seeking services and to make every visit a positive one. The process of counseling begins by making each client feel welcomed. The role of administrative professional staff is very important one and the senior staff depends upon the administrative professional staff to begin the helping process. A professional and courteous greeting emphasizes that the Counseling Center is a welcoming and safe place for students to ask for help.

A. Confidentiality 1. All administrative professional staff are to maintain the confidentiality of clients at all times.

Any breach of client confidentiality is a basis for dismissal.

2. Do not call their names loudly in the reception area. Get their attention or walk over to them and ask them to come to the desk if you need to talk with them.

3. Maintaining appropriate and professional boundaries and behavior with students is important in maintaining their confidentiality and safety. Avoid lengthy conversations with clients as they come to the Center and maintain professionalism at all times.

4. Use every effort to talk in a low voice if you say their name as they stand at your desk or when you are on the phone.

5. Do not leave notes or schedules visible that have clients’ names on them.

6. Do not allow students to stand where they can see the computer screen as you are looking for appointments on the schedule.

7. Shred all papers with clients’ names on them rather than putting them in the trash.

8. When sending an e-mail message, or leaving a voicemail message, do not identify as the Counseling Center. Leave phone numbers and names for them to contact you.

9. The reception desk phone has caller ID block so be sure to utilize this feature when making calls to clients.

10. Administrative professional staff do not peruse client notes or other psychological records.

11. All administrative professional staff adhere to the Center’s policies and guidelines regarding confidentiality as outlined in this manual.

B. Requests For Client Information 1. At no time are administrative professional staff to disclose any client information to anyone, including, but not limited to: a. Parents b. Faculty members c. Students d. Staff members e. Administrators f. Outside agencies 2. Administrative professional staff may not indicate as to whether a student has or has not been seen or is currently being seen at the Center. An appropriate response to these requests would be, “I am unable to give you that information” or “It is the policy of the center to not reveal who may or may not be a client. I cannot change this policy.”

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3. If there is still pressure for you to disclose information, an appropriate next response would be, “I will be happy to have you speak with our Director (or Associate Director) in order to assist you.” Inform the Director (or Associate Director) of the situation and forward the request.

C. Opening/Closing Procedures 1. The administrative professional staff will be responsible for opening the Center for official business at 8:00 a.m., Monday – Friday. The Secretary/Receptionist has primary responsibility for opening the Center with other administrative professional staff serving as backup. Included in opening the Center are: a. Turning on lights to reception area, meeting rooms, testing room, and mail room; b. Opening the file room and unlocking file cabinets c. Unlocking doors to practicum offices d. Turning on music in reception area e. Checking copier paper for adequacy f. Checking and forwarding messages left on the voicemail system g. Checking the fax machine for received faxes and distributing to appropriate staff 2. The administrative professional staff will be responsible for closing the Center at 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday (7:00 p.m. on Thursday evenings or at the discretion of the Director). The Secretary/Receptionist has primary responsibility for opening the Center with other administrative professional staff serving as backup. Included in closing the Center are: a. Turning off lights to reception area, meeting rooms, testing room, and mail room b. Closing and locking the file room and file cabinets c. Locking doors to practicum offices d. Turning off music in reception area e. Forwarding office phone to voicemail mode 3. Any staff member who remains in the Center after closing will be responsible for assuring that any remaining lights are turned off and that doors to their office and the Center are locked.

4. All trainees must finish their client sessions by closing time each day. Trainees may stay after hours for activities such as case management, but may not see clients or provide supervision after hours.

D. Greeting Visitors 1. Until students have encountered someone else in the center, the administrative professional staff are their first contact. Their impression of whether or not this is a friendly place where they can feel comfortable begins with each administrative staff member.

2. When students call or come to the Center, they may not always be socially adept and may be apprehensive about asking for help. It is important not to view inappropriate behavior as a personal attack. Instead, it is important to maintain a professional composure and make every effort to understand their concerns, to welcome the student and to help them feel comfortable at the Center.

3. Faculty, staff, or other visitors may come to the Center. Greet them pleasantly and ask if you may help them. Because of confidentiality, at no are visitors allowed to go back into the office areas by themselves. Instead: a. Ask them whom they have come to see and if they have an appointment b. Ask them to have a seat and inform them that you will notify the counselor that they are here.

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c. Sometimes, a person may insist on meeting with a counselor and may insist on walking directly to the counselor’s office. In these cases, it is the responsibility of the administrative professional staff to ask them pleasantly, but firmly, to remain in the waiting area while you notify the counselor of their presence.

E. Answering the Phone Calls to the center are for many reasons (e.g., to schedule an appointment, to change or confirm an appointment, etc.). Other calls may be for counselors or calls from those who have been mistakenly referred to the Center. Handle different types of calls differently. Administrative professional staff are to follow the following general telephone techniques: 1. Answer the phone before the third ring.

2. Please say, “Good Morning (or other time of the day), Georgia Tech Counseling Center, How may I help you?” This requires approximately 2-3 seconds and is an important means of making callers feel attended to. Answer the phone with a smile in your voice because this translates over the phone line to the caller.

3. If you cannot answer the phone before the third ring, the back-up secretary should pick up.

4. If a third line rings before either of the first two is completed, answer, tell them you have two lines holding, and ask if the caller would like to wait a few minutes or call back later.

5. If they say wait, tell them you will get back to them as soon as you can. Do not keep callers waiting more than a minute without getting back to them, even if you have to let them know that you are still very busy at the moment and ask if they would like to continue to hold. Giving them a choice usually makes callers feel better about waiting.

6. If they say they cannot wait, ask them if it is an emergency. If it is, then it needs to be addressed immediately. Emergency calls should be forwarded to the counselor on backup-duty.

7. Appointments: Most students calling the Center may not be familiar with our Center and about counseling specifically. You can help them become better informed by how you handle this interaction. You need to have some information about them before you can proceed. Ask them following question: “Is this an emergency for which you need immediate help?” If yes, encourage client to come in at the earliest opportunity.

8. Emergency Appointments: Students with emergencies must still complete an ICP (Initial Consultation Packet). The Counselor on duty will evaluate the packet to determine if the student needs to be seen immediately or if she/he can be scheduled for a regular initial consultation. If after evaluating the client and a regular initial consultation is still needed, the counselor will bring the client and his or her folder to the front desk so that the secretary can schedule the first available appointment for the client, with the first available counselor who has an available initial consultation time available. The client will then be given an appointment card with the date, time and counselor’s name on it. The appointment is then added onto the counselor’s schedule in Titanium. The folder is then placed in the counselor’s client file box in the file room.

9. Regular Appointments: Students who had never been to the Center must come in and complete an Initial Consultation Packet (ICP) and an appointment will be scheduled at that time. Students who have been seen within the last six months, who have had a lapse in service, are also required to complete an ICP before scheduling for an appointment.

F. Scheduling an Appointment and Entering Client Information 1. Once the client has come in to schedule an initial consultation appointment, they will need to complete Authorization for Services form (APPENDIX E) and give them the “Orientation to the Initial Consultation Meeting” form.

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2. The student will then complete the rest of the ICP on the computer designated in the testing room. If the spouse of a client does not have a GTID #, the person will complete the paper form of the ICP. Information will then be entered manually into Titanium.

3. After completion of the ICP on the computer, go to Titanium>>OPEN>>Click on client’s name>>>Approve Incoming Data>>>Incoming Data, then click to print the client’s info.

4. Go to the name of the client to be processed, select their name with a check mark and then click on>>>Process Selected.

5. Exit that screen and begin making the appointment as follows: a. Click on the “Find Open” tab in Titanium b. Make sure that under “Counselors to search for:“, “Group“ is selected and “All Active Counselors“ appears in the drop box. c. Make sure that under “Appointment Types to search for:“, “Single“ is selected and “Screening: Initial“ appears in the drop box. d. Make sure that “Start date“ is set to today’s date, “Days to Search“ is at least 14, and “Length of Opening“ is set to 60. e. Save this search as the default search by clicking on the “Save as Default Search“ (found next to “Cancel“ on the far right of the box), so as not to be required to make these changes each time you are searching for an open appointment. f. Click “Search” g. Use client’s schedule to select best time for an appointment. h. Double click on the appointment and you’ll be taken to that appointment date and time on the Titanium schedule. Also, the Counselor’s name will appear in the upper left corner. i. Complete the back of the Counselor’s appointment card with date and time information and give to client. Inform the client that when they come in for their appointment, they are to ask for the counselor whom they’ve come to see. j. There should be a black rectangle around the time slot chosen. Drag the mouse there and right click on it. k. Scroll the mouse down to Add and click Appointment Based on Placeholder. l. Click on the Student ID field and enter the student’s 9-digit ID number and press ENTER on the keyboard. m. If the client already has a file, their name will appear at the top center of the box. Click OK and follow the instructions below. n. In the Description field, enter if it will be a couples counseling appointment. No need to enter any info in the description field if it is a single appointment. o. Click Save and then click Exit at the top left. p. Right click on the appointment q. Scroll down to and click Edit Client to update the client’s information based on the information provided on the ICP/Client Update Form (if it was the paper form that was filled out).

Note: There are two screens containing clients’ information: Contact Information and Demographics. Please enter as much information as is provided! Also, the reason for student’s visit and the emergency contact information are important pieces of information and should be entered in the Notes field. r. Once you’ve finished entering the information, click Save at the top left of the box and then click Exit. If the client does NOT already have a file, when you press ENTER on the keyboard, the cursor will move to the File Number field.

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s. Pull a new file folder for client paper-work Note: New File Folders are located in the bottom left draw of the front desk. Use the next available folder to create hard file (Folders are numerically coded and in sequential order). t. Continue to enter all the information in the appropriate fields and click New Client. A pop-up box will appear asking if you’re sure you want to add a new client with this information, and after reviewing the information you entered, you should click Yes. u. At this time, the client information box will appear and you are to enter the information as described above, using the information provided by the student. v. Once you’ve finished entering the information, click Save at the top left of the box. w. This will prompt another box to pop up. In the Description field, enter the client’s type of appointment, i.e., couples or initial appointment. x. Click Save and then click Exit at the top left.

6. Verify eligibility for services using Banner (see Section VI.B). If student is currently enrolled, indicate the status as follows on the upper right hand corner of the front page of the initial paperwork: E

= Eligible for services

NE

= Not eligible for services

7. At the top right corner of the first page of the ICP (which is the Authorization for Services form), write the file number and initial.

8. Write-up a Post-it for the file as follows: (Folder #, Intake, Counselor Name, Date & Time of Appointment, Your initials) 9. Place a Post-It note on outside front cover of folder 10. Click Home at the top of the Titanium page to return to the “All Counselor” view and today’s date.

11. Make a name label for the folder with Last Name, First Name and the date of the paperwork (e.g., Smith, John 12/12/2012) G. Guidelines for Administrative Professional Staff in Seeking Consultation with Backup Counselor 1. Check the 4 critical items for all CCAPS (#s 12, 46, 52, and 60) prior to student leaving the Counseling Center and prior to scheduling an Initial Consultation appointment. If any of the critical items have a value of “1” or greater, consult with the backup counselor.

2. In addition, check the following questions: a. “Thoughts of harming another person?” b. “Have you had thoughts of ending your life within the past month?” c. If either of these have the answer “Yes, and I am thinking about doing it.” Consult with the backup counselor.

3. In a situation where a student may be visibly upset or is too upset to complete paperwork, consult with the backup counselor.

4. Students may be accompanied to the Center by faculty or staff indicating that the student is in crisis. If the referring faculty or staff request to speak with the backup counselor please inform the counselor.

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5. Consultation with the backup counselor is also indicated in situations where a student is accompanied to the Center by a Dean with a completed referral form indicating a “4” or “5” level of concern.

H. Testing and Assessment The Administrative Clerk has primary responsibility for scheduling and administering tests and assessments to Center clients. Other administrative professional staff will serve as a backup.

1. All counselors must complete and submit a Testing Request Form to the administrative clerk or backup administrative staff for all tests.

2. The testing room will be prepared at the beginning of each day by the administrative clerk or backup staff: a. Accessing the Testing Computer  All passwords are listed in the Testing Manual, and are set to expire every 6-8 weeks. If you have trouble accessing the system using the current password, try the next one on the list.  If a password is expired draw a line through it and use the next one on the list.  Login (Username - ccadmin ; Password - cc-2575) b. Accessing the LAWN Wireless Network  LAWN ACCESS screen will appear asking you to log into the wireless network.  Use your GT ID user name (login), and your GT ID password (password).

3. The following outlines the principles that guide staff in administering and scoring psychological tests: a. Environment: i. Testing should be conducted in an environment as free from auditory, visual, and other sensory distractions as possible. ii. The testing room should be kept quiet at all times iii. Testing areas should be kept neat and free from any other materials iv. Students are not allowed to bring any materials that can be used for writing and reading. They should leave their books, bags, etc. with test administrator.

Writing down anything from a test is illegal. v. The area should be at comfortable temperature. vi. The environment should be conducive to the task: neat, clean, and organized.

All extraneous materials should be put away, so the environment does not stimulate any particular type of reaction from the test taker. vii. Neutrality: Materials and interactions with the test taker should not evoke strong emotions or opinions. There should not be any materials, message, or information in the testing area that would stimulate the test taker’s emotions or thinking. b. Professionalism: i. The test administrator should present themselves in a professional manner in terms of appearance, speech, and interaction. ii. The test administrator’s attitude should be focused, task-oriented, yet conveying a kind, respectful demeanor. Administrator should be viewed as an authority figure, yet with friendly demeanor. iii. Test instructions should be spoken slowly, clearly, and concisely, without adding additional discourse. Friendly chatter with the test taker should not be

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conducted. Rather, just friendly enough to have the test taker at ease and focused on the task. iv. The test administrator must always ask if the test taker understands the directions for taking the test and is informed where they can go if they need to ask questions. Test takers should be informed where they will find the bathroom and water fountain.  Inform test takers where the test administrator can be found during the test.  Test administrators should never convey any type of judgment about the test taker or about their performance. They are advised that the counselor will review the results with them.  Test takers are NEVER allowed to be exposed to test results.  Test takers are not brought into the testing room until the test is prepared for their responses. For computer tests, the administrator enters all data. For paper and pencil tests, the administrator makes sure the test taker fills out demographic information correctly and completely.  Tell test takers that their counselor will meet with them to review results. Normalize any worries and concerns that they may have, telling that we all feel that way to some degree after a test. Also normalize the frustrating or other negative aspects of a test format (e.g., the MMPI-2). c. Consistency and Validity: i. The testing instructions and conditions should remain the same for all test takers and for all test administrations. ii. The test takers should be informed that the test must be completed during one time period. They are allowed to get a drink or use the bathroom, but not allowed to stop the test midway and then come back at another time period to complete the test. d. Accuracy: i. Computer tests are scored according to the program’s instructions.

Administrators are careful to make sure the test administration is scored and provides the type of output that the counselor has requested. ii. Paper and pencil tests are scored once and then later scanned over to be reviewed to identify any scoring errors. iii. All types of tests are reviewed to be sure that the test taker is scored according to their gender. Many tests have different scorings and results sheets for each gender. iv. Test results are provided back to counselors no later than two business days after the test is completed.

3. All tests are monitored as unobtrusively as possible, at least every 20 – 30 minutes. Note any unusual behaviors. Respond to questions if they notice you there. If inappropriate behaviors are observed, note, and then ask the test taker to stop taking the test—this administration would not be considered valid. Judgment is used to determine if they can restart the test or if their behavior would invalidate future administrations.

4. To prepare computers for testing and test scoring:

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a. Strong Interest Inventory  Click on CPP Onscreen Icon  Select the Strong tab  Choose "New" and complete student information, using GT ID# as ID#  Once completed you will be taken to the “Introduction” panel.  Student may begin testing after reading the instructions.  Note: Strong Tests are 30 - 60 minutes long. Students MUST complete tests on the assigned date and time once they have started, however a student can take a short restroom or water break. b. Scoring a Strong Interest Inventory  Click the CPPSOFT Icon  Enter Password: CPPSOFT  Highlight test that needs to be scored  Click “Assessment”  Click "Begin Scanning"  Click "OK"  "Check" at the top of the page  Click on "Batches"  Highlight “client’s name and date of test”  Click “Done”  Go to “Reports” at the top of the screen  Click yes on grayed box  Click "Batches" then “Date of test”  Find name/date and double click  Select "Profile” or “Interpretive" on right hand side of screen (The assessment record will indicate if the test format is Interpretive or Profile).  Profile (preprinted paper only) Place preprinted paper pages 1-6 face down with page 1 on top and the headings facing you.  Interpretive, load tray with plain printing paper  Click “Generate Reports” on bottom of screen  Click "OK" c. MBTI      

Click on the “Meyers V5” icon.

Click the MBTI Version M Select “New” and complete student information, using SS# as ID# Once completed you will be taken to the “Introduction” panel.

Student may begin the testing after reading the instructions.

Note: MBTI Tests are 45 – 70 minutes. Students MUST complete tests on the assigned date and time once they have started, however a student can take a short restroom or water break.

d. Scoring MBTI  Select the CPPSOFT Icon  Enter Password – CPPSOFT

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               

Highlight test that needs to be scored Click “Assessment” Click “Begin Scanning” Click “OK” “Check” at the top of the page Click on “Batches” Highlight ”clients name and date of test ” Click “Done” Go to “Reports” at the top of the screen Click “Yes” Go to “Batches and click date of test(s)” Double click “Name & Date” Select “Profile or Interpretive” on the right hand side of screen (The assessment record will indicate if the test format is Interpretive or Profile).

Loaded printer tray with plain printing paper (NEVER use preprinted for MBTI) Click “Plain paper” to the right.

Click “Generate Reports” to start printing

e. Scoring Combined Tests (Strong & MBTI Combined)  Follow steps 1-15 for scoring the Strong  Follow 1-15 for scoring the MBTI  After you have scored the test individually go back to the scoring page and click combined reports.  Select name and date using pull down arrow  Highlight name, click STRONG  Highlight name again, click MBTI  The “Combined” screen should appear  Select the Career box  Highlight name  Click combined  Click generate reports to start printing f.

Instructions for Administration/Scoring MMPI-2, MCMI-III, & SCL-R-90: Before administering the test, note these points and communicate them to the student taking the test:  The student should be observed when they go over practice items and make sure they understand the format for responding. They should be advised to answer every question. If they need to take a break for a drink or the rest room, that’s fine. Tell them that they should inform the test administrator that they’re leaving for just a minute so he or she doesn’t turn the computer off or let someone else on. They cannot stop the test for any extended time period and then continue it later.  Give them an approximation of the time period. They should allot two hours for the MMPI-2, at least one hour for the MCMI, and 40 minutes for the SCL-

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

 

90-R. The test may take them less time to complete, but they certainly should never rush.

They should be told that sometimes they might find it difficult to decide on how to respond to an item. They should use the criteria of what describes you best most of the time. If you really can’t answer one, that’s OK, but they cannot skip more than a few. Otherwise, the test will be invalid and not interpretable.

They should be told to be careful to read each item carefully, even if it seems to be identical to a previous item.

Tell them that if they do skip an item and want to go back, then they should not answer the very last item on the test until they’re ready to complete the test. The number at the top of the screen will tell you how far along you are.

Once they answer that last item, it is very difficult to go back and answer the item skipped.

Administration Instructions: Client should not be seated in testing room/cubicle until demographics are entered because other names are visible from 1st page.   

       

Open “Q” Icon (says MMPI-2 under it) Select Online Entry Be sure to select the specific form of the test and report that you wanting. Be sure it is the type that you want regarding the length of the interpretation— the MMPI and MCMI have various formats of reports and each has a different cost. Hit OK Fill in appropriate demographic information.

Have client complete test; when s/he tells you s/he is done, then have them leave before test is scored and tell them that their results will only be provided by a counselor.

After completed, hit CTRL E Password is “ZZZ” (with shift key pressed) Confirm (highlight) the test to be scored on the list–should be already highlighted.

Save as complete (if appropriate) or incomplete.

On client list, highlight the name/test to be scored, click “report” on taskbar, click print (follow printer directions) To get back into incomplete test:  1. Highlight name as above  Go to Data Entry  Select “resume on-line”

g. Independent Study Scheduling and Testing Procedures Phone and Walk-in Scheduling  Schedule all Independent Study test appointments on Titanium, Testing Room 265.  Advise potential test takers that a photo ID is required and exact amount of $35.00, (to be paid my check or money order only)  Tests are a maximum of 3hrs long and are scheduled as follows:

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8am-11am 9am-12pm 2pm-5pm.

No tests should be scheduled for after 3:00 p.m.

Cost: The price for taking an Independent Study test is $35.00 for the entire 3 hour test period. All tests should be paid for a check or money order (no cash will be accepted).

Testing Process:  Request a photo ID and compare it to name on test package  Open package and read instruction (advise tester of any special instructions)  Enter student’s name, test date and start time on Counseling Center payment receipt  Have student leave all bags, books etc. in a locker, behind the Administrative Clerk’s desk  Escort the student to testing room 265 (only testing material and pencils allowed)  Collect exact amount of money order or a check before test is completed 4. For all hand scored tests that are administered (e.g., BDI, EPPS, Values Scale, etc.), please mark off the test on the form (Assessment Sign Out Sheet) the specific test that is administered to help keep track of the number of tests being used.

I. Marketing and Promotional Materials 1. For all flyers or promotional materials, there is a 2-week turn-around process. Please make sure to submit your request as soon as possible to prevent any delay.

2. Requests for copies of handouts, documents, or other material requires a 3-day advance notice.

Exceptions may be made according to each situation.

3. The Self Help Library has resources for both students and staff. Students wishing to check-out resources must request checkout at the Front Desk.

J. Other Duties Administrative professional staff are also responsible for the following office duties and may also be asked to perform other duties as assigned including, but not limited to:  Open and close front office at 8:00am and 5:00 pm (7:00 pm during evening hours), which includes opening up library door, testing room door, turning on/off computers, turning on/off copier, opening up/locking file room and file cabinets  Check voicemail for any messages left on answer machine from night/weekend before  Relaying all messages to counselors either via email or verbally (when possible)  Email clients for cancellations/rescheduling of appointments  Check mail delivery and distribute in counselors’ mailboxes appropriately  Receiving and signing for packages delivered by FedEx, UPS, etc.  Hand out and collect client satisfaction surveys during the year, give completed surveys to Clinical Director  Payroll back up and support, i.e. -- bi weekly time entry  Receiving testing payments and making of receipts (assist in delivery of deposits to Bursar’s office on occasion)

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     

Email on-call lists for each semester to DOS, Housing, and GTPD Filing of active and terminated client files appropriately Shredding of client files (during summer break) Placing of maintenance requests to the building manager Assisting counselors with projects (as needed) Serving as a member of a Center or Division committee.

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Section XII: Assessment and Evaluation The Counseling Center routinely engages in assessment and evaluation of its services and staff to assure high quality service and functioning of its staff. The purpose of the assessment and evaluation process is to enhance staff performance, enhance Center effectiveness, and to maintain professional standards.

A. Staff Assessment and Evaluation 1. All senior staff completes a Time Allocation Form (APPENDIX D) for the Fall and Spring semesters to designate time spent in various areas of job responsibility. Staff members may meet initially (or periodically as needed) with the Director review their time allocation for each semester.

2. Senior staff members’ performance on their time allocation for the year will be included as a factor for consideration during the annual evaluation.

3. All staff undergoes an annual performance evaluation. Annual evaluations are conducted by the director with each staff member. The Director will schedule an individual meeting with all staff to review their annual performance evaluation.

4. Staff will be provided with an opportunity to provide written comments prior to finalizing the evaluation.

B. Assessment and Evaluation of Trainees 1. Interns and practicum students will be evaluated regularly throughout the training year.

2. The process for evaluating interns and practicum students will be outlined in the training manual for interns and practicum students.

3. The Practicum Coordinator will oversee the evaluation process for practicum students and the Internship Training Director will oversee the evaluation process for interns. The Associate Director/Training Director will oversee the evaluation process for trainees and work with the Practicum Coordinator to revise and update the process as needed.

4. The Director will receive a copy of the assessment and evaluation results for all trainees.

C. Center Assessment and Evaluation 1. The Counseling Center will routinely evaluate all aspects of its services.

2. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director is responsible for the administration of the Client Satisfaction Survey (APPENDIX E) in the Fall and Spring semesters. Results will be collated and will be distributed to senior staff, trainees and their supervisors. The Director will receive all results for senior staff.

3. The Associate Director/Clinical Services Director is responsible for coordinating client pre-post data and forwarding a copy of the data to the Director.

4. The Associate Director/Training Director is responsible for coordinating the evaluation and assessment process for the training program in collaboration with the Practicum Coordinator.

5. The Coordinator for Outreach and Consultation is responsible for coordinating the administration of outreach program evaluations and aggregating the results. Results will be distributed to senior staff, trainees and their supervisors. The Director will receive a copy of all results.

D. Client Assessment by Session 1. Each client will be administered the CCAPS-34 (APPENDIX E) prior to each subsequent individual counseling session.

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2. The front desk receptionist (and other administrative staff as backup) will enter each client’s CCAPS-34 result in Titanium as a CCAPS record in the client’s file.

3. The original completed CCAPS-34 will be shredded once entered into Titanium.

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Section XIII: Computer and Internet Use and Security The Counseling Center’s computer and internet security policy is consistent with the Institute’s Computer and Network Usage and Security Policy (CNUSP) and is provided in APPENDIX H. Additional policies regarding the Counseling Center’s use of computers and the internet are outlined in this section.

A. Use 1. The use of the Counseling Center’s computers and internet is limited to staff and trainees of the Counseling Center. Student use of computers and the internet is limited to purposes of counseling services (e.g., completion of Initial Information Form).

2. Staff are limited to accounts to which they have been granted access. Access to computer or internet accounts other than one’s own is prohibited.

3. Authorized users have a responsibility to ensure the security and integrity of personally owned (or managed) systems.

4. Users must ensure that the Counseling Center’s IT resources, including electronic communication, are used for official Counseling Center business purposes only.

5. Incidental personal use is permissible if the use meets the requirements set forth in the USG Ethics guidelines (APPENDIX B).

B. Security 1. Counseling Center staff have access to privileged information that must be protected. All staff and trainees must take all necessary steps to prevent unauthorized access to confidential information.

2. All users are required to keep their accounts and passwords secure and must not share their account or password information with anyone without the express written permission of the Director. Users are prohibited from attempting to circumvent or subvert these measures. This does not preclude the use of security tools by appropriately authorized personnel. Under no circumstances is a user of Georgia Tech IT resources and data authorized to engage in any ac6vity that is illegal under local, state, federal or interna6onal law while utilizing Georgia Tech owned resources.

3. If a user suspects that a security incident has occurred on a system to which they have access, they should report the suspicion immediately to the Technology Coordinator or to the Director.

C. Electronic Data Management 1. All Counseling Center staff and trainees have access to the Center’s shared network drive (M: drive). Staff and trainees are provided a folder on the M: in which to save files and store data.

Due to storage limitations, staff and trainees are encouraged to delete any unnecessary files or data. The M: drive is a secure drive which is backed up on a weekly basis to the Center’s secure server. Only Counseling Center staff and trainees are allowed access to the M: drive through your GT logon id and password.

2. Staff and trainees also have access to their computer’s local hard drive. Data storage on the local hard drive may be less secure than data storage on the M: drive since it may be more vulnerable to hardware failure, theft, or data loss. Staff are encouraged to store their data securely on the M: drive 3. Staff Trainees’ files will be deleted 1 month after the completion of their training experience at the Center. The Training Director will be responsible for deleting interns’ files and folders from the M: drive and creating new folders for incoming interns. The Practicum Coordinator will be responsible for deleting practicum students’ files and folders from the M: drive and creating

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new folders for incoming practicum students. Files and folders of staff no longer employed at the Center will be deleted 1 month after their departure. The Director will be responsible for deleting former staff files and folders from the M: drive and creating new folders for incoming staff.

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Section XIV: Use of Center Equipment The Counseling Center staff may be authorized to use certain designated equipment outside the Center for any work-related duty or activity. Equipment that is designated as equipment to be loaned (e.g., computers, LCD projector) will be marked with an inventory control label and other identifying markings.

Prior to assuming possession of an item, staff will be required to complete an Equipment Loan Agreement form (APPENDIX I). The Administrative Professional III will be responsible for requesting completion of the form from all staff and will be responsible for maintaining the currency of the form.

Once assuming possession of the equipment, it is the responsibility of the staff member to maintain control and security of the item. If the item is lost or stolen, the staff member may be responsible for replacement costs of the lost or stolen item.

The staff member will be responsible for returning the loaned equipment and its accessories (if applicable) to the Center once the work-related activity or duty is complete. Failure to return the equipment may result in the item reported as lost or stolen and the staff member responsible for the item may incur reimbursement costs to the Center.

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Section XV: Employee Relations The Counseling Center strives to create and establish a work environment that is respectful, collegial, and affirming of diversity and culture in its broadest sense. It is recognized that conflicts and workplace disputes may arise that need to be addressed and resolved. When possible, each person is advised to resolve conflicts and disputes by seeking consultation, addressing conflicts and disputes directly with the individual level, and finally, if needed, seeking assistance from the Director or Associate Directors. The policy and procedures outlined in this section are adapted from the Institute’s policies and procedures for employee relations for further guidance.

A. Conflict Management When different ideas and interests collide, conflict may occur. When managed effectively, conflict can produce energy, creativity, and formulation of alternative ideas. The Counseling Center hopes that all staff can effectively manage conflict among individuals or within groups. In order to do so, collaboration must occur between all persons involved. Once all persons collaborate to resolve conflict, strengths are recognized, alternative solutions emerge, trust is developed, and each person becomes committed to a common goal and purpose. To stimulate collaboration with managers or other colleagues with whom you may have a conflict, you can incorporate the following negotiation skills in order to reach a resolution: 1. Determine the nature of the conflict: What exactly is the cause of your conflict with another staff member? Is your conflict fact based or value based in nature?

2. Effectively initiate conversation: Ask your fellow colleague if you can discuss the issue individually. Remain calm, state the facts, and don’t attack the other person or become demeaning. State how the actions of the other person made you feel in a non-accusatory tone.

Utilize “I feel” or “I believe” statements when at all possible.

3. Listen to the others’ point of view: Actively listen to your colleague’s stance on the issue and be open to hearing what your colleague has to say.

4. Problem solve and collaborate as a team to reach a consensus: Together, try to find a viable solution for both parties following the steps below: a. Clarify the problem as a team b. Generate probable solutions c. Decide as a team the best scenario that will benefit both parties d. Develop a plan to implement your solution e. Determine a time to reconvene to assess the success of your plan B. Filing an Informal Complaint Counseling Center staff, trainees, clients who are not satisfied with the training, conditions, service, or other aspects of the Center may file a formal or informal complaint. Trainees may choose to initially discuss their complaint with their supervisor or the Training Director.

1. The complainant will schedule an appointment with the director or designee to discuss the complaint.

2. The Director or designee will attempt to investigate and resolve the concern to the satisfaction of the complainant.

C. Filing a Formal Complaint 1. The complainant will submit a letter to the director stating the grievance.

2. The Director will attempt to investigate the concern and to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the complainant.

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3. If the Director is directly involved in the complaint, an Associate Director may serve as the director’s proxy. The Associate Director will attempt to investigate the concern and to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the complainant.

4. If the complaint is unresolved, the Director (or designee) will appoint a panel of 3 staff members (1 member from the Counseling Center, 2 members from outside departments) to review the complaint and to make recommendations for resolution.

5. If the complaint remains unresolved, the complainant may appeal directly to the Vice President of Student Affairs. The complainant may also choose to utilize the Institute’s Complaint Policy.

This process is outlined in APPENDIX E and may also be obtained online at http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/equal-opportunity-complaint-policy.

D. Harassment and Discrimination 1. Discriminatory harassment is unwelcome verbal or physical conduct directed against any person or group that is based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status and that has the purpose or effect of creating an offensive, demeaning, or intimidating environment for that person or group of persons.

2. Sexual harassment is inappropriate sexually oriented behavior or unwanted sexual attention of a persistent or offensive nature that sufficiently interferes with an employee’s job performance or a student’s status in an academic course, program, or activity. Examples of sexually harassing behavior can be found in Georgia Tech’s Anti-Harassment Policy.

3. Staff are encouraged to communicate effectively, to treat each other with respect, and to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. However, any staff member who believes that he or she has been subjected to discriminatory and/or harassing behavior may have his or her complaints addressed through the Institute’s official complaint process (APPENDIX G).

4. The Office of Human Resources has developed two courses in which employees can participate to raise awareness and education regarding discrimination and harassment. a. Preventing Workplace Discrimination is a course designed for supervisors to understand ways they can prevent discrimination in the workplace. This interactive course provides insight on techniques to ensure equitable employment practices and addresses Georgia Tech's complaint and grievance process. b. The Preventing Sexual Harassment training course aims to inform all Georgia Tech employees about the types of sexual harassment and the Institute's policy prohibiting sexual harassment. The course also highlights ways to resolve complaints and provides proactive and preventative approaches to eliminating inappropriate behavior.

E. Filing A Harassment Complaint 1. Any member of the Institute community who believes that he or she has been the victim of sexual harassment as defined above (the Complainant) should promptly report the matter to the appropriate institute official designated to handle such complaints.

2. The appropriate Institute official to whom a complaint should be made is the Director of Equal Opportunity Programs for faculty and staff, and the Dean of Students for students.

3. The initial discussion between the complainant and the appropriate Institute official will be kept confidential to the greatest extent possible and dissemination of any information relating to the case will be limited, in order that the privacy of all individuals involved is safeguarded as fully as possible. The Institute will take steps to protect the complainant from retaliatory action based upon the filing of the complaint. The foregoing notwithstanding, the appropriate Institute official will inquire into all reports of alleged sexual harassment brought to his or her attention.

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4. During the initial meeting with the appropriate Institute official, a written summary of the complaint will be made and should be signed by the complainant.

5. The appropriate Institute official will inform the alleged offender ("Respondent") of the allegation and of the identity of the complainant, will provide him or her with a written summary of the Complaint and will proceed as set forth in the following section.

F. Resolution of a Complaint 1. When a complaint is submitted, the appropriate Institute official will discuss the matter with the parties promptly, will notify the appropriate Dean or Vice President of the charge, and will initiate whatever steps he or she deems appropriate to effect an informal resolution of the complaint acceptable to both parties. If an informal resolution is reached, it will be documented in writing, approved by the Office of Legal Affairs, and signed by the complainant, the respondent, and the appropriate Institute official.

2. If an informal resolution satisfactory to the parties is not reached within 15 calendar days after an incident is reported, or if in the opinion of the appropriate Institute official, an informal resolution is not possible, the appropriate Institute official will proceed with a full investigation.

The investigation may include interviewing witnesses identified by the parties and such other inquiries, as the appropriate Institute official may deem necessary. A report of the investigation results along with a recommendation with regard to a resolution of the Complaint and/or disciplinary action will be made to the Associate Vice President for the Office of Human Resources within 30 days of the date the investigation was initiated.

3. The Associate Vice President for Human Resources or the Vice President for Student Affairs will review the results of the investigation and take or recommend appropriate disciplinary and/or other action. Individuals subject to disciplinary action may exercise their appeal rights pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Faculty Manual, the Classified Employee Handbook, or the Student Conduct Code as appropriate.

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Section XVI: Policy & Procedure Review and Updates A. Policy & Procedure Review 1. Review of the Counseling Center’s policies and procedures will occur on an annual basis.

2. The Director will be responsible for coordinating overall review of the policies and procedures annually.

3. Each Associate Director and Coordinator will be responsible for annual review of their respective areas.

4. Any staff member may submit in writing a request to review for revision or elimination any existing policy or procedure. Written requests are to be forwarded to the Administrative Group (i.e., Director and Associate Directors) for consideration for revision or elimination.

5. In presenting for consideration a revision or elimination of an existing policy, the following items should be addressed by the requesting staff member in writing prior to consideration by the Administrative Group: a. Direct reference to the policy or procedure in the current version of the Policy and Procedure Manual (i.e., section, subsection reference); b. Rationale for revision or elimination. Rationale should include evaluation and assessment evidence that points to the need for revision or elimination. c. If a revision to a policy or procedure is submitted, a proposed change should be presented that demonstrates improvement over the existing policy or procedure. d. A proposed revision or elimination of an existing policy may not contradict existing policies and procedures of the Counseling Center, Division of Student Affairs, or the Institute. e. After consideration by the Administrative Group, the proposed change will be reviewed with staff at the next staff meeting.

6. The policy or procedure will then be placed on the staff meeting agenda as a new discussion item for the next staff meeting for consideration by the staff. Discussion on the policy or procedure in question may be conducted during the same staff meeting or may be designated as a follow-up agenda item for discussion at a following staff meeting.

B. Creation of New Policies or Procedures 1. Requests for newly proposed policies or procedures may be submitted by any staff member to the Administrative Group. Written requests are to be forwarded to the Administrative Group (i.e., Director and Associate Directors) for consideration.

2. In presenting for consideration any new policy or procedure, the following items should be addressed by the requesting staff member in writing prior to consideration by the Administrative Group: a. Direct reference to the section in the current version of the Policy and Procedure Manual in which the new policy or procedure would reside. b. Rationale for creation of a new policy or procedure. Rationale should include evaluation and assessment evidence that points to the need for revision or elimination. c. The proposed new policy or procedure may not contradict existing policies and procedures of the Counseling Center, Division of Student Affairs, or the Institute. d. After consideration by the Administrative Group, the proposed change will be reviewed with staff at the next staff meeting.

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C. Policy & Procedure Updates 1. Updates to policies and procedures include those policies or procedures that have been revised or newly created policies or procedures.

2. Updates to the Counseling Center’s policies and procedures will occur annually and on an asneeded basis. The timing of the update to a particular policy or procedure may be determined by the critical nature of the policy or procedure. a. Policy or procedure updates that are considered critical by the Administrative Group and staff may be implemented immediately. b. Policy or procedure updates that are considered less critical by the Administrative Group and staff may be implemented at a time appropriate for implementation.

3. The Director will be responsible for the distribution of policy or procedure updates to the staff and for its inclusion in the Policy and Procedure Manual.

4. Staff are responsible for maintaining the current status of their Policy and Procedure Manual.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A Counseling Center Guidelines and Standards for Accreditation

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International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) Standards

International Association for Counseling Services Standards for University and College Counseling Services (rev. 2010) University and college counseling services1 have played a vital role in higher education for many years. In the last 40 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of campus counseling services and the multiplicity of functions that are performed. Guidelines for university and college counseling services were first developed in 1970 by a task force of counseling center directors chaired

by Barbara Kirk (Kirk et al., 1971). Its work originated from an earlier draft developed by a committee of the Canadian University Counseling Association chaired by Robert I. Hudson.

Guidelines were extensively revised in 1981 by a committee of the University and College Counseling Centers Board of Accreditation of the International Association of Counseling Services Inc. chaired by Kenneth F. Garni (Garni et al., 1982). The 1981 revision reflected the evolving role, functions, and changes in the professional practices of university and college counseling services in the preceding decade. The revision of 1991 (Kiracofe et al., 1991) marked a change from providing accreditation guidelines to the establishment of standards for accreditation. It also updated professional practice changes that had occurred in counseling centers in recent years.

The revisions of 2000 amended the Standards to include: (1) a provision on counseling services merged with other campus units such as career services and health services, etc.; (2) a provision on the ethical use of technology in counseling services; and (3) further specification, elaboration and clarification of the standards. This present revision of 2010 strengthens existing standards such as that protecting client confidentiality; updates those dealing with the ever-changing technological arena; and addresses the increasing number of internationally located counseling services beyond the United States and Canada to seek accreditation.

The following standards are defined according to two levels of expectations: “must” and ‘should”. Those standards described with the word “must” reflect mandatory expectations for accreditation. Those standards described with the word “should” reflect goals a center is expected to work toward achieving - e.g. not meeting such a standard does not in itself preclude the Center from receiving accreditation.

A. RELATIONSHIP OF THE COUNSELING CENTER TO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY Counseling services are an integral part of the educational mission of the institution and support the mission in a variety of ways, such as consultation, teaching, preventive and developmental interventions, and treatment. They provide clinical services to clients who are experiencing stress due to academic, career or personal problems which may interfere with their ability to take full advantage of the educational opportunities before them. Counselors are also involved in consultation with faculty and staff, student needs advocacy, program development, outreach programming, retention activities, 1

For the purposes of this document, the terms Services and Centers are interchangeable

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research and program evaluation that support the efforts of faculty and staff in enhancing the university environment.

1.

Administrative Independence and Neutrality

While the relationship of the counseling service to other units within the institution will vary according to organizational structure and individual campus needs, it is critically important that the service be administratively neutral. Counseling centers may provide mandatory assessment and related services with informed consent of clients, as well as other consultations to campus units, but must not make or be responsible for admissions, disciplinary, curricular or other administrative decisions involving students.2 If a center is perceived as being linked with units that are involved in making these decisions, it can severely restrict the utilization of the service. Such perceptions may prevent students from seeking services for fear that information they disclose may negatively affect their college careers.

In the case of merged centers, the ability of the counseling service to continue to maintain functional independence and neutrality must not be compromised. For example, if the counseling center and health center were merged, the newly formed entity must permit the counseling center's efforts to continue to be an integral part of the institution's educational mission, rather than be seen as primarily an ancillary clinical operation housed in a hospital or medical environment.

2.

University and Community Relationships Typically, counseling services are administratively housed in the Student Affairs unit of the institution and are acknowledged as a valuable component of the overall student services effort. To achieve this recognition, counselors must develop an extensive network of institutional and community relationships. Close linkages should be forged with academic units, student service offices, and other sources of referral and consultation. Solid working relationships must be maintained with campus and community medical services and with community mental health services in order to accommodate clients who have medical problems or who require more intensive treatment or hospitalization.

Counseling professionals should work with faculty, staff and administrators to promote the goal of psychological and emotional development in the many aspects of campus life.

3.

Reporting Structure

It is essential that the counseling service Director work closely with the Chief Student Affairs Officer and other key administrators to ensure the accomplishment of institutional goals and objectives.

The Chief Student Affairs Officer, as well as other senior administrative staff, should be fully aware of and appropriately supportive of the complex role of the counseling service. In the case of a merged center, the administrator of the counseling service should continue to have a direct line of communication to a Vice Chancellor or a Vice President of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, or other related division. This is necessary to inform these key administrators of the unique role that counseling services play on campus.

_____ 2

The Standard on mandatory Counseling was amended on October 25, 2005

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While the counseling service works in a cooperative manner with members of the campus community, it is important to emphasize the unique role that it plays within the institution. Specifically, it provides services such as crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, training, consultation with the campus community about student characteristics and development, as well as campus safety.

In addition, counseling professionals often provide a needed perspective for campus administrators in maintaining an appropriate perspective using an administrative and a humanistic approach in managing students in distress.

4. Accreditation of Multiple Counseling Services and Merged Centers a) Multiple Counseling Services: The accreditation requirement for multiple counseling services is based upon the organizational structure of the agency. A multiple counseling agency is operationally defined as consisting of one or more sub-agencies, each with a separate director and staff having no daily physical interaction (e.g., a state college system consisting of branch campuses each with a separate counseling service). In such a case each unit would be accredited separately. Counseling services which have subunits at different locations, supervised by a single Director, would be accredited as a single unit (e.g., a large university with satellite counseling centers, or centers at different locations under the same director). All subunits must meet requirements for the agency to be accredited. b) Merged Counseling Services: When mergers or consolidations occur that bring together counseling centers and other campus agencies (i.e., health center, career services, academic advising, etc.), the newly formed entity must meet IACS standards in order to maintain accreditation. In as much as merged entities may also be accredited by other professional bodies, (e.g., Council for the Advancement of Standards, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, etc.) counseling services are not the focus of such accreditations. Although mergers involving structural changes do not necessarily prevent centers from qualifying for or maintaining accreditation, special care must be taken to ensure that counseling centers in merged entities are in full compliance with IACS accreditation standards.

B. COUNSELING SERVICES ROLES AND FUNCTIONS The counseling service should play four essential roles in serving the university and college community: 1) provide counseling to students experiencing personal adjustment, vocational, developmental and/or psychological problems that require professional attention; 2) play a preventive role assisting students in identifying and learning skills which will assist them to effectively meet their educational and life goals; 3) support and enhance the healthy growth and development of students through consultation and outreach to the campus community; and 4) play a role in contributing to campus safety.

A counseling service must include an appropriate range of activities to be eligible for accreditation.

Agencies whose services are limited to the following areas are not eligible to be accredited: academic advising, placement services, tutorial programs, academic skills training, (i.e., developmental reading services, learning centers, etc.) and drug and alcohol programs. It should be noted, however, that many accredited counseling services include some or all of the above activities in their programs.

Mergers should not eliminate or de-emphasize the preventive, developmental, outreach, consultative, and psycho-educational activities of counseling services. In order to be accredited, merged centers must ensure that the staff delivering these preventive and developmental services is appropriately trained

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and competent to provide them. Such services are integral to the mission of counseling services, a part of their historical roots, and essential for IACS accreditation.

IACS Accreditation Standards include the following nine program functions: 1. Individual and Group Counseling Counseling services must provide counseling interventions that are responsive to the diverse population of students experiencing ongoing or situational psychological or behavioral difficulties.

These direct service activities include the following criteria: a) Individual and/or group counseling should be provided, which may include such issues as educational, career, personal, developmental, and relationship concerns.

Services should be sufficient to meet the needs of students in a timely manner. b) Psychological tests and other diagnostic procedures should be used to make appropriate assessments of student functioning and treatment/disposition recommendations; to foster client self-understanding and decision-making; and to determine the most effective intervention strategies possible within the limits of available resources. c) Staff should have the necessary and appropriate background and training, including multicultural competence, to meet the diverse needs of students. d) Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the services must be conducted. e) All staff must adhere to the ethical principles of their disciplines and practice with conformity to state and federal laws. f) Services provided by interns, practicum students, and paraprofessionals must receive close supervision by qualified staff and be in compliance with professional training standards and state or provincial statutes.

2. Crisis Intervention and Emergency Services Counseling services must provide crisis intervention and emergency coverage either directly or through cooperative arrangements with other resources on and off campus and in the surrounding area. Psychiatric resources must be available to the service either on campus or in the community.

Counseling services must provide or arrange for the provision of emergency services for students who are experiencing acute emotional distress, are a danger to self or others, or are in need of immediate hospitalization. Such services may be provided by other agencies on campus or in the surrounding community. In such cases, counseling service staff should work closely with other service providers to ensure that the resources are adequate and effectively used and that necessary follow-up care is provided.

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3. Outreach Interventions The counseling service must offer preventive programming focused on the developmental needs of students that maximize their potential to benefit from their academic experience. Programs should help students acquire new knowledge, skills and behaviors; encourage positive and realistic selfappraisal; foster personal, academic and career choices; enhance the ability to relate mutually and meaningfully with others; and increase the capacity to engage in a personally satisfying and effective style of living. These programs should be responsive to sexual/relational orientation, gender identity, racial, cultural, disability and ethnic diversity among students, and reach students who are less likely to make use of traditional counseling services. Counseling centers should effectively market their services to the university community- communicating the range of services available to students in order to maximize awareness and utilization.

4. Consultation Interventions Counseling services must provide consultation, training and professional development to members of the university community, to foster an environment that is beneficial to the intellectual, emotional, and physical development of students. The counseling service must play an active role in interpreting and, when appropriate, advocating for the needs of students to administration, faculty, and staff of the institution. The service should also identify and address issues and problems in the environment that may impede the academic progress of students.

Guidelines for consultation services include the following: a) Consultation provided as needed to faculty and other appropriate campus personnel, regarding individual students, must occur within the bounds of the confidential counseling relationship. b) Consultation may be provided to parents, spouses, agencies, and others concerned about the student or involved in the student’s safety plan, as long as confidentiality requirements are met. c) While a counseling service can serve a consultative role, it must not be responsible for administrative or academic decisions about students.

5. Referral Resources Counseling services must provide referral resources within the institution and the local community to meet the needs of students whose problems are outside the scope of services or resources of the counseling center. Referral resources should be evaluated for availability and affordability.

6. Research An integral responsibility of the counseling service is to conduct ongoing evaluation and accountability research, to determine effectiveness, and to improve the quality of services. a) Counseling services must abide by professional ethical standards as well as expectations developed by university groups responsible for overseeing research. Ultimate responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of accepted ethical practices shall reside with the individual researcher and the Director of the counseling service. b) The counseling service should contribute to research at the campus level as well as national data collection efforts.

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c) Counseling services should be involved with students and faculty who wish to conduct individual research on student characteristics or on the influence of specific student development programs. Such activities must be in compliance with appropriate professional and ethical standards as well as institutional research board requirements. d) The counseling service should make every effort to contribute to the fields of counseling, psychology, and other relevant professions (e.g., student affairs, student personnel services, social work, psychiatry, etc.) through research and other scholarly endeavors.

7. Program Evaluation There must be a regular review of the counseling service based on data from center evaluation efforts. When possible, it is desirable to include comparative data from other institutions in the evaluation process.

8. Professional Development Counseling services must afford staff and trainees regular opportunities to upgrade their skills by providing them with training, professional development and continuing education experiences. Such training may occur through case conferences, workshops sponsored by the center, and the provision of time and/or resources for staff members to attend workshops and conferences.

9. Training Programs Training and supervision are appropriate and desirable responsibilities of counseling services. A training program should be incorporated in the center where it is economically and functionally feasible, to contribute to the development of practitioners in relevant professions. In addition, training programs can add to the diversity of the centers panel of service providers. Further, involvement in training allows staff members to maintain and increase their clinical supervision skills.

The following guidelines pertain to training: a) Graduate student trainees, post-doctoral fellows, and paraprofessionals should be selected carefully and supervised closely by experienced, qualified staff in a manner consistent with professional training standards and state and provincial statutes. b) Cases assigned to trainees must be based on their current level of training and competency to ensure quality services to students. Cases assigned to trainees should not exceed 40% of center’s clientele.

C. ETHICAL STANDARDS Professional ethical practice forms the cornerstone of the counseling service. Maintaining ethical standards and abiding by related laws in the administration of a counseling center is a very complex and necessary task. Clear definitions of ethical and legal questions are not universally applicable, so an understanding of ethical code and relevant case and statute law is essential, including HIPAA/federal regulations and laws.

Counseling service staff should have access to legal counsel when necessary and should be wellinformed regarding legal issues. Staff members must maintain strict adherence to the ethical standards of their respective professions and licensure/certification requirements. Agency operating procedures must be congruent with these standards and in no way abridge or contravene an individual staff member's ethical obligations and privileges. (See Appendix)

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1. All professional and administrative support staff must be selected carefully and trained thoroughly regarding appropriate agency policies and procedures.

2. The confidential nature of the counseling relationship must be consistent with professional ethical standards and with local, state, provincial and federal guidelines and state statutes.

Information can be released only at the request or concurrence of a client who has full and informed knowledge of the nature of the information that is being released, or except as required by law.

Appropriate information is then to be released selectively and only to qualified recipients.

Instances of statutory limits to confidentiality and other appropriate restrictions e.g. policies related to observation, audio, video, digital or electronic recordings must be clearly articulated and implemented only after careful professional consideration.

3. When the condition of the client is indicative of clear and imminent danger to self or others, counseling professionals must take reasonable personal action that may involve informing responsible authorities and consulting with other professionals.

In such cases, counseling professionals must be cognizant of existing ethical principles, relevant statutes, and local mental health guidelines that may stipulate the limits of confidentiality, such as: statutes that require the reporting of child abuse and other forms of abuse; statutes and/or case law that stipulate appropriate notification when clients and/or others are at risk.

4. Procedures regarding the preparation, use, and distribution of psychological tests must be consistent with professional standards.

5. Standards regarding research with human subjects must be maintained. Review procedures for proposed research should be established to insure that research efforts do not interfere with service delivery responsibilities of the counseling service.

6. Systematic case records must be maintained as required by professional standards and applicable statutes. The record must include all pertinent clinical documentation, such as: intake and assessment information, case notes, a termination summary, results of any tests or inventories, etc. If records are computerized, or if computerized billing is used in the center, confidentiality of data files must be insured. Confidentiality and appropriate handling of information and records must be reflected in the collection, classification and maintenance of the data, administrative security, and in dissemination of information regarding clients.

All current client records must be maintained in a central location that is secure and accessible to appropriate staff. Within the central location, paper records must be maintained in secure locked files. Clinical files must not be stored in individual offices, but in a central location which is appropriately secured.

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In the case of computerized records, password protection and other physical safeguards must be in place to ensure the confidentiality of stored material. For additional information on electronic record keeping (See section C.11.a.). Regardless of the case record format used by the center, all case records are the property of the counseling service.3 7. Procedures for the disposition of client and agency records should be consistent with professional standards, college and university guidelines, and relevant statutes. The complete record should be maintained for a minimum of 7 years from the last date of service.

8. Access to client records must be limited to appropriate counseling services personnel. An informed, signed release of information must be obtained from the client before records or other confidential information can be shared with any other individual, campus department, or outside agency.

9. When sharing the same electronic medical records system with medical or other units, a firewall must be in place to insure counseling records are not inappropriately accessed or disclosed to individuals outside of the counseling center. Counseling service records must be kept separate from records of any other merged entity (e.g. medical records, advisement notes, placement credentials, etc.).

10. Staff members must be knowledgeable about and function in a manner consistent with relevant civil and criminal laws. They should be aware of the obligations and limitations imposed on the institution by national, regional, and local constitutional, statutory, regulatory, and institutional policy.

11. Technology Counseling staff must demonstrate a basic understanding of technology prior to adopting any new technology for use. It is recognized that counseling services may need to rely upon nonpsychologists to provide technical assistance. Professionals providing technical assistance must be given training concerning issues regarding confidentiality and sign a confidentiality agreement. a) Computerized client data such as case records and webcam recordings must be secured in such a way to prevent unauthorized access. Clients must be informed that confidential information about their treatment is stored on the center's secured server. When working offsite and remotely accessing the clinical services system (e.g. programs like Titanium), there should be sufficient security and protections, comparable to that offered by one’s office desktop computer. Standards for appropriate clinician behavior include not performing and storing confidential work on the remote computer. b) Electronic mail (E-mail) is not a safe means to transmit confidential information. When EMail is used to correspond with a client or transmit information, informed consent regarding potential limits to confidentiality must be communicated which explain the inherent risks to confidentiality posed by this technology, and the limitations it also imposes on the center’s ability to respond in a timely manner to emergency situations. c) Dedicated copiers, scanners, and faxes must be located and utilized in a manner to insure _____ 3

Amended on October 6, 2006 by the IACS Board of Accreditation.

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confidentiality. Counseling services that use electronic equipment to transmit confidential information must develop a system to secure the transmitted material from unauthorized access. If confidential information is transmitted electronically, an informed consent must be used. d) The web is an increasingly important resource in many aspects of student life (e.g. education, health care, recreation), and should be accessible in order to provide access and opportunity to all students. Counseling Center websites should be user-friendly, searchable, contain disclaimer statements on usage and contact information; include policies on confidentiality and use of email; crisis and emergency information, accessible to students with disabilities (following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: WCAG at: http://www.w3.org/wai) D. COUNSELING SERVICE PERSONNEL Counseling functions are performed by professionals with a minimum of a Master’s degree from relevant disciplines such as: counseling or clinical psychology, counselor education, social work or mental health counseling. Professional staff members and trainees should have access to necessary consultation resources in areas such as: psychopharmacology, psychological assessment, case management, and program development. Specialists in psychiatry, learning disabilities, law, occupational information, and substance abuse are important resource professionals for the counseling staff.

1. Director a) Qualifications and Competencies 1) The Director should have an earned doctorate from a regionally accredited university in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor education, or other closely related discipline.

2) The Director must have had a supervised internship or equivalent which included clinical assessment, counseling and crisis intervention, preferably with a diverse collegeage population.

3) The Director should have a minimum of 5 years previous experience as a staff member in a clinical and/or counseling setting, at least one of which should be in a clinical and/or administrative supervisory capacity.

4) The Director must have abilities and attributes that enable effective representation of mental health issues in the campus community, and effective interaction with, and the ability to gain the respect of, counseling staff, colleagues, administrators, faculty, staff, parents and students.

5) The Director should hold appropriate state or provincial licensure or certification. If the director is not licensed for autonomous practice, there must be a licensed or certified professional on the staff of the counseling service who has a doctorate in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor education, or related discipline to assist the Director in the delivery and supervision of the clinical activities and services of the agency.

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b) Equivalency Criteria: Non- doctorate Director For a doctoral equivalency waiver to be considered by the IACS Board of Accreditation, Directors with non-doctoral degrees must meet the following criteria: 1) Master's or Specialist degree in an appropriate field.

2) Completion of a supervised field placement as part of the requirement for the Master's or Specialist degree that provided clinical assessment and intervention experiences, preferably with a college-age population.

3) Graduate level academic training in clinical and professional functioning, such as: diagnosis and assessment, counseling theory and practice, ethical issues, supervision, diversity, and research.

4) Minimum of 5 years experience as a staff member in a clinical and/or counseling setting, at least two of which should be in a clinical and/or administrative supervisory capacity.

5) Evidence of involvement and commitment to educational and professional development.

6) If the director does not hold state or provincial licensure or certification, a licensed or certified professional must be on the staff of the counseling service who has a doctorate in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor education, or related discipline to assist the Director in the delivery and supervision of the clinical activities and services of the agency. c) Duties 1) Overall administration and coordination of the resources and activities of the counseling service, including: strategic planning and goal setting; identification and attainment of service objectives; resource allocation; program evaluation and research; counseling; outreach; consultation; and preventive mental health activities. With the staff, the Director develops and implements philosophy, policies, and procedures for counseling service operations 2) Coordination, recruitment, training, supervision, development, and evaluation of professional and administrative support staff.

3) Preparation and administration of counseling services budget, the development of annual reports, and other documents that represent and advocate for the needs of the counseling center, and the psychological and developmental needs of the university community.

4) Responsibility for providing crisis intervention, counseling, clinical supervision, outreach, and consultation services to the university community, as defined by administrative policies and procedures.

5) Participation in campus mental health policy formation and program development; serve on divisional and/or campus-wide committees; take a leadership role in representing the center to other campus units.

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6) Administration of procedures that monitor the quality of all counseling and/or clinical service rendered by the center.

7) Directors or counseling service staff members can serve on threat assessment teams (variously referred to as University Response Teams, Students of Concern Committees, Behavioral Management Teams, etc.), provided they remain cognizant of the multiple challenges to their ethical responsibility of confidentiality such service will present. They are advised to be highly knowledgeable of the legal responsibility to report individuals at risk of harm to self/others and to maintain strict informational boundaries, that in this environment are highly subject to pressure.

8) Mergers must not substantially alter or diminish the autonomy of the administrator of the counseling service in managing the center. This includes the following: 1) overall administration and coordination of the resources and activities of the center including: counseling, outreach, consultation, research, and preventive mental health activities; 9) Coordination, recruitment, retention, training, supervision, development, and evaluation of professional, trainee, and support staff; preparation and management of the budget; and involvement in university policy formation and program development.

2. Professional Staff a) Qualifications and Competencies 1) The minimum qualification for a staff member is a Master's degree in a relevant discipline from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

2) Documentation of supervised experience at the graduate level in the provision of mental health services is required.

3) Professional staff must have had appropriate course work at the graduate level and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in psychological assessment, theories of personality, abnormal psychology or psychopathology, human development, learning theory, counseling theory, and/or other appropriate subjects.

4) Professional staff must have had a supervised internship or equivalent experience with diverse populations as part of the degree requirement.

5) Doctoral level staff must have a degree in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor education, medicine, or other closely related discipline and be licensed/certified to practice within their specialty. Non-doctoral staff should be appropriately licensed/certified according to their level of education, training, and professional experience as determined by state regulations. If necessary, appropriate supervision must be provided until licensure/certification is obtained.

6) Professional staff must demonstrate knowledge of principles of program development, consultation, outreach, developmental theories and be able to understand the individual in the context of a diverse social and cultural milieu.

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7) Professional staff must have personal attributes that enable them to facilitate effective interpersonal relationships and to communicate with a wide range of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

8) When a staff member has the responsibility for the clinical supervision of other professional staff members or graduate student trainees, the staff member must hold a doctoral degree, or have an appropriate graduate degree and experience in the training of other professionals, and hold licensure and or appropriate certification in their chosen mental health field.

9) If a staff member does not meet the above minimum qualifications, the Board of Accreditation will examine, on a case by case basis, any evidence to support this individual's commensurate qualifications. b) Duties 1) Provide individual and group counseling, assessment, and crisis intervention services.

2) Design and conduct developmental and outreach program activities.

3) Provide consultation services, as requested, to students, faculty, and staff within the university.

4) Participate in research and service evaluation activities.

5) Provide appropriate training and supervision to paraprofessionals, graduate trainees and post doctoral fellows/residents.

6) Perform other assigned functions that contribute to the service offerings of the center and the academic mission of the institution, such as: teaching, committee work, liaison with academic or administrative units, and participation in university program development.

3. Other Center Administrative Staff Centers develop administrative structures based on size and need. Individuals appointed to fill positions such as Associate or Assistant Director, or Training Director, should have relevant experience and expertise to fulfill the duties assigned to these roles.

4. Trainees When graduate level trainees are used in the delivery of counseling services and programs, their work must be closely supervised in accordance with the trainee's professional specialty and state, regional, provincial and/or national standards and statutes. Responsibility for placement, supervision, assignment of responsibilities, and quality assurance of the program lies with the trainee's supervisor(s), the Training Director (if available), and ultimately the Director of the counseling service. a) Types of Trainees 1) Pre-Doctoral Interns: The term Intern is reserved for those individuals completing either a full-time (40 hours per week for one year) or half-time (20 hours per week for two years) pre-doctoral internship that is an established and integral part of the agency

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mission, that is sequential and cumulative in nature and builds on the experience obtained at the agency, and is both an intensive and extensive learning experience.

Supervision of pre-doctoral interns must be regularly scheduled; at a minimum, a fulltime Intern should receive 4 hours of supervision per week, at least 2 of which should be face-to-face individual supervision (half-time interns pro-rated accordingly).

2) Practicum Students, Externs, Supervised Field Placements, etc: These terms apply to those trainees who are obtaining training and supervision, either as part of an academic program, or on a voluntary basis to obtain additional clinical/counseling experience. The counseling service should provide an appropriate range of documented training, supervision, and learning experiences. These may be at the Masters, Specialist or Doctoral level and occur prior to the pre-doctoral internship.

3) Post-Doctoral Residents/Fellows: Post-doctoral residents/fellows should be provided an opportunity to obtain advanced training, supervision and education beyond the doctoral degree in preparation for independent clinical practice or specialization in a practice area. Their training must be integrally connected to the counseling service and consistent with the mission of the agency and institution.

Residencies are typically one year or two half- years and build upon prior learning. As a result of this training, residents/fellows should demonstrate advanced proficiency and skill in such areas as: assessment/diagnosis, treatment, outreach and consultation, program development and implementation and evaluation, supervision, teaching, research, and administration. Regularly scheduled supervision must be integral to the training experience.

4) Paraprofessional and Peer Educators.

Paraprofessionals and peer educators perform various functions in the counseling service appropriate to their training and experience. These students are given specific training and supervision to provide basic helping assistance to professional staff in outreach programs and workshops. b) Description of Training Programs Materials describing trainees should include, number of trainees at various levels of training; 2) amount and content of training; 3) supervisor(s) and amount of supervision: (a) number of hours per week in direct supervision, (b) type of supervision (e.g., individual, group), and (c) qualifications of the supervisors; 4) scope of service functions performed; and 5) criteria used for selection of trainees.

5. Support Staff The center must have an adequate number of administrative support staff. All support staff, including student workers, must be given training concerning: 1) the operation and function of the counseling service; 2) the limits of their functioning within the counseling service and 3) issues regarding confidentiality. a) Administrative support personnel who have direct contact with students should be selected

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carefully since they play an important role in the students' impressions of the counseling service and often must follow decision-making protocols about student disposition. b) Trainees working at the center should have controlled access to clinical files or records, as appropriate to their role in the agency. For example, trainees and graduate assistants performing counseling functions should have access only to client records of students they see as clients and are appropriate to their duties. Graduate research assistants may have access to files if identifiable information is coded. Graduate students not performing clinical functions may be used to cover the front desk and take phone calls on an as-needed basis, but are not permitted to do client scheduling nor is this expected to be a permanent arrangement. Care must be taken to preserve confidentiality. c) Student workers employed in the center must be assigned tasks limited to their training that do not compromise the confidentiality of clients. Student workers must not have access to any confidential information, such as client demographics, clinical records or reports, or personnel records, and they must not do client scheduling. d) There should be an adequate number of non-student support staff who are trained in the effective use of technology to meet the center’s service load. Work tasks include receptionist duties, scheduling, data analysis, word processing, handling of any psychological tests or inventories, and billing. The use of student workers as office support must be limited to tasks that do not involve direct contact with students, such as support for outreach program activities, Xeroxing educational or research materials, and performing inventory of library resources.

E. RELATED GUIDELINES 1. Professional Development a) Ongoing professional development activities are an essential aspect of an effective counseling program. Both release time and budget resources should be made available to assist staff in these endeavors. b) Counseling service staff should be provided with opportunities for clinical/peer supervision and case consultation. Unlicensed staff members must be under the supervision of licensed staff. c) It is highly desirable that ongoing in-service training be provided for all staff members. This should include: 1) formal, regularly scheduled case conferences attended by the entire staff; and 2) in-service training programs, workshops and seminars. d) Staff members should hold membership in and participate in appropriate professional organizations; staff members should be encouraged to accept leadership responsibilities within their respective local and national organizations. e) Staff members should attend relevant campus events and seminars and local, regional, provincial and national professional meetings.

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2. Staff Diversity It is essential that the counseling service demonstrate hiring practices that are free of prejudice with respect to race, religion, age, gender, sexual/relational orientation, gender identity, and physical challenge. Counseling services should demonstrate practices that are consistent with the goals of equal opportunity and affirmative action and strive to achieve appropriate racial/gender balance among the staff.

3. Size of Staff The staffing necessary for the effective operation of a counseling service depends, to a large degree, on the size and nature of the institution and the extent to which other mental health services are available on- and off- campus. The range of the service offerings and training programs also influences staffing needs. It is recommended that staff levels be continually monitored with regard to student enrollment, service demands, and staff diversity to insure that program objectives are being met. A minimum of 2 FTE staff are necessary to be eligible for accreditation. a) Every effort should be made to maintain minimum staffing ratios in the range of one FTE professional staff member (excluding trainees) for every 1,000-1500 students, depending on services offered and other campus mental health agencies. b) Administrative support staff must be adequate to assume responsibility for all receptionist and secretarial duties necessary for the effective functioning of the counseling service. c) Counseling services should have access to psychiatric services to provide timely response for medication evaluation and management.

4. Workload The workload of any counseling center director is unique and reflects responsibilities not incumbent on the professional staff. Consequently the director must be able to structure a workload which actually reflects the demands of the director’s position.

Staff members should have a balanced workload that affords adequate time for all aspects of their professional functioning. a) Direct service responsibilities, i.e. face-to-face contact with clients including: intake, individual/group counseling, and crisis intervention should not exceed 65% of the workload on a continuing basis. b) Adequate time should be allocated for non-direct service activities, which include: clinical supervision, client referrals, case management, consultation, meetings, research, professional development, teaching, and maintenance of client records.

5. Compensation - Salary and Benefits a) Salaries should be commensurate with credentials, experience, responsibilities, and duties. b) Salaries and benefits should be commensurate with those of others in the institution with similar qualifications and responsibilities and comparable professionals in other institutions of higher education in the geographic area. c) Counseling services should strive to create career advancement opportunities for staff, including the opportunity to advance to positions of greater responsibility within the center.

6. Physical Facilities a) Counseling services should be centrally located, must be readily accessible to all students, including those who are physically challenged, and must be physically separate from administrative offices, campus police, and judicial offices.

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b) Individual sound insulated offices should be provided for each professional staff member and intern. Each office should have a telephone, computer, printer, and furniture that creates a relaxing environment for students. c) Counseling service staff and interns should have access to computers and technology support for scheduling, record-keeping, data storage/file management, research, and publication activities. d) Counseling services must provide a separate private reception/waiting area for students. e) All current client records must be maintained in a central location that is secure and accessible to appropriate staff. Within the central location, paper records must be maintained in secure, locked files (Please refer to Section C.6. and Section C.11.a.). f) Counseling services should have library resources that include professional journals, books and other materials, and access to internet sources. g) An area suitable for individual or group testing should be available, consistent with the needs of the center. h) Counseling services should maintain (or have ready access to) adequate space suitable for group counseling sessions and staff meetings. i) Counseling services with training components must have adequate audio-visual recording and observation capability as an integral part of supervision. j) Counseling services should have adequate storage space. k) Use and placement of security cameras must not compromise the privacy or confidentiality of service users.

7. Malpractice/Liability Insurance Counseling services staff must have malpractice insurance coverage, either under the auspices of the university or by an individual policy.

F. SPECIAL CONCERNS: Issues Affecting International Counseling Centers The current IACS Standards may not translate to all cultures and countries literally, but potential international applicants should be aware that the IACS Board of Accreditation will take into account cultural contexts for each individual service in interpreting whether or not the center meets the IACS Standards. The Board is aware of the potential or real cultural differences which can occur, and will be mindful of these issues as it deliberates whether or not a center meets the essence of the Standards.

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REFERENCES Bingham, R.; Bolland, H.; Carney, C.; Clementson, J.; Donn, P.; Gallagher, R.; Grant, C.; Grosz, R.; Handy, L.; Hansche, J.; Kiracofe, N.; Mack, J.; Podolnick, E; Sanz, D.; Walker, L.; Yamada, K. (1994).

Accreditation Standards for University and College Counseling Centers. Journal of Counseling & Development, 73 (1), 38-43.

Boyd, V.; Buckles, N.; Davidshofer, C; Deakin, S.; Erskine, C.; Hattauer, E.; Hurley, G.; Locher, L.; Piorkowski, G.; Brandel, I.; Simono, S.; Spivack, J.; Steel, C. (2000). Accreditation Standards for University & College Counseling Services. Journal of Counseling & Development, 81(2), 168-177.

Free, J.; Johnson, R.; Kirk, B.; Michel, J; Redfield, J.; Roston, R.; Warman, R. (1971). Guidelines for university and college counseling services. American Psychologist, 26, 585-589.

Garni, K.; Lamb, D.; McKinley, D.; Prosser-Gelwick, B; Schoenberg, B.M.; Simono, R.B.; Smith, J.; Wierson, P.; Wrenn, R. (1982). Accreditation Guidelines for University and College Counseling Centers.

The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 61(2), 116-121.

Prince, J., Chair, IACS Board of Accreditation; Mandatory Assessment Standard amended October, 2005.

Yates, R., Chair, IACS Board of Accreditation; Centralized Record-Keeping Standard amended October, 2006.

ETHICAL STATEMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). (2001). Code of Ethics (revision effective July 1, 2001) Alexandria, VA: Author American College Personnel Association. (2006). Statement of Ethical Principles and Standards (revised March 2006). Washington, D.C.: Author American Counseling Association (ACA). (2005) Code of Ethics (revised 2005). Alexandria, VA: Author American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). (2002). Guidelines for Ethics (revised February, 2002) New York, NY: Author American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). (2007). Practice Guidelines for Group Psychotherapy.New York, NY: Author American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). (2010). Code of Ethics (revised 2010) Alexandria, VA: Author American Psychological Association (APA). (2000). Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Clients (February 26, 2000)Div. 44 Committee on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns Joint Task Force. Washington, D.C.: Author American Psychological Association (APA). (2002). Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice and Organizational Change for Psychologists (August, 2002). Joint Task Force Div. 17

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(Counseling Psychology) & Div. 45 (The Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues.

Washington, D.C.: Author American Psychological Association (APA). (2007) Record Keeping Guidelines (revised March 29, 2007), Board of Professional Affairs. Washington, D.C.: Author American Psychological Association (APA). (2007). Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women. (adopted February, 2007). A Joint Task Force of APA Div. 17 and 35. Washington, D.C.: Author American Psychological Association (APA).(2010) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (June 1, 2010 Amendments). Washington, D.C.: Author Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). (1999). Code of Ethics (1999) Canberra, ACT: Author Australian Psychological Society (APS). (2007). Code of Ethics ( adopted September, 2007) Melbourne, AUS: Author Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW). (2005). Code of Ethics (2005) Ottawa, Ontario, CN: Author Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). (2000). Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (3rd edition 2000). Ottawa, Ontario, CN: Author.

National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2008). Code of Ethics (approved by the 1996 NASW Delegate Assembly and revised 2008 by the NASW Delegate Assembly). Washington, D.C.: Author National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). (2005) Code of Ethics (2005). Alexandria, VA: Author

____ Š 2010 International Association of Counseling Services, Inc. (IACS) 101 S. Whiting Street, Suite 211, Alexandria, Virginia 22304

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APA Guidelines and Principles for Accredited Internships

Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology

Domain A: Eligibility As a prerequisite for accreditation, the program’s purpose must be within the scope of the accrediting body and must be pursued in an institutional setting appropriate for the education and training of professional psychologists.

1. The program offers internship education and training in psychology, one goal of which is to prepare students for the practice of professional psychology.

2. The program is sponsored by an institution or agency which has among its primary functions the provision of service to a population of recipients sufficient in number and variability to provide interns with adequate experiential exposure to meet its training purposes, goals, and objectives.

3. The program is an integral part of the mission of the institution in which it resides and is represented in the institution’s operating budget and plans in a manner that enables the program to achieve its goals and objectives.

4. The program requires of each intern the equivalent of 1 year full-time training to be completed in no fewer than 12 months (10 months for school psychology internships) and no more than 24 months.

5. The program engages in actions that indicate respect for and understanding of cultural and individual diversity.5 This is reflected in the program’s policies for the recruitment, retention, and development of staff and interns and in didactic and experiential training that fosters an understanding of cultural and individual diversity as it relates to professional psychology.

The program has nondiscriminatory policies and operating conditions and avoids any actions that would restrict program access on grounds that are irrelevant to success in an internship or the profession.

6. The program adheres to and makes available to all interested parties formal written policies and procedures that govern intern selection; practicum and academic preparation requirements; administrative and financial assistance; intern performance evaluation; feedback, advisement, retention, and termination; and due process and grievance procedures for interns and training staff. It complies with other policies and procedures of the sponsor institution that pertain to staff and interns’ rights, responsibilities, and personal development.

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See Domain A, Section 5 of Doctoral Graduate Programs for the definition of cultural and individual diversity.

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Domain B: Program Philosophy, Objectives, and Training Plan The program has a clearly specified philosophy of training, compatible with the mission of its sponsor institution and appropriate to the practice of professional psychology. The internship is an organized professional training program with the goal of providing high-quality training in professional psychology.

The training model and goals are consistent with its philosophy and objectives. The program has a logical training sequence that builds upon the skills and competencies acquired during doctoral training.

1. The program publicly states an explicit philosophy or model of professional training and education by which it intends to prepare students for the practice of professional psychology.

The program’s philosophy and educational model should be substantially consistent with the mission, goals, and culture of the program’s sponsor institution. It must also be consistent with the following two principles of the discipline: (a) Psychological practice is based on the science of psychology which, in turn, is influenced by the professional practice of psychology; and (b) Training for practice is sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity.

2. The program specifies education and training objectives in terms of the competencies expected of its graduates. Those competencies must be consistent with: (a) The program’s philosophy and training model; and (b) The substantive area(s) of professional psychology for which the program prepares its interns for the entry level of practice (see Scope of Accreditation for definition of substantive areas).

3. The internship is an organized program. It consists of a properly administered, planned, structured, and programmed sequence of professionally supervised training experiences that are characterized by greater depth, breadth, duration, frequency, and intensity than practicum training. The training program includes the following: (a) The program’s training activities are structured in terms of their sequence, intensity, duration, and frequency as well as planned and programmed in the modality of the training activities and their content; (b) The primary training method is experiential (i.e., service delivery in direct contact with service recipients). The experiential training component includes socialization into the profession of psychology and is augmented by other appropriately integrated modalities, such as mentoring, didactic exposure, role modeling and enactment, observational/vicarious learning, supervisory or consultative guidance; (c) Intern supervision is regularly scheduled and sufficient relative to the intern’s professional responsibility assuring at a minimum that a full-time intern will receive 4 hours of supervision per week, at least 2 hours of which will include individual supervision; (d) The content of internship training activities addresses the application of psychological concepts and current scientific knowledge, principles, and theories to the

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professional delivery of psychological services to the consumer public; professional conduct and ethics; and standards for providers of psychological services; (e) The program has an administrative structure and process which systematically coordinates, controls, directs, and organizes the training activity and resources; and (f) The program has a designated leader who is a doctoral psychologist, appropriately credentialed (i.e., licensed, registered, or certified) to practice psychology in the jurisdiction in which the internship is located and who is primarily responsible for directing the training program.

4. In achieving its objectives, the program requires that all interns demonstrate an intermediate to advanced level of professional psychological skills, abilities, proficiencies, competencies, and knowledge in the areas of: (a) Theories and methods of assessment and diagnosis and effective intervention (including empirically supported treatments); (b) Theories and/or methods of consultation, evaluation, and supervision; (c) Strategies of scholarly inquiry; and (d) Issues of cultural and individual diversity that are relevant to all of the above.

5. The program has the responsibility to further the training experiences of its interns and to promote the integration of practice and scholarly inquiry. Consistent with these responsibilities, the program should: (a) Demonstrate that interns’ service delivery tasks and duties are primarily learning oriented and that training considerations take precedence over service delivery and revenue generation; and (b) Ensure that the interns’ educational and practicum experiences are consistent with the program’s model, philosophy, and training goals and are appropriate for doctoral training in professional psychology. Furthermore, given its stated goals and expected competencies, the program is expected to provide information regarding the minimal level of achievement it requires for interns to satisfactorily progress through and complete the internship program, as well as evidence that it adheres to the minimum levels it has set.

Domain C: Program Resources The program demonstrates that it possesses resources of appropriate quality and sufficiency to achieve its training goals and objectives.

1. The program has formally designated intern training supervisors who: (a) Function as an integral part of the site where the program is housed and have primary responsibility for professional service delivery; (b) Are sufficient in number to accomplish the program’s service delivery and supervision of training activities and goals;

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(c) Are doctoral-level psychologists who have primary professional (clinical) responsibility for the cases on which they provide supervision, and are appropriately credentialed (i.e., licensed, registered or certified) to practice psychology in the jurisdiction in which the internship is located; (d) Are responsible for reviewing with the interns the relevant scientific and empirical bases for the professional services delivered by the interns; (e) Are of appropriate quality for the program’s philosophy or training model and goals; (f) Participate actively in the program’s planning, its implementation, and its evaluation; and (g) Serve as professional role models to the interns consistent with the training goals and objectives.

In addition to the designated intern training staff, the program may include appropriately qualified adjunct staff/supervisors to augment and expand interns’ training experiences, provided these adjuncts are integrated into the program and are held to standards of competence appropriate to their role/contribution within the program (as in 1 (d), (e), & (g) above).

2. The program has an identifiable body of interns who: (a) Are of sufficient number to ensure meaningful peer interaction, support, and socialization; (b) Are either in the process of completing a doctoral degree in professional psychology from a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution in the United States or have completed a doctoral degree in psychology in a field other than professional psychology and are certified by a director of graduate professional psychology training as having participated in an organized program in which the equivalent of pre-internship training has been acquired at a regionally accredited degree-granting institution in the United States. In the case of Canadian programs, the institution is publicly recognized as a member in good standing by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada; (c) Have completed adequate and appropriate supervised practicum training, which must include face-to face delivery of professional psychological services; (d) Have interests, aptitudes, and prior academic and practicum experiences that are appropriate for the internship’s goals and objectives; (e) Have an understanding of the program’s philosophy, goals, and model of training; (f) Have meaningful involvement in those activities and decisions that serve to enhance internship training and education; and (g) Have a training status at the site that is officially recognized in the form of a title or designation such as “psychology intern” (consistent with the licensing laws of the jurisdiction in which the internship is located).

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3. The program has the necessary additional resources required to achieve its training goals and objectives. The program works with the administration of the sponsor institution to develop a plan for the acquisition of those additional resources that may be necessary for program development. These should include: (a) Financial support for its intern stipends, staff, and training activities; (b) Clerical and technical support; (c) Training materials and equipment; (d) Physical facilities and training settings; and (e) Training settings appropriate to the program’s training model.

4. An internship program may consist of, or be located under, a single administrative entity (institution, agency, school, department, etc.) or may take the form of a consortium. A consortium is comprised of multiple independently administered entities which have, in writing, formally agreed to pool resources to conduct a training or education program. Written consortial agreements should articulate: (a) The nature and characteristics of the participating entities; (b) The rationale for the consortial partnership; (c) Each partner’s commitment to the training/education program, its philosophy, model, and goals; (d) Each partner’s obligations regarding contributions and access to resources; (e) Each partner’s adherence to central control and coordination of the training program; and (f) Each partner’s commitment to uniform administration and implementation of the program’s training principles, policies, and procedures addressing trainee/student admission, financial support, training resource access, potential performance expectations, and evaluations.

An individual consortial partner (member entity) of an accredited consortium may not publicize itself as independently accredited unless it also has independently applied for and received accreditation.

Domain D: Cultural and Individual Differences and Diversity The program recognizes the importance of cultural and individual differences and diversity in the training of psychologists.

1. The program has made systematic, coherent, and long-term efforts to attract and retain interns and staff from differing ethnic, racial, and personal backgrounds into the program.

Consistent with such efforts, it acts to ensure a supportive and encouraging learning environment appropriate for the training of diverse individuals and the provision of training

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opportunities for a wide spectrum of individuals. Further, the program avoids any actions that would restrict program access on grounds that are irrelevant to success in internship training or a career in professional psychology.6 2. The program has a thoughtful and coherent plan to provide interns with relevant knowledge and experiences about the role of cultural and individual diversity in psychological phenomena and professional practice. It engages in positive efforts designed to ensure that interns will have opportunities to learn about cultural and individual diversity as they relate to the practice of psychology. The avenues by which these goals are achieved are to be developed by the program.

Domain E: Intern–Staff Relations The program demonstrates that its education, training, and socialization experiences are characterized by mutual respect and courtesy between interns and training staff and that it operates in a manner that facilitates interns’ training and educational experiences.

1. The program recognizes the rights of interns and staff to be treated with courtesy and respect. In order to maximize the quality and effectiveness of the interns’ learning experiences, all interactions among interns, training supervisors, and staff should be collegial and conducted in a manner that reflects the highest standards of the profession (see the current APA “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.”) The program has an obligation to inform interns of these principles and of their avenues of recourse should problems arise.

2. Program staff are accessible to the interns and provide them with a level of guidance and supervision that encourages successful completion of the internship. The staff provide appropriate professional role models and engage in actions that promote the interns’ acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with the program’s training goals.

3. The program shows respect for cultural and individual diversity among its interns by treating them in accord with the principles contained in Domain A, Section 5 of this document.

4. At the time of admission, the program provides interns with written policies and procedures regarding program requirements and expectations for interns’ performance and continuance in the program and procedures for the termination of interns. Interns receive, at least semiannually, written feedback on the extent to which they are meeting these requirements

_____ 6

See Footnote 4 for a further explication of this principle.

This requirement does not exclude programs from having a religious affiliation or purpose and adopting and applying admission and employment policies that directly relate to this affiliation or purpose so long as: (1) Public notice of these policies has been made to applicants, students, faculty, or staff before their application or affiliation with the program; and (2) the policies do not contravene the intent of other relevant portions of this document or the concept of academic freedom. These policies may provide a preference for persons adhering to the religious purpose or affiliation of the program, but they shall not be used to preclude the admission, hiring, or retention of individuals because of the personal and demographic characteristics described in Domain A, Section 5 of this document (and referred to as cultural and individual diversity). This footnote is intended to permit religious policies as to admission, retention, and employment only to the extent that they are protected by the U.S. Constitution. It will be administered as if the U.S. Constitution governed its application.

4

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and performance expectations. The feedback should address the interns’ performance and progress in terms of professional conduct and psychological knowledge, skills, and competencies in the areas of psychological assessment, intervention, and consultation. Such feedback should include: (a) Timely written notification of all problems that have been noted and the opportunity to discuss them; (b) Guidance regarding steps to remediate all problems (if remediable); and (c) Substantive written feedback on the extent to which corrective actions are or are not successful in addressing the issues of concern.

5. The program should issue a certificate of internship completion to interns successfully completing its training program. In all matters relevant to the evaluation of interns’ performance, programs must adhere to their institution’s regulations and local, state, and federal statutes regarding due process and fair treatment of interns.

6. Each program will be responsible for keeping information and records of all formal complaints and grievances against the program, of which it is aware, filed against the program and/or against individuals associated with the program since its last accreditation site visit. The Commission on Accreditation will examine programs’ records of student complaints as part of its periodic review of programs.

Domain F: Program Self-Assessment and Quality Enhancement The program demonstrates a commitment to excellence through self-study, which assures that its goals and objectives are met, enhances the quality of professional education and training obtained by its interns and training staff, and contributes to the fulfillment of its host institution’s mission.

1. The program, with appropriate involvement from its interns, engages in regular, ongoing selfstudies that address: (a) Its expectations for the quantity and quality of the intern’s preparation and performance (prior to the initiation of any training activities); (b) Its effectiveness in achieving program goals and objectives in terms of outcome data (i.e., while interns are in the program and after completion and including the interns’ views regarding the quality of the training experiences and the program); (c) Its procedures to maintain current achievements or to make changes as necessary; and (d) Its goals, objectives, and outcome data relevant thereto, in relation to local, regional, state/provincial, and national standards of professional practice and changes in the knowledge base of the profession.

2. The program provides resources and/or opportunities to enhance the quality of its training and supervision staff through continued professional development.

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3. The program and its host institution value and recognize the importance of internship training and of the staff’s training and supervisory efforts and demonstrate this valuing in tangible ways.

Domain G: Public Disclosure The program demonstrates its commitment to public disclosure by providing written materials and other communications that appropriately represent it to the relevant publics.

1. The program is described accurately and completely in documents that are available to current interns, prospective interns, and other “publics.” The descriptions of the program should include: (a) Its goals, objectives, and training model; its selection procedures and requirements for completion; its training staff, interns, facilities, and other resources; and its administrative policies and procedures; and (b) Its status with regard to accreditation, including the specific program covered by that status, and the name, address, and telephone number of the Commission on Accreditation. The program should make available, as appropriate through its sponsor institution, such reports or other materials as pertain to the program’s accreditation status.

Domain H: Relationship With Accrediting Body The internship program demonstrates its commitment to the accreditation process by fulfilling its responsibilities to the accrediting body from which its accredited status is granted.

1. The internship abides by the accrediting body’s published policies and procedures as they pertain to its recognition as an accredited internship site.

2. The internship informs the accrediting body in a timely manner of changes in its environment, plans, resources, or operations that could alter the internship’s quality.

3. The internship is in good standing with the accrediting body in terms of payment of fees associated with the maintenance of its accredited status.

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APPENDIX B Ethics Guidelines and Principles

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American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010 Amendments Introduction and Applicability The American Psychological Association's (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (hereinafter referred to as the Ethics Code) consists of an Introduction, a Preamble, five General Principles, and specific Ethical Standards. The Introduction discusses the intent, organization, procedural considerations, and scope of application of the Ethics Code. The Preamble and General Principles are aspirational goals to guide psychologists toward the highest ideals of psychology. Although the Preamble and General Principles are not themselves enforceable rules, they should be considered by psychologists in arriving at an ethical course of action. The Ethical Standards set forth enforceable rules for conduct as psychologists. Most of the Ethical Standards are written broadly, in order to apply to psychologists in varied roles, although the application of an Ethical Standard may vary depending on the context. The Ethical Standards are not exhaustive. The fact that a given conduct is not specifically addressed by an Ethical Standard does not mean that it is necessarily either ethical or unethical.

This Ethics Code applies only to psychologists' activities that are part of their scientific, educational, or professional roles as psychologists. Areas covered include but are not limited to the clinical, counseling, and school practice of psychology; research; teaching; supervision of trainees; public service; policy development; social intervention; development of assessment instruments; conducting assessments; educational counseling; organizational consulting; forensic activities; program design and evaluation; and administration. This Ethics Code applies to these activities across a variety of contexts, such as in person, postal, telephone, internet, and other electronic transmissions. These activities shall be distinguished from the purely private conduct of psychologists, which is not within the purview of the Ethics Code.

Membership in the APA commits members and student affiliates to comply with the standards of the APA Ethics Code and to the rules and procedures used to enforce them. Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an Ethical Standard is not itself a defense to a charge of unethical conduct.

The procedures for filing, investigating, and resolving complaints of unethical conduct are described in the current Rules and Procedures of the APA Ethics Committee. APA may impose sanctions on its members for violations of the standards of the Ethics Code, including termination of APA membership, and may notify other bodies and individuals of its actions. Actions that violate the standards of the Ethics Code may also lead to the imposition of sanctions on psychologists or students whether or not they are APA members by bodies other than APA, including state psychological associations, other professional groups, psychology boards, other state or federal agencies, and payors for health services.

In addition, APA may take action against a member after his or her conviction of a felony, expulsion or suspension from an affiliated state psychological association, or suspension or loss of licensure. When the sanction to be imposed by APA is less than expulsion, the 2001 Rules and Procedures do not guarantee an opportunity for an in-person hearing, but generally provide that complaints will be resolved only on the basis of a submitted record.

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The Ethics Code is intended to provide guidance for psychologists and standards of professional conduct that can be applied by the APA and by other bodies that choose to adopt them. The Ethics Code is not intended to be a basis of civil liability. Whether a psychologist has violated the Ethics Code standards does not by itself determine whether the psychologist is legally liable in a court action, whether a contract is enforceable, or whether other legal consequences occur.

The modifiers used in some of the standards of this Ethics Code (e.g., reasonably, appropriate, potentially) are included in the standards when they would (1) allow professional judgment on the part of psychologists, (2) eliminate injustice or inequality that would occur without the modifier, (3) ensure applicability across the broad range of activities conducted by psychologists, or (4) guard against a set of rigid rules that might be quickly outdated. As used in this Ethics Code, the term reasonable means the prevailing professional judgment of psychologists engaged in similar activities in similar circumstances, given the knowledge the psychologist had or should have had at the time.

In the process of making decisions regarding their professional behavior, psychologists must consider this Ethics Code in addition to applicable laws and psychology board regulations. In applying the Ethics Code to their professional work, psychologists may consider other materials and guidelines that have been adopted or endorsed by scientific and professional psychological organizations and the dictates of their own conscience, as well as consult with others within the field. If this Ethics Code establishes a higher standard of conduct than is required by law, psychologists must meet the higher ethical standard.

If psychologists' ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists make known their commitment to this Ethics Code and take steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner in keeping with basic principles of human rights.

Preamble Psychologists are committed to increasing scientific and professional knowledge of behavior and people's understanding of themselves and others and to the use of such knowledge to improve the condition of individuals, organizations, and society. Psychologists respect and protect civil and human rights and the central importance of freedom of inquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication. They strive to help the public in developing informed judgments and choices concerning human behavior. In doing so, they perform many roles, such as researcher, educator, diagnostician, therapist, supervisor, consultant, administrator, social interventionist, and expert witness. This Ethics Code provides a common set of principles and standards upon which psychologists build their professional and scientific work.

This Ethics Code is intended to provide specific standards to cover most situations encountered by psychologists. It has as its goals the welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom psychologists work and the education of members, students, and the public regarding ethical standards of the discipline.

The development of a dynamic set of ethical standards for psychologists' work-related conduct requires a personal commitment and lifelong effort to act ethically; to encourage ethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees, and colleagues; and to consult with others concerning ethical problems.

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General Principles This section consists of General Principles. General Principles, as opposed to Ethical Standards, are aspirational in nature. Their intent is to guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ethical ideals of the profession. General Principles, in contrast to Ethical Standards, do not represent obligations and should not form the basis for imposing sanctions. Relying upon General Principles for either of these reasons distorts both their meaning and purpose.

Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence Psychologists strive to benefit those with whom they work and take care to do no harm. In their professional actions, psychologists seek to safeguard the welfare and rights of those with whom they interact professionally and other affected persons, and the welfare of animal subjects of research. When conflicts occur among psychologists' obligations or concerns, they attempt to resolve these conflicts in a responsible fashion that avoids or minimizes harm. Because psychologists' scientific and professional judgments and actions may affect the lives of others, they are alert to and guard against personal, financial, social, organizational, or political factors that might lead to misuse of their influence.

Psychologists strive to be aware of the possible effect of their own physical and mental health on their ability to help those with whom they work.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility Psychologists establish relationships of trust with those with whom they work. They are aware of their professional and scientific responsibilities to society and to the specific communities in which they work.

Psychologists uphold professional standards of conduct, clarify their professional roles and obligations, accept appropriate responsibility for their behavior, and seek to manage conflicts of interest that could lead to exploitation or harm. Psychologists consult with, refer to, or cooperate with other professionals and institutions to the extent needed to serve the best interests of those with whom they work. They are concerned about the ethical compliance of their colleagues' scientific and professional conduct.

Psychologists strive to contribute a portion of their professional time for little or no compensation or personal advantage.

Principle C: Integrity Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology. In these activities psychologists do not steal, cheat, or engage in fraud, subterfuge, or intentional misrepresentation of fact. Psychologists strive to keep their promises and to avoid unwise or unclear commitments. In situations in which deception may be ethically justifiable to maximize benefits and minimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation to consider the need for, the possible consequences of, and their responsibility to correct any resulting mistrust or other harmful effects that arise from the use of such techniques.

Principle D: Justice Psychologists recognize that fairness and justice entitle all persons to access to and benefit from the contributions of psychology and to equal quality in the processes, procedures, and services being conducted by psychologists. Psychologists exercise reasonable judgment and take precautions to ensure that their potential biases, the boundaries of their competence, and the limitations of their expertise do not lead to or condone unjust practices.

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confidentiality, and self-determination. Psychologists are aware that special safeguards may be necessary to protect the rights and welfare of persons or communities whose vulnerabilities impair autonomous decision making. Psychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Psychologists try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices.

Standard 1: Resolving Ethical Issues 1.01 Misuse of Psychologists' Work If psychologists learn of misuse or misrepresentation of their work, they take reasonable steps to correct or minimize the misuse or misrepresentation.

1.02 Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority If psychologists’ ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code, and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights.

1.03 Conflicts Between Ethics and Organizational Demands If the demands of an organization with which psychologists are affiliated or for whom they are working are in conflict with this Ethics Code, psychologists clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code, and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights.

1.04 Informal Resolution of Ethical Violations When psychologists believe that there may have been an ethical violation by another psychologist, they attempt to resolve the issue by bringing it to the attention of that individual, if an informal resolution appears appropriate and the intervention does not violate any confidentiality rights that may be involved. (See also Standards 1.02, Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority, and 1.03, Conflicts Between Ethics and Organizational Demands.)

1.05 Reporting Ethical Violations If an apparent ethical violation has substantially harmed or is likely to substantially harm a person or organization and is not appropriate for informal resolution under Standard 1.04, Informal Resolution of Ethical Violations, or is not resolved properly in that fashion, psychologists take further action appropriate to the situation. Such action might include referral to state or national committees on professional ethics, to state licensing boards, or to the appropriate institutional authorities. This standard does not apply when an intervention would violate confidentiality rights or when psychologists have been retained to review the work of another psychologist whose professional conduct is in question. (See also Standard 1.02, Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority.)

1.06 Cooperating with Ethics Committees Psychologists cooperate in ethics investigations, proceedings, and resulting requirements of the APA or

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any affiliated state psychological association to which they belong. In doing so, they address any confidentiality issues. Failure to cooperate is itself an ethics violation. However, making a request for deferment of adjudication of an ethics complaint pending the outcome of litigation does not alone constitute noncooperation.

1.07 Improper Complaints Psychologists do not file or encourage the filing of ethics complaints that are made with reckless disregard for or willful ignorance of facts that would disprove the allegation.

1.08 Unfair Discrimination Against Complainants and Respondents Psychologists do not deny persons employment, advancement, admissions to academic or other programs, tenure, or promotion, based solely upon their having made or their being the subject of an ethics complaint. This does not preclude taking action based upon the outcome of such proceedings or considering other appropriate information.

Standard 2: Competence 2.01 Boundaries of Competence (a) Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience. (b) Where scientific or professional knowledge in the discipline of psychology establishes that an understanding of factors associated with age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status is essential for effective implementation of their services or research, psychologists have or obtain the training, experience, consultation, or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of their services, or they make appropriate referrals, except as provided in Standard 2.02, Providing Services in Emergencies. (c) Psychologists planning to provide services, teach, or conduct research involving populations, areas, techniques, or technologies new to them undertake relevant education, training, supervised experience, consultation, or study. (d) When psychologists are asked to provide services to individuals for whom appropriate mental health services are not available and for which psychologists have not obtained the competence necessary, psychologists with closely related prior training or experience may provide such services in order to ensure that services are not denied if they make a reasonable effort to obtain the competence required by using relevant research, training, consultation, or study. (e) In those emerging areas in which generally recognized standards for preparatory training do not yet exist, psychologists nevertheless take reasonable steps to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients/patients, students, supervisees, research participants, organizational clients, and others from harm. (f) When assuming forensic roles, psychologists are or become reasonably familiar with the judicial or administrative rules governing their roles.

2.02 Providing Services in Emergencies In emergencies, when psychologists provide services to individuals for whom other mental health services are not available and for which psychologists have not obtained the necessary training, psychologists may provide such services in order to ensure that services are not denied. The services are discontinued as soon as the emergency has ended or appropriate services are available.

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2.03 Maintaining Competence Psychologists undertake ongoing efforts to develop and maintain their competence.

2.04 Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments Psychologists' work is based upon established scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline.

(See also Standards 2.01e, Boundaries of Competence, and 10.01b, Informed Consent to Therapy.)

2.05 Delegation of Work to Others Psychologists who delegate work to employees, supervisees, or research or teaching assistants or who use the services of others, such as interpreters, take reasonable steps to (1) avoid delegating such work to persons who have a multiple relationship with those being served that would likely lead to exploitation or loss of objectivity; (2) authorize only those responsibilities that such persons can be expected to perform competently on the basis of their education, training, or experience, either independently or with the level of supervision being provided; and (3) see that such persons perform these services competently. (See also Standards 2.02, Providing Services in Emergencies; 3.05, Multiple Relationships; 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality; 9.01, Bases for Assessments; 9.02, Use of Assessments; 9.03, Informed Consent in Assessments; and 9.07, Assessment by Unqualified Persons.)

2.06 Personal Problems and Conflicts (a) Psychologists refrain from initiating an activity when they know or should know that there is a substantial likelihood that their personal problems will prevent them from performing their workrelated activities in a competent manner. (b) When psychologists become aware of personal problems that may interfere with their performing work-related duties adequately, they take appropriate measures, such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, and determine whether they should limit, suspend, or terminate their workrelated duties. (See also Standard 10.10, Terminating Therapy.)

Standard 3: Human Relations 3.01 Unfair Discrimination In their work-related activities, psychologists do not engage in unfair discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law.

3.02 Sexual Harassment Psychologists do not engage in sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is sexual solicitation, physical advances, or verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature, that occurs in connection with the psychologist's activities or roles as a psychologist, and that either (1) is unwelcome, is offensive, or creates a hostile workplace or educational environment, and the psychologist knows or is told this or (2) is sufficiently severe or intense to be abusive to a reasonable person in the context. Sexual harassment can consist of a single intense or severe act or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts. (See also Standard 1.08, Unfair Discrimination Against Complainants and Respondents.)

3.03 Other Harassment Psychologists do not knowingly engage in behavior that is harassing or demeaning to persons with whom they interact in their work based on factors such as those persons' age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status.

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3.04 Avoiding Harm Psychologists take reasonable steps to avoid harming their clients/patients, students, supervisees, research participants, organizational clients, and others with whom they work, and to minimize harm where it is foreseeable and unavoidable.

3.05 Multiple Relationships (a) A multiple relationship occurs when a psychologist is in a professional role with a person and (1) at the same time is in another role with the same person, (2) at the same time is in a relationship with a person closely associated with or related to the person with whom the psychologist has the professional relationship, or (3) promises to enter into another relationship in the future with the person or a person closely associated with or related to the person.

A psychologist refrains from entering into a multiple relationship if the multiple relationship could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist's objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing his or her functions as a psychologist, or otherwise risks exploitation or harm to the person with whom the professional relationship exists.

Multiple relationships that would not reasonably be expected to cause impairment or risk exploitation or harm are not unethical. (b) If a psychologist finds that, due to unforeseen factors, a potentially harmful multiple relationship has arisen, the psychologist takes reasonable steps to resolve it with due regard for the best interests of the affected person and maximal compliance with the Ethics Code. (c) When psychologists are required by law, institutional policy, or extraordinary circumstances to serve in more than one role in judicial or administrative proceedings, at the outset they clarify role expectations and the extent of confidentiality and thereafter as changes occur. (See also Standards 3.04, Avoiding Harm, and 3.07, Third-Party Requests for Services.)

3.06 Conflict of Interest Psychologists refrain from taking on a professional role when personal, scientific, professional, legal, financial, or other interests or relationships could reasonably be expected to (1) impair their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing their functions as psychologists or (2) expose the person or organization with whom the professional relationship exists to harm or exploitation.

3.07 Third-Party Requests for Services When psychologists agree to provide services to a person or entity at the request of a third party, psychologists attempt to clarify at the outset of the service the nature of the relationship with all individuals or organizations involved. This clarification includes the role of the psychologist (e.g., therapist, consultant, diagnostician, or expert witness), an identification of who is the client, the probable uses of the services provided or the information obtained, and the fact that there may be limits to confidentiality. (See also Standards 3.05, Multiple relationships, and 4.02, Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality.)

3.08 Exploitative Relationships Psychologists do not exploit persons over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or other authority such as clients/patients, students, supervisees, research participants, and employees. (See also Standards 3.05, Multiple Relationships; 6.04, Fees and Financial Arrangements; 6.05, Barter with Clients/Patients; 7.07, Sexual Relationships with Students and Supervisees; 10.05, Sexual Intimacies with Current Therapy Clients/Patients; 10.06, Sexual Intimacies with Relatives or Significant Others of Current Therapy Clients/Patients; 10.07, Therapy with Former Sexual Partners; and 10.08, Sexual Intimacies with Former Therapy Clients/Patients.)

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3.09 Cooperation with Other Professionals When indicated and professionally appropriate, psychologists cooperate with other professionals in order to serve their clients/patients effectively and appropriately. (See also Standard 4.05, Disclosures.)

3.10 Informed Consent (a) When psychologists conduct research or provide assessment, therapy, counseling, or consulting services in person or via electronic transmission or other forms of communication, they obtain the informed consent of the individual or individuals using language that is reasonably understandable to that person or persons except when conducting such activities without consent is mandated by law or governmental regulation or as otherwise provided in this Ethics Code. (See also Standards 8.02, Informed Consent to Research; 9.03, Informed Consent in Assessments; and 10.01, Informed Consent to Therapy.) (b) For persons who are legally incapable of giving informed consent, psychologists nevertheless (1) provide an appropriate explanation, (2) seek the individual's assent, (3) consider such persons' preferences and best interests, and (4) obtain appropriate permission from a legally authorized person, if such substitute consent is permitted or required by law. When consent by a legally authorized person is not permitted or required by law, psychologists take reasonable steps to protect the individual's rights and welfare. (c) When psychological services are court ordered or otherwise mandated, psychologists inform the individual of the nature of the anticipated services, including whether the services are court ordered or mandated and any limits of confidentiality, before proceeding. (d) Psychologists appropriately document written or oral consent, permission, and assent. (See also Standards 8.02, Informed Consent to Research; 9.03, Informed Consent in Assessments; and 10.01, Informed Consent to Therapy.)

3.11 Psychological Services Delivered to or Through Organizations (a) Psychologists delivering services to or through organizations provide information beforehand to clients and when appropriate those directly affected by the services about (1) the nature and objectives of the services, (2) the intended recipients, (3) which of the individuals are clients, (4) the relationship the psychologist will have with each person and the organization, (5) the probable uses of services provided and information obtained, (6) who will have access to the information, and (7) limits of confidentiality. As soon as feasible, they provide information about the results and conclusions of such services to appropriate persons. (b) If psychologists will be precluded by law or by organizational roles from providing such information to particular individuals or groups, they so inform those individuals or groups at the outset of the service.

3.12 Interruption of Psychological Services Unless otherwise covered by contract, psychologists make reasonable efforts to plan for facilitating services in the event that psychological services are interrupted by factors such as the psychologist's illness, death, unavailability, relocation, or retirement or by the client's/patient's relocation or financial limitations. (See also Standard 6.02c, Maintenance, Dissemination, and Disposal of Confidential Records of Professional and Scientific Work.)

Standard 4: Privacy and Confidentiality 4.01 Maintaining Confidentiality Psychologists have a primary obligation and take reasonable precautions to protect confidential information obtained through or stored in any medium, recognizing that the extent and limits of

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confidentiality may be regulated by law or established by institutional rules or professional or scientific relationship. (See also Standard 2.05, Delegation of Work to Others.)

4.02 Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality (a) Psychologists discuss with persons (including, to the extent feasible, persons who are legally incapable of giving informed consent and their legal representatives) and organizations with whom they establish a scientific or professional relationship (1) the relevant limits of confidentiality and (2) the foreseeable uses of the information generated through their psychological activities. (See also Standard 3.10, Informed Consent.) (b) Unless it is not feasible or is contraindicated, the discussion of confidentiality occurs at the outset of the relationship and thereafter as new circumstances may warrant. (c) Psychologists who offer services, products, or information via electronic transmission inform clients/patients of the risks to privacy and limits of confidentiality.

4.03 Recording Before recording the voices or images of individuals to whom they provide services, psychologists obtain permission from all such persons or their legal representatives. (See also Standards 8.03, Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research; 8.05, Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research; and 8.07, Deception in Research.)

4.04 Minimizing Intrusions on Privacy (a) Psychologists include in written and oral reports and consultations, only information germane to the purpose for which the communication is made. (b) Psychologists discuss confidential information obtained in their work only for appropriate scientific or professional purposes and only with persons clearly concerned with such matters.

4.05 Disclosures (a) Psychologists may disclose confidential information with the appropriate consent of the organizational client, the individual client/patient, or another legally authorized person on behalf of the client/patient unless prohibited by law. (b) Psychologists disclose confidential information without the consent of the individual only as mandated by law, or where permitted by law for a valid purpose such as to (1) provide needed professional services; (2) obtain appropriate professional consultations; (3) protect the client/patient, psychologist, or others from harm; or (4) obtain payment for services from a client/patient, in which instance disclosure is limited to the minimum that is necessary to achieve the purpose. (See also Standard 6.04e, Fees and Financial Arrangements.)

4.06 Consultations When consulting with colleagues, (1) psychologists do not disclose confidential information that reasonably could lead to the identification of a client/patient, research participant, or other person or organization with whom they have a confidential relationship unless they have obtained the prior consent of the person or organization or the disclosure cannot be avoided, and (2) they disclose information only to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation. (See also Standard 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality.)

4.07 Use of Confidential Information for Didactic or Other Purposes Psychologists do not disclose in their writings, lectures, or other public media, confidential, personally identifiable information concerning their clients/patients, students, research participants, organizational

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clients, or other recipients of their services that they obtained during the course of their work, unless (1) they take reasonable steps to disguise the person or organization, (2) the person or organization has consented in writing, or (3) there is legal authorization for doing so.

Standard 5: Advertising and Other Public Statements 5.01 Avoidance of False or Deceptive Statements (a) Public statements include but are not limited to paid or unpaid advertising, product endorsements, grant applications, licensing applications, other credentialing applications, brochures, printed matter, directory listings, personal resumes or curricula vitae, or comments for use in media such as print or electronic transmission, statements in legal proceedings, lectures and public oral presentations, and published materials. Psychologists do not knowingly make public statements that are false, deceptive, or fraudulent concerning their research, practice, or other work activities or those of persons or organizations with which they are affiliated. (b) Psychologists do not make false, deceptive, or fraudulent statements concerning (1) their training, experience, or competence; (2) their academic degrees; (3) their credentials; (4) their institutional or association affiliations; (5) their services; (6) the scientific or clinical basis for, or results or degree of success of, their services; (7) their fees; or (8) their publications or research findings. (c) Psychologists claim degrees as credentials for their health services only if those degrees (1) were earned from a regionally accredited educational institution or (2) were the basis for psychology licensure by the state in which they practice.

5.02 Statements by Others (a) Psychologists who engage others to create or place public statements that promote their professional practice, products, or activities retain professional responsibility for such statements. (b) Psychologists do not compensate employees of press, radio, television, or other communication media in return for publicity in a news item. (See also Standard 1.01, Misuse of Psychologists' Work.) (c) A paid advertisement relating to psychologists' activities must be identified or clearly recognizable as such.

5.03 Descriptions of Workshops and Non-Degree-Granting Educational Programs To the degree to which they exercise control, psychologists responsible for announcements, catalogs, brochures, or advertisements describing workshops, seminars, or other non-degree-granting educational programs ensure that they accurately describe the audience for which the program is intended, the educational objectives, the presenters, and the fees involved.

5.04 Media Presentations When psychologists provide public advice or comment via print, Internet, or other electronic transmission, they take precautions to ensure that statements (1) are based on their professional knowledge, training, or experience in accord with appropriate psychological literature and practice; (2) are otherwise consistent with this Ethics Code; and (3) do not indicate that a professional relationship has been established with the recipient. (See also Standard 2.04, Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments.)

5.05 Testimonials Psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.

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5.06 In-Person Solicitation Psychologists do not engage, directly or through agents, in uninvited in-person solicitation of business from actual or potential therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence. However, this prohibition does not preclude (1) attempting to implement appropriate collateral contacts for the purpose of benefiting an already engaged therapy client/patient or (2) providing disaster or community outreach services.

Standard 6: Record Keeping and Fees 6.01 Documentation of Professional and Scientific Work and Maintenance of Records Psychologists create, and to the extent the records are under their control, maintain, disseminate, store, retain, and dispose of records and data relating to their professional and scientific work in order to (1) facilitate provision of services later by them or by other professionals, (2) allow for replication of research design and analyses, (3) meet institutional requirements, (4) ensure accuracy of billing and payments, and (5) ensure compliance with law. (See also Standard 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality.)

6.02 Maintenance, Dissemination, and Disposal of Confidential Records of Professional and Scientific Work (a) Psychologists maintain confidentiality in creating, storing, accessing, transferring, and disposing of records under their control, whether these are written, automated, or in any other medium. (See also Standards 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality, and 6.01, Documentation of Professional and Scientific Work and Maintenance of Records.) (b) If confidential information concerning recipients of psychological services is entered into databases or systems of records available to persons whose access has not been consented to by the recipient, psychologists use coding or other techniques to avoid the inclusion of personal identifiers. (c) Psychologists make plans in advance to facilitate the appropriate transfer and to protect the confidentiality of records and data in the event of psychologists' withdrawal from positions or practice.

(See also Standards 3.12, Interruption of Psychological Services, and 10.09, Interruption of Therapy.)

6.03 Withholding Records for Nonpayment Psychologists may not withhold records under their control that are requested and needed for a client's/patient's emergency treatment solely because payment has not been received.

6.04 Fees and Financial Arrangements (a) As early as is feasible in a professional or scientific relationship, psychologists and recipients of psychological services reach an agreement specifying compensation and billing arrangements. (b) Psychologists' fee practices are consistent with law. (c) Psychologists do not misrepresent their fees. (d) If limitations to services can be anticipated because of limitations in financing, this is discussed with the recipient of services as early as is feasible. (See also Standards 10.09, Interruption of Therapy, and 10.10, Terminating Therapy.) (e) If the recipient of services does not pay for services as agreed, and if psychologists intend to use collection agencies or legal measures to collect the fees, psychologists first inform the person that such measures will be taken and provide that person an opportunity to make prompt payment. (See also Standards 4.05, Disclosures; 6.03, Withholding Records for Nonpayment; and 10.01, Informed Consent to Therapy.)

6.05 Barter with Clients/Patients Barter is the acceptance of goods, services, or other nonmonetary remuneration from clients/patients in

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return for psychological services. Psychologists may barter only if (1) it is not clinically contraindicated, and (2) the resulting arrangement is not exploitative. (See also Standards 3.05, Multiple Relationships, and 6.04, Fees and Financial Arrangements.)

6.06 Accuracy in Reports to Payors and Funding Sources In their reports to payors for services or sources of research funding, psychologists take reasonable steps to ensure the accurate reporting of the nature of the service provided or research conducted, the fees, charges, or payments, and where applicable, the identity of the provider, the findings, and the diagnosis. (See also Standards 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality; 4.04, Minimizing Intrusions on Privacy; and 4.05, Disclosures.)

6.07 Referrals and Fees When psychologists pay, receive payment from, or divide fees with another professional, other than in an employer-employee relationship, the payment to each is based on the services provided (clinical, consultative, administrative, or other) and is not based on the referral itself. (See also Standard 3.09, Cooperation with Other Professionals.)

Standard 7: Education and Training 7.01 Design of Education and Training Programs Psychologists responsible for education and training programs take reasonable steps to ensure that the programs are designed to provide the appropriate knowledge and proper experiences, and to meet the requirements for licensure, certification, or other goals for which claims are made by the program. (See also Standard 5.03, Descriptions of Workshops and Non-Degree-Granting Educational Programs.)

7.02 Descriptions of Education and Training Programs Psychologists responsible for education and training programs take reasonable steps to ensure that there is a current and accurate description of the program content (including participation in required course- or program-related counseling, psychotherapy, experiential groups, consulting projects, or community service), training goals and objectives, stipends and benefits, and requirements that must be met for satisfactory completion of the program. This information must be made readily available to all interested parties.

7.03 Accuracy in Teaching (a) Psychologists take reasonable steps to ensure that course syllabi are accurate regarding the subject matter to be covered, bases for evaluating progress, and the nature of course experiences. This standard does not preclude an instructor from modifying course content or requirements when the instructor considers it pedagogically necessary or desirable, so long as students are made aware of these modifications in a manner that enables them to fulfill course requirements. (See also Standard 5.01, Avoidance of False or Deceptive Statements.) (b) When engaged in teaching or training, psychologists present psychological information accurately.

(See also Standard 2.03, Maintaining Competence.)

7.04 Student Disclosure of Personal Information Psychologists do not require students or supervisees to disclose personal information in course- or program-related activities, either orally or in writing, regarding sexual history, history of abuse and neglect, psychological treatment, and relationships with parents, peers, and spouses or significant others except if (1) the program or training facility has clearly identified this requirement in its admissions and program materials or (2) the information is necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance

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for students whose personal problems could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training- or professionally related activities in a competent manner or posing a threat to the students or others.

7.05 Mandatory Individual or Group Therapy (a) When individual or group therapy is a program or course requirement, psychologists responsible for that program allow students in undergraduate and graduate programs the option of selecting such therapy from practitioners unaffiliated with the program. (See also Standard 7.02, Descriptions of Education and Training Programs.) (b) Faculty who are or are likely to be responsible for evaluating students' academic performance do not themselves provide that therapy. (See also Standard 3.05, Multiple Relationships.)

7.06 Assessing Student and Supervisee Performance (a) In academic and supervisory relationships, psychologists establish a timely and specific process for providing feedback to students and supervisees. Information regarding the process is provided to the student at the beginning of supervision. (b) Psychologists evaluate students and supervisees on the basis of their actual performance on relevant and established program requirements.

7.07 Sexual Relationships with Students and Supervisees Psychologists do not engage in sexual relationships with students or supervisees who are in their department, agency, or training center or over whom psychologists have or are likely to have evaluative authority. (See also Standard 3.05, Multiple Relationships.)

Standard 8: Research and Publication 8.01 Institutional Approval When institutional approval is required, psychologists provide accurate information about their research proposals and obtain approval prior to conducting the research. They conduct the research in accordance with the approved research protocol.

8.02 Informed Consent to Research (a) When obtaining informed consent as required in Standard 3.10, Informed Consent, psychologists inform participants about (1) the purpose of the research, expected duration, and procedures; (2) their right to decline to participate and to withdraw from the research once participation has begun; (3) the foreseeable consequences of declining or withdrawing; (4) reasonably foreseeable factors that may be expected to influence their willingness to participate such as potential risks, discomfort, or adverse effects; (5) any prospective research benefits; (6) limits of confidentiality; (7) incentives for participation; and (8) whom to contact for questions about the research and research participants' rights. They provide opportunity for the prospective participants to ask questions and receive answers. (See also Standards 8.03, Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research; 8.05, Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research; and 8.07, Deception in Research.) (b) Psychologists conducting intervention research involving the use of experimental treatments clarify to participants at the outset of the research (1) the experimental nature of the treatment; (2) the services that will or will not be available to the control group(s) if appropriate; (3) the means by which assignment to treatment and control groups will be made; (4) available treatment alternatives if an individual does not wish to participate in the research or wishes to withdraw once a study has begun; and (5) compensation for or monetary costs of participating including, if appropriate, whether

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reimbursement from the participant or a third-party payor will be sought. (See also Standard 8.02a, Informed Consent to Research.)

8.03 Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research Psychologists obtain informed consent from research participants prior to recording their voices or images for data collection unless (1) the research consists solely of naturalistic observations in public places, and it is not anticipated that the recording will be used in a manner that could cause personal identification or harm, or (2) the research design includes deception, and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing. (See also Standard 8.07, Deception in Research.)

8.04 Client/Patient, Student, and Subordinate Research Participants (a) When psychologists conduct research with clients/patients, students, or subordinates as participants, psychologists take steps to protect the prospective participants from adverse consequences of declining or withdrawing from participation. (b) When research participation is a course requirement or an opportunity for extra credit, the prospective participant is given the choice of equitable alternative activities.

8.05 Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research Psychologists may dispense with informed consent only (1) where research would not reasonably be assumed to create distress or harm and involves (a) the study of normal educational practices, curricula, or classroom management methods conducted in educational settings; (b) only anonymous questionnaires, naturalistic observations, or archival research for which disclosure of responses would not place participants at risk of criminal or civil liability or damage their financial standing, employability, or reputation, and confidentiality is protected; or (c) the study of factors related to job or organization effectiveness conducted in organizational settings for which there is no risk to participants' employability, and confidentiality is protected or (2) where otherwise permitted by law or federal or institutional regulations.

8.06 Offering Inducements for Research Participation (a) Psychologists make reasonable efforts to avoid offering excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce participation. (b) When offering professional services as an inducement for research participation, psychologists clarify the nature of the services, as well as the risks, obligations, and limitations. (See also Standard 6.05, Barter with Clients/Patients.)

8.07 Deception in Research (a) Psychologists do not conduct a study involving deception unless they have determined that the use of deceptive techniques is justified by the study's significant prospective scientific, educational, or applied value and that effective nondeceptive alternative procedures are not feasible. (b) Psychologists do not deceive prospective participants about research that is reasonably expected to cause physical pain or severe emotional distress. (c) Psychologists explain any deception that is an integral feature of the design and conduct of an experiment to participants as early as is feasible, preferably at the conclusion of their participation, but no later than at the conclusion of the data collection, and permit participants to withdraw their data.

(See also Standard 8.08, Debriefing.)

8.08 Debriefing (a) Psychologists provide a prompt opportunity for participants to obtain appropriate information about

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the nature, results, and conclusions of the research, and they take reasonable steps to correct any misconceptions that participants may have of which the psychologists are aware. (b) If scientific or humane values justify delaying or withholding this information, psychologists take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of harm. (c) When psychologists become aware that research procedures have harmed a participant, they take reasonable steps to minimize the harm.

8.09 Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research (a) Psychologists acquire, care for, use, and dispose of animals in compliance with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and with professional standards. (b) Psychologists trained in research methods and experienced in the care of laboratory animals supervise all procedures involving animals and are responsible for ensuring appropriate consideration of their comfort, health, and humane treatment. (c) Psychologists ensure that all individuals under their supervision who are using animals have received instruction in research methods and in the care, maintenance, and handling of the species being used, to the extent appropriate to their role. (See also Standard 2.05, Delegation of Work to Others.) (d) Psychologists make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness, and pain of animal subjects. (e) Psychologists use a procedure subjecting animals to pain, stress, or privation only when an alternative procedure is unavailable and the goal is justified by its prospective scientific, educational, or applied value. (f) Psychologists perform surgical procedures under appropriate anesthesia and follow techniques to avoid infection and minimize pain during and after surgery. (g) When it is appropriate that an animal's life be terminated, psychologists proceed rapidly, with an effort to minimize pain and in accordance with accepted procedures.

8.10 Reporting Research Results (a) Psychologists do not fabricate data. (See also Standard 5.01a, Avoidance of False or Deceptive Statements.) (b) If psychologists discover significant errors in their published data, they take reasonable steps to correct such errors in a correction, retraction, erratum, or other appropriate publication means.

8.11 Plagiarism Psychologists do not present portions of another's work or data as their own, even if the other work or data source is cited occasionally.

8.12 Publication Credit (a) Psychologists take responsibility and credit, including authorship credit, only for work they have actually performed or to which they have substantially contributed. (See also Standard 8.12b, Publication Credit.) (b) Principal authorship and other publication credits accurately reflect the relative scientific or professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their relative status. Mere possession of an institutional position, such as department chair, does not justify authorship credit.

Minor contributions to the research or to the writing for publications are acknowledged appropriately, such as in footnotes or in an introductory statement. (c) Except under exceptional circumstances, a student is listed as principal author on any multipleauthored article that is substantially based on the student's doctoral dissertation. Faculty advisors

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discuss publication credit with students as early as feasible and throughout the research and publication process as appropriate. (See also Standard 8.12b, Publication Credit.)

8.13 Duplicate Publication of Data Psychologists do not publish, as original data, data that have been previously published. This does not preclude republishing data when they are accompanied by proper acknowledgment.

8.14 Sharing Research Data for Verification (a) After research results are published, psychologists do not withhold the data on which their conclusions are based from other competent professionals who seek to verify the substantive claims through reanalysis and who intend to use such data only for that purpose, provided that the confidentiality of the participants can be protected and unless legal rights concerning proprietary data preclude their release. This does not preclude psychologists from requiring that such individuals or groups be responsible for costs associated with the provision of such information. (b) Psychologists who request data from other psychologists to verify the substantive claims through reanalysis may use shared data only for the declared purpose. Requesting psychologists obtain prior written agreement for all other uses of the data.

8.15 Reviewers Psychologists who review material submitted for presentation, publication, grant, or research proposal review respect the confidentiality of and the proprietary rights in such information of those who submitted it.

Standard 9: Assessment 9.01 Bases for Assessments (a) Psychologists base the opinions contained in their recommendations, reports, and diagnostic or evaluative statements, including forensic testimony, on information and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings. (See also Standard 2.04, Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments.) (b) Except as noted in 9.01c, psychologists provide opinions of the psychological characteristics of individuals only after they have conducted an examination of the individuals adequate to support their statements or conclusions. When, despite reasonable efforts, such an examination is not practical, psychologists document the efforts they made and the result of those efforts, clarify the probable impact of their limited information on the reliability and validity of their opinions, and appropriately limit the nature and extent of their conclusions or recommendations. (See also Standards 2.01, Boundaries of Competence, and 9.06, Interpreting Assessment Results.) (c) When psychologists conduct a record review or provide consultation or supervision and an individual examination is not warranted or necessary for the opinion, psychologists explain this and the sources of information on which they based their conclusions and recommendations.

9.02 Use of Assessments (a) Psychologists administer, adapt, score, interpret, or use assessment techniques, interviews, tests, or instruments in a manner and for purposes that are appropriate in light of the research on or evidence of the usefulness and proper application of the techniques. (b) Psychologists use assessment instruments whose validity and reliability have been established for use with members of the population tested. When such validity or reliability has not been established, psychologists describe the strengths and limitations of test results and interpretation. (c) Psychologists use assessment methods that are appropriate to an individual's language preference and competence, unless the use of an alternative language is relevant to the assessment issues.

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9.03 Informed Consent in Assessments (a) Psychologists obtain informed consent for assessments, evaluations, or diagnostic services, as described in Standard 3.10, Informed Consent, except when (1) testing is mandated by law or governmental regulations; (2) informed consent is implied because testing is conducted as a routine educational, institutional, or organizational activity (e.g., when participants voluntarily agree to assessment when applying for a job); or (3) one purpose of the testing is to evaluate decisional capacity.

Informed consent includes an explanation of the nature and purpose of the assessment, fees, involvement of third parties, and limits of confidentiality and sufficient opportunity for the client/patient to ask questions and receive answers. (b) Psychologists inform persons with questionable capacity to consent or for whom testing is mandated by law or governmental regulations about the nature and purpose of the proposed assessment services, using language that is reasonably understandable to the person being assessed. (c) Psychologists using the services of an interpreter obtain informed consent from the client/patient to use that interpreter, ensure that confidentiality of test results and test security are maintained, and include in their recommendations, reports, and diagnostic or evaluative statements, including forensic testimony, discussion of any limitations on the data obtained. (See also Standards 2.05, Delegation of Work to Others; 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality; 9.01, Bases for Assessments; 9.06, Interpreting Assessment Results; and 9.07, Assessment by Unqualified Persons.)

9.04 Release of Test Data (a) The term test data refers to raw and scaled scores, client/patient responses to test questions or stimuli, and psychologists' notes and recordings concerning client/patient statements and behavior during an examination. Those portions of test materials that include client/patient responses are included in the definition of test data. Pursuant to a client/patient release, psychologists provide test data to the client/patient or other persons identified in the release. Psychologists may refrain from releasing test data to protect a client/patient or others from substantial harm or misuse or misrepresentation of the data or the test, recognizing that in many instances release of confidential information under these circumstances is regulated by law. (See also Standard 9.11, Maintaining Test Security.) (b) In the absence of a client/patient release, psychologists provide test data only as required by law or court order.

9.05 Test Construction Psychologists who develop tests and other assessment techniques use appropriate psychometric procedures and current scientific or professional knowledge for test design, standardization, validation, reduction or elimination of bias, and recommendations for use.

9.06 Interpreting Assessment Results When interpreting assessment results, including automated interpretations, psychologists take into account the purpose of the assessment as well as the various test factors, test-taking abilities, and other characteristics of the person being assessed, such as situational, personal, linguistic, and cultural differences, that might affect psychologists' judgments or reduce the accuracy of their interpretations.

They indicate any significant limitations of their interpretations. (See also Standards 2.01b and c, Boundaries of Competence, and 3.01, Unfair Discrimination.)

9.07 Assessment by Unqualified Persons Psychologists do not promote the use of psychological assessment techniques by unqualified persons,

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except when such use is conducted for training purposes with appropriate supervision. (See also Standard 2.05, Delegation of Work to Others.)

9.08 Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results (a) Psychologists do not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose. (b) Psychologists do not base such decisions or recommendations on tests and measures that are obsolete and not useful for the current purpose.

9.09 Test Scoring and Interpretation Services (a) Psychologists who offer assessment or scoring services to other professionals accurately describe the purpose, norms, validity, reliability, and applications of the procedures and any special qualifications applicable to their use. (b) Psychologists select scoring and interpretation services (including automated services) on the basis of evidence of the validity of the program and procedures as well as on other appropriate considerations. (See also Standard 2.01b and c, Boundaries of Competence.) (c) Psychologists retain responsibility for the appropriate application, interpretation, and use of assessment instruments, whether they score and interpret such tests themselves or use automated or other services.

9.10 Explaining Assessment Results Regardless of whether the scoring and interpretation are done by psychologists, by employees or assistants, or by automated or other outside services, psychologists take reasonable steps to ensure that explanations of results are given to the individual or designated representative unless the nature of the relationship precludes provision of an explanation of results (such as in some organizational consulting, preemployment or security screenings, and forensic evaluations), and this fact has been clearly explained to the person being assessed in advance.

9.11 Maintaining Test Security The term test materials refers to manuals, instruments, protocols, and test questions or stimuli and does not include test data as defined in Standard 9.04, Release of Test Data. Psychologists make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and security of test materials and other assessment techniques consistent with law and contractual obligations, and in a manner that permits adherence to this Ethics Code.

Standard 10: Therapy 10.01 Informed Consent to Therapy (a) When obtaining informed consent to therapy as required in Standard 3.10, Informed Consent, psychologists inform clients/patients as early as is feasible in the therapeutic relationship about the nature and anticipated course of therapy, fees, involvement of third parties, and limits of confidentiality and provide sufficient opportunity for the client/patient to ask questions and receive answers. (See also Standards 4.02, Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality, and 6.04, Fees and Financial Arrangements.) (b) When obtaining informed consent for treatment for which generally recognized techniques and procedures have not been established, psychologists inform their clients/patients of the developing nature of the treatment, the potential risks involved, alternative treatments that may be available, and the voluntary nature of their participation. (See also Standards 2.01e, Boundaries of Competence, and 3.10, Informed Consent.)

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(c) When the therapist is a trainee and the legal responsibility for the treatment provided resides with the supervisor, the client/patient, as part of the informed consent procedure, is informed that the therapist is in training and is being supervised and is given the name of the supervisor.

10.02 Therapy Involving Couples or Families (a) When psychologists agree to provide services to several persons who have a relationship (such as spouses, significant others, or parents and children), they take reasonable steps to clarify at the outset (1) which of the individuals are clients/patients and (2) the relationship the psychologist will have with each person. This clarification includes the psychologist's role and the probable uses of the services provided or the information obtained. (See also Standard 4.02, Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality.) (b) If it becomes apparent that psychologists may be called on to perform potentially conflicting roles (such as family therapist and then witness for one party in divorce proceedings), psychologists take reasonable steps to clarify and modify, or withdraw from, roles appropriately. (See also Standard 3.05c, Multiple Relationships.)

10.03 Group Therapy When psychologists provide services to several persons in a group setting, they describe at the outset the roles and responsibilities of all parties and the limits of confidentiality.

10.04 Providing Therapy to Those Served by Others In deciding whether to offer or provide services to those already receiving mental health services elsewhere, psychologists carefully consider the treatment issues and the potential client's/patient's welfare. Psychologists discuss these issues with the client/patient or another legally authorized person on behalf of the client/patient in order to minimize the risk of confusion and conflict, consult with the other service providers when appropriate, and proceed with caution and sensitivity to the therapeutic issues.

10.05 Sexual Intimacies with Current Therapy Clients/Patients Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with current therapy clients/patients.

10.06 Sexual Intimacies with Relatives or Significant Others of Current Therapy Clients/Patients Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with individuals they know to be close relatives, guardians, or significant others of current clients/patients. Psychologists do not terminate therapy to circumvent this standard.

10.07 Therapy with Former Sexual Partners Psychologists do not accept as therapy clients/patients persons with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies.

10.08 Sexual Intimacies with Former Therapy Clients/Patients (a) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients for at least two years after cessation or termination of therapy. (b) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients even after a two-year interval except in the most unusual circumstances. Psychologists who engage in such activity after the two years following cessation or termination of therapy and of having no sexual contact with the former client/patient bear the burden of demonstrating that there has been no exploitation, in light of all relevant factors, including (1) the amount of time that has passed since therapy terminated; (2) the nature, duration, and intensity of the therapy; (3) the circumstances of termination; (4) the

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client's/patient's personal history; (5) the client's/patient's current mental status; (6) the likelihood of adverse impact on the client/patient; and (7) any statements or actions made by the therapist during the course of therapy suggesting or inviting the possibility of a posttermination sexual or romantic relationship with the client/patient. (See also Standard 3.05, Multiple Relationships.)

10.09 Interruption of Therapy When entering into employment or contractual relationships, psychologists make reasonable efforts to provide for orderly and appropriate resolution of responsibility for client/patient care in the event that the employment or contractual relationship ends, with paramount consideration given to the welfare of the client/patient. (See also Standard 3.12, Interruption of Psychological Services.)

10.10 Terminating Therapy (a) Psychologists terminate therapy when it becomes reasonably clear that the client/patient no longer needs the service, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued service. (b) Psychologists may terminate therapy when threatened or otherwise endangered by the client/patient or another person with whom the client/patient has a relationship. (c) Except where precluded by the actions of clients/patients or third-party payors, prior to termination psychologists provide pretermination counseling and suggest alternative service providers as appropriate.

History and Effective Date The American Psychological Association’s Council of Representatives adopted this version of the APA Ethics Code during its meeting on August 21, 2002. The Code became effective on June 1, 2003. The Council of Representatives amended this version of the Ethics Code on February 20, 2010. The amendments became effective on June 1, 2010. Inquiries concerning the substance or interpretation of the APA Ethics Code should be addressed to the Director, Office of Ethics, American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. The standards in this Ethics Code will be used to adjudicate complaints brought concerning alleged conduct occurring on or after the effective date.

Complaints will be adjudicated on the basis of the version of the Ethics Code that was in effect at the time the conduct occurred.

The APA has previously published its Ethics Code as follows: American Psychological Association. (1953). Ethical standards of psychologists. Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychological Association. (1959). Ethical standards of psychologists. American Psychologist, 14, 279-282.

American Psychological Association. (1963). Ethical standards of psychologists. American Psychologist, 18, 56-60.

American Psychological Association. (1968). Ethical standards of psychologists. American Psychologist, 23, 357-361.

American Psychological Association. (1977, March). Ethical standards of psychologists. APA Monitor, 2223.

American Psychological Association. (1979). Ethical standards of psychologists. Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychological Association. (1981). Ethical principles of psychologists. American Psychologist, 36, 633-638.

American Psychological Association. (1990). Ethical principles of psychologists (Amended June 2, 1989).

American Psychologist, 45, 390-395.

American Psychological Association. (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.

American Psychologist, 47, 1597-1611.

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American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.

American Psychologist, 57, 1060-1073.

Request copies of the APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct from the APA Order Department, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, or phone (202) 336-5510.

Find this article at: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

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State of Georgia Code of Ethics

510-4-.01 Code of Ethics and Supplemental Code of Conduct.

(1) Licensure by the State of Georgia mandates compliance with the Code of Ethics1 and the Supplemental Code of Conduct delineated in Chapters 510-4 and 510-5 respectively.

(2) This Code of Ethics and Supplemental Code of Conduct constitutes the standards against which the required professional conduct of a psychologist is measured. The psychologist shall be governed by the rules delineated in this Code of Ethics and Supplemental Code of Conduct whenever he/she provides psychological services in any context. These codes shall apply to the conduct of all licensees and applicants, including the applicant's conduct during the period of education, training, and employment which is required for licensure; the term "psychologist," as used within these codes, shall be interpreted accordingly. A violation of this Code of Ethics or the Supplemental Code of Conduct constitutes unprofessional conduct and may constitute sufficient grounds for disciplinary action, or for denial of licensure.

(3) Numbering and Coding Interpretation. The Numbering System Rule 590-2-1-.2 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia require a specific numbering sequence. The APA Code of Conduct as cited in this chapter does retain the accurate standard number but is preceded by the State Rule Numbering System to meet the consistency requirement (see Rule 510-1-.07 for the Numbering System Code).

Authority O.C.G.A. Secs. 43-1-19, 43-1-25, 43-39-5, 43-39-12, 43-39-13. History. Original Rule entitled "Standards of Professional Conduct" adopted. F. and eff. June 30, 1965. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Jan. 3, 1973; eff. Jan. 23, 1973. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Sept. 17, 1982; eff. Oct. 7, 1982. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 21, 1987; eff. Jan. 10, 1988.

Amended: F. May 11, 1992; eff. May 31, 1992. Repealed: New Rule entitled "Preamble" adopted. F. July 27, 1994; eff. Aug. 16, 1994. Repealed: New Rule entitled “Code of Ethics and Supplemental Code of Conduct” adopted. F. Mar. 18, 2004; eff. Apr. 7, 2004.

510-4-.02 Code of Ethics; APA Ethical Standards

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University System of Georgia Ethics Policy

8.2.20.1 Introduction The USG is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct in pursuit of its mission to create a more educated Georgia. Accomplishing this mission demands integrity, good judgment and dedication to public service from all members of the USG community.

While the USG affirms each person’s accountability for individual actions, it also recognizes that the shared mission and the shared enterprise of its institutions require a shared set of core values and ethical conduct to which each member of the USG community must be held accountable.

Furthermore, the USG acknowledges that an organizational culture grounded in trust is essential to supporting these core values and ethical conduct.

The following Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are intended to build, maintain and protect that trust, recognizing that each member of the USG community is responsible for doing his/her part by upholding the highest standards of competence and character.

8.2.20.2 Applicability The USG Ethics Policy applies to all members of the USG community. The USG community includes: All members of the Board of Regents; All individuals employed by, or acting on behalf of, the USG or one of the USG institutions, including volunteers, vendors, and contractors; and, Members of the governing boards and employees of all cooperative organizations affiliated with the USG or one of its institutions.

Members of the Board of Regents and all individuals employed by the USG or one of its institutions in any capacity shall participate in USG Ethics Policy training, and shall certify compliance with the USG Ethics Policy on a periodic basis as provided in the USG Business Procedures Manual. Cooperative organizations, vendors, and contractors shall certify compliance with the USG Ethics Policy by written agreement as provided in the USG Business Procedures Manual.

The USG Ethics Policy governs only official conduct performed by or on behalf of the USG. Violations of the USG Ethics Policy may result in disciplinary action including dismissal or termination.

8.2.20.3 Statement of Core Values Every member of the USG community is required to adhere to the USG Statement of Core Values – Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect – that form and guide the daily work of the organization.

Integrity – We will be honest, fair, impartial and unbiased in our dealings both with and on behalf of the USG. Excellence – We will perform our duties to foster a culture of excellence and high quality in everything we do.

Accountability – We firmly believe that education in the form of scholarship, research, teaching, service and developing others is a public trust. We will live up to this trust through safeguarding

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our resources and being good stewards of the human, intellectual, physical and fiscal resources given to our care.

Respect – We recognize the inherent dignity and rights of every person, and we will do our utmost to fulfill our resulting responsibility to treat each person with fairness, compassion and decency.

8.2.20.4 Purpose of the Code of Conduct The USG recognizes that each member of the USG community attempts to live by his or her own values, beliefs and ethical decision-making processes. The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to guide members of the USG community in applying the underlying USG Statement of Core Values to the decisions and choices that are made in the course of everyday endeavors. Each USG institution must ensure that its institutional ethics policies are consistent with this USG Ethics policy.

8.2.20.5 Code of Conduct We will: Uphold the highest standards of intellectual honesty and integrity in the conduct of teaching, research, service and grants administration.

Act as good stewards of the resources and information entrusted to our care.

Perform assigned duties and professional responsibilities in such a manner so as to further the USG mission.

Treat fellow employees, students and the public with dignity and respect.

Refrain from discriminating against, harassing or threatening others.

Comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and professional standards.

Respect the intellectual property rights of others.

Avoid improper political activities as defined in law and Board of Regents Policy.

Protect human health and safety and the environment in all USG operations and activities.

Report wrongdoing to the proper authorities; refrain from retaliating against those who do report violations; and cooperate fully with authorized investigations.

Disclose and avoid improper conflicts of interest.

Refrain from accepting any gift or thing of value in those instances prohibited by law or Board of Regents policy.

Not use our position or authority improperly to advance the interests of a friend or relative.

8.2.20.6 Interpretation and Sources The Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct do not address every conceivable situation or ethical dilemma that may be faced by members of the USG community. Members of the USG community are expected to exercise good judgment absent specific guidance from this policy or other applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Specific questions pertaining to the Statement of Core Values or Code of Conduct should be directed to a supervisor or other competent authority at the University System Office or at the institution’s office of Legal Affairs, Internal Audit, Compliance, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, or other appropriate office.

There are also multiple sources of authority that address specific questions or situations.

Examples include: Board of Regents Policy Manual Board of Regents Business Procedures Manual Board of Regents Human Resources Administrative Practice Manual Institutional policies, handbooks and procedures

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State Laws and Regulations Federal Laws and Regulations Further specific explanatory notes and references may be found on the USG’s website at http://www.usg.edu/audit/compliance/ethics/ or its successor reference (BoR Minutes, November 2008).

Explanatory Notes and References Uphold the highest standards of intellectual honesty and integrity in the conduct of teaching, research, service and grants administration.

Members of the USG community engaged in research are expected to do so in accordance with institutional, governmental and professional standards while upholding the highest standards of integrity, intellectual honesty and scholarship. Unacceptable violations of research integrity include, but are not limited to: (a) plagiarism defined as using another’s ideas, writings, research, or intellectual property and representing it as your own original work, (b) falsification of data, which includes direct alteration of findings or failing to disclose data that would substantively change the research findings and (c) fabrication of research data. Research integrity requires that principal investigators and others with a fiduciary obligation for grant funds use those funds in a manner consistent with the grantor’s terms and conditions and applicable laws, rules and regulations. Finally, research involving human subjects shall be conducted only after appropriate review and approval by institutional review boards (IRBs) and should be conducted in accordance with IRB principles.

Act as good stewards of the resources and information entrusted to our care.

USG property is intended for use in support of the USG mission and legitimate public purposes.

USG property shall not be used for personal gain or purposes except for incidental personal use of email, a telephone to make a local telephone call or incidental Internet use that is not inconsistent with applicable laws and policies. However, members of the USG community should note that such use must not interfere with the performance of official functions or that individual’s own job performance. Additionally, members of the USG community should understand that there is no expectation of privacy once any personal material is placed on a government system.

Members of the USG community are required to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the documents and records for which they are responsible. No employee may alter, falsify or destroy any original record or document absent valid authority to do so. Members of the USG community must also comply with the USG Records Retention Series that can be found at the following URL: http://www.usg.edu/records_management/schedules/A. The USG is the custodian of many types of information, including that which is confidential, proprietary and private. Individuals who have access to such information are expected to be familiar and to comply with applicable laws, policies, directives and agreements pertaining to access, use, protection and disclosure of such information. Computer security and privacy are also subject to law and USG policy.

USG employees are required to maintain the integrity and accuracy of all documents and records relative to sick leave, vacation/annual leave and all other forms of leave.

The following policies should be read in concert with this section of the code of conduct:

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BOR Policies 8.2.7.1-8.2.7.8 regarding leave, BOR Policy 7.11.9 for information on removing laptops and similar items off site, BOR Policy 9.10.6.4 for information on removing other institutional property from campus for personal use, BOR Policy 7.7.2 for information on prohibited personal use of institutional purchasing channels, BOR Policy 7.11.2 for information on the operation of private business enterprises on a USG campus, BOR Policies 9.10.6.3-9.10.6.4 for information pertaining to use of a campus facility by an outside party and USG Appropriate Use Policy number 2009-014 regarding use of information technology resources.

Perform assigned duties and professional responsibilities in such a manner so as to further the USG mission.

All members of the USG community are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of scholarship, public service and integrity. This requirement encompasses both a responsibility to understand and to further organizational missions and goals. Individuals in positions of greater authority bear a greater responsibility for achieving organizational missions and goals in an effective and efficient manner. However, all members of the USG community should contribute to the success of the USG in a manner consistent with their duties and responsibilities.

Effective internal controls are one method that can be employed to assist the USG in achieving its mission. Internal controls are the processes employed at all levels to help ensure that USG business is carried out in accordance with BOR policies and procedures, institutional policies and procedures, applicable laws and regulations and sound business practices. Good internal controls promote efficient operations, accurate financial reporting, safeguarding of assets and responsible fiscal management.

Treat fellow employees, students and the public with dignity and respect.

Members of the USG community are required to maintain a professional work environment.

Therefore, unprofessional conduct may result in disciplinary action. See BOR Policy 12.2 for additional information pertaining specifically to disruptive activities.

A romantic or sexual relationship between a member of the USG community and a student or patient is prohibited in those instances where the individual has the responsibility for directly supervising, evaluating, instructing, treating or otherwise overseeing the student or patient.

Romantic or sexual relationships between employees and people in positions of authority are strongly discouraged.

Refrain from discriminating against, harassing or threatening others.

The USG Statement of Core Values emphasizes the “inherent dignity and rights of every person and … our resulting responsibility to treat each person with fairness, compassion and decency.”

As such, any form of discrimination or harassment is inconsistent with USG core values.

Additionally, discrimination on the grounds of race, color, gender, religion, creed, national

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origin, age, disability and status as a veteran is specifically prohibited by state law and BOR policy. See BOR Policy 8.2.1 for additional information on Equal Employment Opportunity within the USG. Sexual harassment of members of the USG community or students in the USG is prohibited and shall subject the offender to dismissal or other sanctions after compliance with procedural due process requirements. Unwelcome sexual advancements, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: (A) Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic standing; or (B) Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting an individual; or (C) Such conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or academic environment. See BOR Policy 8.2.16 for additional information on Sexual Harassment.

The University System of Georgia is committed to the prevention of workplace violence and the maintenance of a respectful working environment. A safe and secure environment is a fundamental prerequisite for fulfilling an institution’s mission of teaching, research and public service. The University System of Georgia will not tolerate any type of workplace violence committed by or against students or members of the USG community. Workplace violence is defined as any threats, threatening conduct or any other acts of aggression or violence in the workplace. Violations of the workplace violence policy will be met with appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. USG employees bear a special responsibility to remain aware of potential acts of violence on campus as evidenced by, but not limited to, unusual statements, writings or any other unusual behavior. Members of the USG community who, in good faith, report what they believe to be workplace violence or who cooperate in any investigation will not be subjected to retaliation.

Comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and professional standards.

Compliance with laws, rules and regulations governing USG institutions is both a legal and an ethical mandate. The risks associated with non-compliance can be significant. Significant risks include loss of reputation, loss of external funding, financial penalties, loss of accreditation and potential criminal prosecutions. Members of the USG community shall seek the advice of USG legal counsel to clarify the laws, rules and regulations impacting official duties.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations by a member of the USG community may result in disciplinary action. Members of the USG community may be governed by ethical codes or standards of their professions or disciplines. It is expected that those USG community members will comply with applicable professional standards in addition to laws, rules and regulations.

It is the policy of the USG to conduct its business in an open and transparent manner consistent with the privacy rights of members of the USG community and Open Government laws. USG employees have a responsibility to ensure that any requests made pursuant to the Open Records Act are immediately routed to the office charged with that responsibility. USG institutions that accept grants from public or private organizations to perform as outlined in the grant have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the grant funds are expended in a manner consistent with

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the grantor’s guidelines and applicable laws, rules and regulations. The submission of false or misleading documentation in connection with a federal grant may result in both employment action and criminal prosecution. Members of the USG community must exercise due care and avoid any personal use of grant funds.

Compliance with the rules and regulations governing athletics is a multi-faceted and challenging demand for the USG institutions that maintain athletic programs. Members of the USG community are expected to comply with athletic conference and association rules.

Requests for reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the USG must be accurate and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Submission of false or misleading expense reimbursement documents subjects the member of the USG community submitting the documents to the risk of both termination of employment or contractual relationship and criminal prosecution.

Respect the intellectual property rights of others.

USG employees associated with the production of intellectual property have the responsibility to comply with the BOR and institutional policies governing intellectual property. Extensive BOR and institutional policies have been developed governing intellectual property. See BOR Policy 6.3 for a detailed description of the BOR policies governing intellectual property.

Employees who use software licensed to the USG or a USG institution must abide by applicable software license agreements and may copy licensed software only as permitted by the license.

It is also the practice of the USG to comply with copyright laws. USG employees or any individual using USG resources should not violate copyright laws to include publications, recordings and other electronic media. It should be noted that the © copyright notice is no longer required by law. This means that individuals copying material must take extra steps to ensure that the material is in the public domain or may be copied under the “Fair Use” doctrine. USG employees are encouraged to consult with institutional legal counsel for additional guidance on this topic.

Avoid improper political activities as defined in law and Board of Regents Policy.

USG employees are encouraged to participate as responsible and interested citizens in our democratic society. However, there are “political” activities that are inconsistent with the roles and responsibilities of USG employees. Employees may not participate in a political campaign which interferes with performance of official duties. Employees are restricted from holding state or federal elective office and must obtain a leave of absence prior to qualifying as a candidate for state or federal elective office in a primary or general election and ending after the general or final election. Appointive offices and locally elected offices may be held by a USG employee if there is no conflict or interference with the employee’s USG duties and responsibilities.

See BOR Policy 8.2.15.3 for additional information on employee participation in the political process. See BOR Policy 9.10.6.1 for information on use of campus facilities for political purposes.

Protect human health and safety and the environment in all USG operations and activities.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is strongly committed to protecting the environment and human health and safety in all of its operations. In working to meet this commitment, the Board of Regents recognizes that pro-active efforts must be made to ensure that

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sound environmental, health, and safety planning is integrated into every level of University System decision making. Additionally, all members of the USG community bear a responsibility for protecting human health and safety and the environment in those areas for which they are responsible. See BOR Policy 9.12.4 for detailed guidance pertaining to environmental compliance.

Report wrongdoing to the proper authorities; refrain from retaliating against those who do report violations; and cooperate fully with authorized investigations.

All members of the USG community have a responsibility to follow university policies and procedures, adhere to applicable laws and regulations and speak up when they see or suspect misconduct. Members of the USG community with concerns about possible unethical behavior or noncompliance with Board of Regents policy are encouraged to speak to their supervisor or to use the Ethics and Compliance Hotline. Retaliation against a member of the USG community for reporting wrongdoing is strictly prohibited by federal law, state law and BOR policy.

Members of the USG community are required to cooperate fully with authorized internal investigations. Failure to cooperate may subject the individual to disciplinary action to include termination of employment or contractual relationship. Members of the USG community who are unsure as to the legitimacy of an investigation should consult a supervisor or institutional counsel.

Disclose and avoid improper conflicts of interest.

USG employees are expected to devote their primary efforts to the USG’s mission. Outside employment or activities must not interfere with performance of official duties. Additionally, outside activities may create conflicts of interest or of commitment that must be properly disclosed and managed. See BOR Policy 8.2.15 for additional information. Other members of the USG community who are not USG employees are subject to other conflict of interest provisions as contained in various laws, rules and regulations.

Refrain from accepting any gift or thing of value in those instances prohibited by law or Board of Regents policy.

No member of the USG community shall directly or indirectly solicit, receive, accept or agree to receive a thing of value by inducing the reasonable belief that the giving of the thing will influence his/her performance or failure to perform any official action. The acceptance of a benefit, reward or consideration where the purpose of the gift is to influence a member of the USG community in the performance of his/her official functions is a felony under state law. See BOR Policy 8.2.13 for a detailed description of the prohibition on receiving gifts.

Not use your position or authority improperly to advance the interests of a friend or relative.

No member of the USG community will use his or her position or authority improperly to advance the interests of a friend or relative. Any benefit granted to an individual will be based on merit and/or written procedure. No individual shall be employed in a department or unit which will result in the existence of a subordinate-superior relationship between such individual and any relative of such individual through any line of authority. See BOR Policy 8.2.3 and O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20 et seq. for detailed information on this topic.

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Other Relevant Professional Guidelines

American Psychological Association  Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists (http://bit.ly/q1ow3b)  Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients (http://bit.ly/qjJcYp)  Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation (http://bit.ly/aCMg7A)  Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women (http://bit.ly/pHM9FW)  Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention with Persons with Disabilities (http://bit.ly/mld5eF)  Record Keeping Guidelines (http://apa.org/practice/guidelines/record-keeping.aspx) Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (American Counseling Association)  Competencies for Counseling with Transgender Clients (http://bit.ly/qTGSe3) World Professional Association for Transgender Heath  Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People (http://bit.ly/1pwKKpd)

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APPENDIX C State of Georgia Laws and Rules

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Georgia Board of Psychology

TITLE 43. PROFESSIONS AND BUSINESSES CHAPTER 39. PSYCHOLOGISTS 43-39-1. Definitions As used in this chapter, the term: (1) "Board" means the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

(2) "Neuropsychology" means the subspecialty of psychology concerned with the relationship between the brain and behavior, including the diagnosis of brain pathology through the use of psychological tests and assessment techniques.

(3) "To practice psychology" means to render or offer to render to individuals, groups, organizations, or the public for a fee or any remuneration, monetary or otherwise, any service involving the application of recognized principles, methods, and procedures of the science and profession of psychology, such as, but not limited to, diagnosing and treating mental and nervous disorders and illnesses, rendering opinions concerning diagnoses of mental disorders, including organic brain disorders and brain damage, engaging in neuropsychology, engaging in psychotherapy, interviewing, administering, and interpreting tests of mental abilities, aptitudes, interests, and personality characteristics for such purposes as psychological classification or evaluation, or for education or vocational placement, or for such purposes as psychological counseling, guidance, or readjustment. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as permitting the administration or prescription of drugs or in any way infringing upon the practice of medicine as defined in the laws of this state.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 511, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1589, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 43; Ga. L. 1993, p. 355, § 1.

43-39-2. Creation of board of examiners; immunity There is created a State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, to consist of six members who shall be appointed by the Governor under conditions set forth in this chapter. No member of the board shall be liable to civil action for any act performed in good faith in the performance of that member's duties as prescribed by law.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 516, § 2; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1337, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p.

473, § 1.

43-39-3. Appointment to board; qualifications; terms; vacancies; removal (a) The Governor shall appoint members to serve on the board so that the board shall at all times be composed of five members who are persons licensed as psychologists under this chapter and one consumer member who is not licensed as a psychologist under this chapter and who has no connection whatsoever with the practice or profession of psychology. (b) All six members of the board shall serve for terms of five years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment, and members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any board member may be removed after notice and hearing for incompetence, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, or commission of a crime involving moral turpitude.

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HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 3; Ga. L. 1970, p. 511, § 3; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1337, § 3; Ga. L. 1986, p.

473, § 1.

43-39-4. Oath of office; certificate of appointment Immediately and before entering upon the duties of their office, the members of the board shall take the constitutional oath of office and shall file the same in the office of the Governor who, upon receiving said oath of office, shall issue to each member a certificate of appointment.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 4; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1.

43-39-5. Officers; meetings; seal; procedures; expenses (a) The board shall elect annually a president and a vice-president. The board shall operate under the terms of Chapter 1 of this title, providing for a division director for the professional licensing boards division; and the division director shall serve the board as provided by law. (b) The board shall hold at least one regular meeting each year. Called meetings may be held at the discretion of the president or at the written request of any two members of the board. (c) The board shall adopt a seal, which must be affixed to all licenses issued by the board. (d) The board shall from time to time adopt such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the performance of its duties and shall provide for examinations and pass upon the qualifications of the applicants for the practice of psychology. (e) Each member of the board shall be reimbursed as provided for in subsection (f) of Code Section 43-12.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 5; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 184, § 1; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1337, § 3; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1706, § 16.

43-39-6. Authority of board to establish code of conduct and of ethics, administer oaths, summon witnesses, and take testimony; issuance of licenses; enforcement of chapter The board shall have authority to establish a code of conduct and of ethics, to administer oaths, to summon witnesses, and to take testimony in all matters relating to its duties. The board shall issue licenses to practice psychology to all persons who shall present satisfactory evidence of attainments and qualifications under this chapter and the rules and regulations of the board. Such licenses shall be attested by the division director under the board's adopted seal, and it shall give absolute authority to the person to whom it is issued to practice psychology in this state. It shall be the duty of the division director, under the direction of the board, to aid the prosecuting attorneys in the enforcement of this chapter and the prosecution of all persons charged with the violation of its provisions.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 17; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p.

1706, § 19.

43-39-7. Practicing without a license; use of title; exceptions A person who is not licensed under this chapter shall not practice psychology, shall not use the title "psychologist," and shall not imply that he or she is a psychologist. If any person shall practice psychology or hold himself or herself out as being engaged in the practice of psychology and shall not then possess in full force a valid license to practice psychology under the laws of this state, such person shall be in violation of this chapter.

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The following are exceptions: (1) Nothing in this chapter shall require licensure for a person who is certified as a school psychologist by the Professional Standards Commission while that person is working as an employee in an educational institution recognized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as meeting satisfactory accreditation standards, provided that no fees are charged directly to clients or through a third party; (2) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the teaching of psychology or the conduct of psychological research, provided that such teaching or research does not involve the delivery or supervision of direct psychological services to individuals or groups of individuals by an unlicensed person. Any person holding a doctoral degree in psychology while working as an employee in a research laboratory, college, or university recognized by the board as meeting satisfactory accreditation standards may use the title "psychologist" in conjunction with activities permitted by this paragraph, provided that no fees are charged directly to clients or through a third party; (3) Nothing in this chapter shall require licensure for a person who was engaged in the practice of psychology as an employee of an agency or department of the state government, any of its political subdivisions, or community service boards as defined in Code Section 37-2-2 either prior to July 1, 1996, at a state intermediate care or skilled care facility for persons with mental retardation or prior to July 1, 1997, at any other facilities or offices of the entities previously mentioned, but only when that person is engaged in that practice as an employee of such entities; (4) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the activities and services of a person in the employ of or serving for an established and recognized religious organization, provided that the title "psychologist" is not used by a person not licensed and that the person does not imply that he or she is a psychologist; (5) Persons who hold a doctoral degree in psychology may practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist in order to obtain the experience required for licensure; (6) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit any person from engaging in the lawful practice of medicine, nursing, professional counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy, as provided for under other state law, provided that such person shall not use the title "psychologist" nor imply that he or she is a psychologist; (7) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent students, trainees, or assistants from engaging in activities defined as the practice of psychology, provided such persons are under the direct supervision and responsibility of a licensed psychologist and the student, trainee, or assistant does not represent himself or herself to be a psychologist. The board shall establish rules and regulations for the supervision of persons exempted under this paragraph; and (8) An individual licensed to practice psychology in another jurisdiction may practice psychology in Georgia without applying for a license, so long as the requirements for a license in the other jurisdiction are equal to or exceed the requirements for licensure in Georgia, and the psychologist limits that person's practice in Georgia to no more than 30 days per year, as defined in the rules and regulations of the board.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 6; Ga. L. 1970, p. 511, § 4; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p.

1147, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 355, § 2; Ga. L. 1993, p. 418, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 2; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, §43.

43-39-8. Application for license; qualifications (a) Any person wishing to practice psychology in this state shall make application to the board through the division director upon such form and in such manner as shall be adopted and prescribed by the board and obtain from the board a license so to do. Unless such a person has obtained such a license it

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shall be unlawful for that person to practice; and if that person shall practice psychology without first having obtained such a license, that person shall be deemed to have violated this chapter. (b) A candidate for such license shall furnish the board with satisfactory evidence that the candidate: (1) Is of good moral character; (2) Has completed the requirements of a doctoral degree from a professional training program in applied psychology, including but not limited to clinical psychology, counseling psychology, industrial or organizational psychology, or school psychology from an accredited educational institution recognized by the board as maintaining satisfactory standards. Any person who has received a doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited educational institution recognized by the board as maintaining satisfactory standards and who has also completed an organized retraining program in applied psychology acceptable to the board shall also meet the degree requirements of this paragraph; (3) Has had at least two years of experience in psychology of a type considered by the board to be qualifying in nature; (4) Is competent in psychology, as shown by passing such examinations, written or oral, or both, as the board deems necessary; and (5) Has not within the preceding six months failed an examination given by the board.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 7; Ga. L. 1979, p. 843, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 43; Ga. L. 1987, p. 343, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 553, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1147, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 3; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 43; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1706, § 19.

43-39-9. Examination of applicants Applicants shall take a board approved examination to test the applicant’s qualifications. The examination shall be written or oral, or both.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 8; Ga. L. 1984, p. 503, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 4; Ga. L. 2010, p. 266, § 41/SB 195.

43-39-10. Reciprocity The board may grant a license to any person who at the time of application is licensed by a similar board of another state whose standards, in the opinion of the board, are not lower than those required by this chapter. The board may require the applicant to pass such written and oral examinations as the board may deem necessary.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1970, p. 511, § 5; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1147, § 3.

43-39-11.

Reserved.

43-39-12.

Licenses issued by the board shall be renewable biennially.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 16; Ga. L. 1964, p. 256, § 3; Ga. L. 1970, p. 511, § 7; Ga. L. 1979, p.

843, § 5; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1.

43-39-13. Denial, revocation, suspension, and reinstatement of licenses; other disciplinary actions; hearings; appeals (a) The board shall have the authority to refuse to grant or renew a license to an applicant therefore or to suspend or revoke a license issued by the board or to discipline a person licensed by the board based upon any of the following: the employment of fraud or deception in applying for a license or in passing

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the examination provided for in this chapter; conviction of a felony; the practice of psychology under a false or assumed name or the impersonation of another practitioner of a like or different name; habitual intemperance in the use of alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or stimulants to such an extent as to incapacitate one in the performance of one's duties; negligence or wrongful actions in the performance of one's duties; or for any violation of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-1-19. Any license revoked by the board shall be subject to reinstatement at the discretion of the board: (1) In enforcing this subsection, the board may, if it has reasonable basis to believe that the psychologist is practicing while incapacitated in the performance of his or her duties by reason of substance abuse or mental or physical illness, require a licensee or applicant to submit to a mental, physical, or mental and physical examination by an appropriate licensed practitioner designated by the board. The results of such examination shall be admissible in any hearing before the board, notwithstanding any claim of privilege under a contrary rule of law or statute. If a licensee fails to submit to each examination when properly directed to do so by the board, the board may summarily suspend such license, if the public health, safety, and welfare imperatively requires such action, and thereafter enter a final order upon proper notice, hearing, and proof of such refusal; and (2) For the purpose of this subsection, the board, if it has a reasonable basis to believe that the psychologist is incapacitated in the performance of his or her duties by reason of substance abuse or mental or physical illness, may require the psychologist to produce or give the board permission to obtain any and all records relating to the alleged incapacitating mental or physical condition of a licensee or applicant, including that individual's personal psychiatric and psychological records; and such records shall be admissible in any hearing before the board. If a licensee fails to provide such records when properly directed to do so by the board, the board may summarily suspend such license, if the public health, safety, and welfare imperatively requires such action, and thereafter enter a final order upon proper notice, hearing, and proof of such refusal. (b) The board may not suspend or revoke or refuse to renew any license for cause or refuse to issue a license for lack of good moral character unless the person accused has been afforded an opportunity for a hearing by the board before either the board or its hearing officer. The hearing shall be held in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," and the board or its hearing officer shall have all the powers and authority granted to tribunals and their hearing officers under Chapter 13 of Title 50. (c) The action of the board in granting or refusing to grant or renew a license under this chapter, or in revoking or suspending or refusing to revoke or suspend such a license, may be appealed in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," to the superior court in the county where the division director maintains his offices, provided that, if the findings of the board are supported by any evidence, then such findings shall be accepted by the court.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, §§ 11-13; Ga. L. 1964, p. 256, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 843, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 43; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1147, § 4; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1706, § 19.

43-39-14. Temporary and provisional licenses (a) The board may issue a temporary license to an applicant for a permanent license. Such license shall have the same force and effect as a permanent license. The temporary license will expire 12 months from the date of its issuance and shall not be renewable. Upon a finding by the board that the applicant has failed either the written or oral examination, the board shall revoke such temporary license. (b) The board may issue a provisional license to an applicant for a permanent license. The provisional license may be granted to an individual who has passed all written examinations and completed all other requirements for permanent license except for the postdoctoral supervised work experience requirement and the oral examination. Provisional licensure will expire in 24 months unless the board grants an exception, or in the event of the granting of a permanent license, whichever occurs first. The

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provisional license shall not be renewable. An individual who is licensed under this subsection is restricted to the stipulations of the supervised work experience requirement. Provisional licensure will be granted only to an individual who is in the process of completing the postdoctoral supervised work experience requirement and is subject to revocation if the board determines that the requirements of the supervised work experience are not being satisfactorily met. The revocation of a provisional license shall not be considered a contested case within the meaning of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," but a holder of a provisional license shall have a right to appear before the board.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 10; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1337, § 4; Ga. L. 1984, p. 503, § 2; Ga. L. 1986, p.

473, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1147, § 5; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43; Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 5.

43-39-15. Continuing education The board is authorized to establish requirements of continuing education as a condition for the renewal of licensure of psychologists; however, rules and regulations concerning accreditation of continuing education programs and other educational experience and the assignment of credit for participation therein must be promulgated by the board at least one year prior to implementation of continuing education requirements for renewal of licensure. The board shall be authorized to waive continuing education requirements in cases of hardship, disability, illness, or under such other circumstances as the board deems appropriate.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1978, p. 1686, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1147, § 6.

43-39-16. Privileged communications The confidential relations and communications between a licensed psychologist and client are placed upon the same basis as those provided by law between attorney and client; and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any such privileged communication to be disclosed.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 18; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1.

43-39-17. Use of title "psychologist."

Except as provided in Code Section 43-39-7, a person shall not practice psychology and shall not use the title "psychologist" unless he or she is licensed as provided in this chapter. A person who is not licensed as provided in this chapter shall not designate his or her occupation as a psychologist and shall not designate himself or herself by any other term or title which implies that he or she is practicing psychology.

43-39-18. Injunctions against violators The board is authorized to bring an action to enjoin any person, firm, or corporation who, without being licensed to practice psychology by the board, engages in the practice of psychology as regulated by this chapter. The proceeding shall be filed in the county in which such person resides or in the county where the firm or corporation maintains a principal office. If it shall be made to appear that such person, firm, or corporation is practicing psychology without a license, the injunction shall be issued and such person, firm, or corporation shall be permanently enjoined from practicing psychology throughout the state. It shall not be necessary, in order to obtain the equitable relief described in this Code section, for the board to allege and prove there is no adequate remedy at law. It is declared that such unlicensed activities are a menace and a nuisance and are dangerous to public health, safety, and welfare.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1964, p. 256, § 4; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1.

43-39-19. Penalty

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Any person who violates this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined no less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.00 and may be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 12 months for such violation.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1951, p. 408, § 20; Ga. L. 1986, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 355, § 4.

43-39-20. Immunity from civil and criminal liability for certain good faith actions Any psychologist licensed under this chapter who testifies in good faith without fraud or malice in any proceeding relating to a licensee's or applicant's fitness to practice psychology, or who in good faith and without fraud or malice makes a report or recommendation to the board in the nature of peer review, shall be immune from civil and criminal liability for such actions. No psychologist licensed under this chapter who serves as a supervising or monitoring psychologist pursuant to a public or private order of the board shall be liable for any damages in an action brought by the supervised or monitored psychologist, provided that the supervising or monitoring psychologist was acting in good faith without fraud or malice.

HISTORY: Code 1981, § 43-39-20, enacted by Ga. L. 1994, p. 224, § 6; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 43.

The statutory materials reprinted or quoted verbatim on the following pages are taken from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Copyright 1984, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 by the State of Georgia, and are reprinted with the permission of the State of Georgia. All rights reserved.

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Confidentiality of Certain Communications O.C.G.A. § 24-9-21

There are certain admissions and communications excluded on grounds of public policy. Among these are: (1) Communications between husband and wife; (2) Communications between attorney and client; (3) Communications among grand jurors; (4) Secrets of state; (5) Communications between psychiatrist and patient; (6) Communications between licensed psychologist and patient as provided in Code Section 43-39-16; (7) Communications between patient and a licensed clinical social worker, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, licensed marriage and family therapist, or licensed professional counselor during the psychotherapeutic relationship; and (8) Communications between or among any psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, licensed marriage and family therapist, and licensed professional counselor who are rendering psychotherapy or have rendered psychotherapy to a patient, regarding that patient's communications which are otherwise privileged by paragraph (5), (6), or (7) of this Code section.

As used in this Code section, the term "psychotherapeutic relationship" means the relationship which arises between a patient and a licensed clinical social worker, a clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, a licensed marriage and family therapist, or a licensed professional counselor using psychotherapeutic techniques as defined in Code Section 43-10A-3 and the term "psychotherapy" means the employment of "psychotherapeutic techniques."

HISTORY: Orig. Code 1863, § 3720; Code 1868, § 3744; Code 1873, § 3797; Code 1882, § 3797; Civil Code 1895, § 5198; Civil Code 1910, § 5785; Code 1933, § 38-418; Ga. L. 1959, p. 190, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p.

1657, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 858, § 1.

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Reporting of Child Abuse O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5

Reporting of child abuse; when mandated or authorized; content of report; to whom made; immunity from liability; report based upon privileged communication; penalty for failure to report (a) The purpose of this Code section is to provide for the protection of children whose health and welfare are adversely affected and further threatened by the conduct of those responsible for their care and protection. It is intended that the mandatory reporting of such cases will cause the protective services of the state to be brought to bear on the situation in an effort to prevent further abuses, to protect and enhance the welfare of these children, and to preserve family life wherever possible. This Code section shall be liberally construed so as to carry out the purposes thereof. (b) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) "Abused" means subjected to child abuse.

(2) "Child" means any person under 18 years of age.

(3) "Child abuse" means: (A) Physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker thereof by other than accidental means; provided, however, physical forms of discipline may be used as long as there is no physical injury to the child; (B) Neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caretaker thereof; (C) Sexual abuse of a child; or (D) Sexual exploitation of a child.

However, no child who in good faith is being treated solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason alone, be considered to be an "abused" child.

(3.1) "Sexual abuse" means a person's employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any minor who is not that person's spouse to engage in any act which involves: (A) Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; (B) Bestiality; (C) Masturbation;

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(D) Lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any person; (E) Flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude; (F) Condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained on the part of a person who is nude; (G) Physical contact in an act of apparent sexual stimulation or gratification with any person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, or buttocks or with a female's clothed or unclothed breasts; (H) Defecation or urination for the purpose of sexual stimulation; or (I) Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object except when done as part of a recognized medical procedure.

"Sexual abuse" shall not include consensual sex acts involving persons of the opposite sex when the sex acts are between minors or between a minor and an adult who is not more than five years older than the minor. This provision shall not be deemed or construed to repeal any law concerning the age or capacity to consent.

(4) "Sexual exploitation" means conduct by any person who allows, permits, encourages, or requires that child to engage in: (A) Prostitution, as defined in Code Section 16-6-9; or (B) Sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual or print medium depicting such conduct, as defined in Code Section 16-12-100. (c)(1) The following persons having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused shall report or cause reports of that abuse to be made as provided in this Code section: (A) Physicians licensed to practice medicine, interns, or residents; (B) Hospital or medical personnel; (C) Dentists; (D) Licensed psychologists and persons participating in internships to obtain licensing pursuant to Chapter 39 of Title 43; (E) Podiatrists; (F) Registered professional nurses or licensed practical nurses licensed pursuant to Chapter 24 of Title 43; (G) Professional counselors, social workers, or marriage and family therapists licensed pursuant to Chapter 10A of Title 43; (H) School teachers;

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(I) School administrators; (J) School guidance counselors, visiting teachers, school social workers, or school psychologists certified pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title 20; (K) Child welfare agency personnel, as that agency is defined pursuant to Code Section 49-5-12; (L) Child-counseling personnel; (M) Child service organization personnel; or (N) Law enforcement personnel.

(2) If a person is required to report abuse pursuant to this subsection because that person attends to a child pursuant to such person's duties as a member of the staff of a hospital, school, social agency, or similar facility, that person shall notify the person in charge of the facility, or the designated delegate thereof, and the person so notified shall report or cause a report to be made in accordance with this Code section. A staff member who makes a report to the person designated pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed to have fully complied with this subsection. Under no circumstances shall any person in charge of such hospital, school, agency, or facility, or the designated delegate thereof, to whom such notification has been made exercise any control, restraint, modification, or make other change to the information provided by the reporter, although each of the aforementioned persons may be consulted prior to the making of a report and may provide any additional, relevant, and necessary information when making the report. (d) Any other person, other than one specified in subsection (c) of this Code section, who has reasonable cause to believe that a child is abused may report or cause reports to be made as provided in this Code section. (e) An oral report shall be made immediately, but in no case later than 24 hours from the time there is reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused, by telephone or otherwise and followed by a report in writing, if requested, to a child welfare agency providing protective services, as designated by the Department of Human Services, or, in the absence of such agency, to an appropriate police authority or district attorney. If a report of child abuse is made to the child welfare agency or independently discovered by the agency, and the agency has reasonable cause to believe such report is true or the report contains any allegation or evidence of child abuse, then the agency shall immediately notify the appropriate police authority or district attorney. Such reports shall contain the names and addresses of the child and the child's parents or caretakers, if known, the child's age, the nature and extent of the child's injuries, including any evidence of previous injuries, and any other information that the reporting person believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries and the identity of the perpetrator. Photographs of the child's injuries to be used as documentation in support of allegations by hospital staff, physicians, law enforcement personnel, school officials, or staff of legally mandated public or private child protective agencies may be taken without the permission of the child's parent or guardian. Such photograph shall be made available as soon as possible to the chief welfare agency providing protective services and to the appropriate police authority. (f) Any person or persons, partnership, firm, corporation, association, hospital, or other entity participating in the making of a report or causing a report to be made to a child welfare agency

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providing protective services or to an appropriate police authority pursuant to this Code section or any other law or participating in any judicial proceeding or any other proceeding resulting therefrom shall in so doing be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed, provided such participation pursuant to this Code section or any other law is made in good faith. Any person making a report, whether required by this Code section or not, shall be immune from liability as provided in this subsection. (g) Suspected child abuse which is required to be reported by any person pursuant to this Code section shall be reported notwithstanding that the reasonable cause to believe such abuse has occurred or is occurring is based in whole or in part upon any communication to that person which is otherwise made privileged or confidential by law. (h) Any person or official required by subsection (c) of this Code section to report a suspected case of child abuse who knowingly and willfully fails to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (i) A report of child abuse or information relating thereto and contained in such report, when provided to a law enforcement agency or district attorney pursuant to subsection (e) of this Code section or pursuant to Code Section 49-5-41, shall not be subject to public inspection under Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 even though such report or information is contained in or part of closed records compiled for law enforcement or prosecution purposes unless: (1) There is a criminal or civil court proceeding which has been initiated based in whole or in part upon the facts regarding abuse which are alleged in the child abuse reports and the person or entity seeking to inspect such records provides clear and convincing evidence of such proceeding; or (2) The superior court in the county in which is located the office of the law enforcement agency or district attorney which compiled the records containing such reports, after application for inspection and a hearing on the issue, shall permit inspection of such records by or release of information from such records to individuals or entities who are engaged in legitimate research for educational, scientific, or public purposes and who comply with the provisions of this paragraph. When those records are located in more than one county, the application may be made to the superior court of any one of such counties. A copy of any application authorized by this paragraph shall be served on the office of the law enforcement agency or district attorney which compiled the records containing such reports. In cases where the location of the records is unknown to the applicant, the application may be made to the Superior Court of Fulton County. The superior court to which an application is made shall not grant the application unless: (A) The application includes a description of the proposed research project, including a specific statement of the information required, the purpose for which the project requires that information, and a methodology to assure the information is not arbitrarily sought; (B) The applicant carries the burden of showing the legitimacy of the research project; and (C) Names and addresses of individuals, other than officials, employees, or agents of agencies receiving or investigating a report of abuse which is the subject of a report, shall be deleted from any information released pursuant to this subsection unless the court determines that having the names and addresses open for review is essential to the research and the child, through his or her representative, gives permission to release the information.

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HISTORY: Code 1933, § 74-111, enacted by Ga. L. 1965, p. 588, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1196, § 1; Ga. L. 1973, p. 309, § 1; Ga. L. 1974, p. 438, § 1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 242, §§ 1-3; Ga. L. 1978, p. 2059, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1980, p. 921, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1034, §§ 1-3; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1624, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1761, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p.

1695, §§ 1, 1.1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 19; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 19; Ga. L. 2006, p. 485, § 1/SB 442; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 2-2/HB 228; Ga. L. 2009, p. 733, § 1/SB 69.

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PROTECTION OF DISABLED ADULTS AND ELDER PERSONS O.C.G.A. ยง 30-5-3

Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term: (1) "Abuse" means the willful infliction of physical pain, physical injury, mental anguish, unreasonable confinement, or the willful deprivation of essential services to a disabled adult or elder person.

(2) "Caretaker" means a person who has the responsibility for the care of a disabled adult or elder person as a result of family relationship, contract, voluntary assumption of that responsibility, or by operation of law.

(3) "Court" means the probate court for the county of residence of the disabled adult or elder person or the county in which such person is found. In any case in which the judge of the probate court is unable to hear a case brought under this chapter within the time required for such hearing, such judge shall appoint a person to serve and exercise all the jurisdiction of the probate court in such case. Any person so appointed shall be a member of the State Bar of Georgia and be otherwise qualified for his or her duties by training and experience. Such appointment may be made on a case-by-case basis or by making a standing appointment of one or more persons. Any person receiving such standing appointment shall serve at the pleasure of the judge making the appointment or said judge's successor in office to hear such cases if and when necessary. The compensation of a person so appointed shall be as agreed upon by the judge who makes the appointment and the person appointed, with the approval of the governing authority of the county for which such person is appointed, and shall be paid from the county funds of such county. All fees collected for the services of such appointed person shall be paid into the general funds of the county served.

(4) "Department" means the Department of Human Services.

(5) "Director" means the director of the Division of Aging Services of the Department of Human Services, or the director's designee.

(6) "Disabled adult" means a person 18 years of age or older who is not a resident of a long-term care facility, as defined in Article 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 31, but who is mentally or physically incapacitated or has Alzheimer's disease, as defined in Code Section 31-8-180, or dementia, as defined in Code Section 49-6-72.

(7) "Disabled adult in need of protective services" means a disabled adult who is subject to abuse, neglect, or exploitation as a result of that adult's mental or physical incapacity.

(7.1) "Elder person" means a person 65 years of age or older who is not a resident of a long-term care facility as defined in Article 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 31.

(8) "Essential services" means social, medical, psychiatric, or legal services necessary to safeguard the

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disabled adult's or elder person's rights and resources and to maintain the physical and mental wellbeing of such person. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the provision of medical care for physical and mental health needs, assistance in personal hygiene, food, clothing, adequately heated and ventilated shelter, and protection from health and safety hazards but shall not include the taking into physical custody of a disabled adult or elder person without that person's consent.

(9) "Exploitation" means the illegal or improper use of a disabled adult or elder person or that person's resources through undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress, deception, false representation, false pretense, or other similar means for another's profit or advantage.

(10) "Neglect" means the absence or omission of essential services to the degree that it harms or threatens with harm the physical or emotional health of a disabled adult or elder person.

(11) "Protective services" means services necessary to protect a disabled adult or elder person from abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Such services shall include, but not be limited to, evaluation of the need for services and mobilization of essential services on behalf of a disabled adult or elder person.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1981, p. 1320, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 700, § 2; Ga. L. 2000, p. 136, § 30; Ga. L. 2005, p. 509, § 6/HB 394; Ga. L. 2007, p. 219, § 1/HB 233; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 2-2/HB 228; Ga. L. 2009, p. 725, § 1/HB 457.

§ 30-5-4. Reporting of need for protective services; manner and contents of report; immunity from civil or criminal liability (a) (1) (A) Any physician, osteopath, intern, resident, other hospital or medical personnel, dentist, psychologist, chiropractor, podiatrist, pharmacist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, licensed professional counselor, nursing personnel, social work personnel, day-care personnel, coroner, medical examiner, employee of a public or private agency engaged in professional health related services to elder persons or disabled adults, or law enforcement personnel having reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult or elder person has had a physical injury or injuries inflicted upon such disabled adult or elder person, other than by accidental means, or has been neglected or exploited shall report or cause reports to be made in accordance with the provisions of this Code section.

(B) Except as provided in this paragraph, any employee of a financial institution, as defined in Code Section 7-1-4, having reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult or elder person has been exploited shall report or cause reports to be made in accordance with the provisions of this Code section; provided, however, that this obligation shall not apply to any employee of a financial institution while that employee is acting as a fiduciary, as defined in Code Section 7-1-4, but only for such assets that the employee is holding or managing in a fiduciary capacity.

(C) When the person having a reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult or elder person is in need of protective services performs services as a member of the staff of a hospital, social agency, financial institution, or similar facility, such person shall notify the person in charge of the facility and such person or that person's designee shall report or cause reports to be made in accordance with the provisions of this Code section.

(2) Any other person having a reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult or elder person is in

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need of protective services, or has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation may report such information as provided in this Code section. (b) (1) A report that a disabled adult or elder person who is not a resident of a long-term care facility as defined in Code Section 31-8-80 is in need of protective services or has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall be made to an adult protection agency providing protective services, as designated by the department or, if such agency is unavailable, to an appropriate law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney. If a report of a disabled adult or elder person abuse is made to an adult protection agency or independently discovered by the agency and the agency has reasonable cause to believe such report is true, then the agency shall immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney. If the disabled adult or elder person is a resident of a long-term care facility as defined in Code Section 31-8-80, a report shall be made in accordance with Article 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 31. If a report made in accordance with the provisions of this Code section alleges that the abuse or exploitation occurred within a long-term care facility, such report shall be investigated in accordance with Articles 3 and 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 31.

(2) The report may be made by oral or written communication. The report shall include the name and address of the disabled adult or elder person and should include the name and address of the disabled adult's or elder person's caretaker, the age of the disabled adult or elder person, the nature and extent of the disabled adult's or elder person's injury or condition resulting from abuse, exploitation, or neglect, and other pertinent information. All such reports prepared by a law enforcement agency shall be forwarded to the director within 24 hours. (c) Anyone who makes a report pursuant to this chapter, who testifies in any judicial proceeding arising from the report, who provides protective services, or who participates in a required investigation under the provisions of this chapter shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability on account of such report or testimony or participation, unless such person acted in bad faith, with a malicious purpose, or was a party to such crime or fraud. Any financial institution, as defined in Code Section 7-1-4, including without limitation officers and directors thereof, that is an employer of anyone who makes a report pursuant to this chapter in his or her capacity as an employee, or who testifies in any judicial proceeding arising from a report made in his or her capacity as an employee, or who participates in a required investigation under the provisions of this chapter in his or her capacity as an employee, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability on account of such report or testimony or participation of its employee, unless such financial institution knew or should have known that the employee acted in bad faith or with a malicious purpose and failed to take reasonable and available measures to prevent such employee from acting in bad faith or with a malicious purpose. The immunity described in this subsection shall apply not only with respect to the acts of making a report, testifying in a judicial proceeding arising from a report, providing protective services, or participating in a required investigation but also shall apply with respect to the content of the information communicated in such acts.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1981, p. 1320, § 4; Ga. L. 1984, p. 785, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 30; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1608, § 1; Ga. L. 1997, p. 700, § 2; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1085, § 6.

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Georgia Department of Human Services Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect

(http://dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov/child-abuse-neglect) Child Abuse & Neglect Child Protective Services staff investigates reports of child abuse or neglect and provides services to protect the child and strengthen the family.

Every child needs to be treasured, protected and nurtured. Unfortunately, some parents can’t – or won’t – care for their children. When they neglect or abuse them, someone must step in to ensure the children’s safety. That’s the job of DFCS, along with the police and the courts.

To report child abuse: Please call the DFCS Child Protective Center at: 1-855-GACHILD / 1-855-422-4453.

Reports are taken 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you have an immediate emergency, please call 911 or your local police department.

PLEASE NOTE: This phone line is for reports of child abuse and neglect ONLY. Due to the importance and time-sensitive nature of reports of child abuse and neglect, your call may be discontinued if it is does not meet the abuse or neglect criteria.

For general inquiries, contact 1-877-423-4746.

Other resources: http://dhs.georgia.gov/sites/dhs.georgia.gov/files/DFCS.CPS%205.12.pdf

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Georgia Child Abuse Reporting Legislation

Code of Georgia TITLE 19. DOMESTIC RELATIONS CHAPTER 7. PARENT AND CHILD RELATIONSHIP GENERALLY ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 19-7-5 Reporting of child abuse; when mandated or authorized; content of report; to whom made; immunity from liability; report based upon privileged communication; penalty for failure to report. (a) The purpose of this Code section is to provide for the protection of children whose health and welfare are adversely affected and further threatened by the conduct of those responsible for their care and protection. It is intended that the mandatory reporting of such cases will cause the protective services of the state to be brought to bear on the situation in an effort to prevent further abuses, to protect and enhance the welfare of these children, and to preserve family life wherever possible. This Code section shall be liberally construed so as to carry out the purposes thereof. (b) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) "Abused" means subjected to child abuse.

(2) "Child" means any person under 18 years of age.

(3) "Child abuse" means: (A) Physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker thereof by other than accidental means; provided, however, physical forms of discipline may be used as long as there is no physical injury to the child; (B) Neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caretaker thereof; (C) Sexual abuse of a child; or (D) Sexual exploitation of a child.

However, no child who in good faith is being treated solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason alone, be considered to be an "abused" child.

(3.1) "Sexual abuse" means a person's employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any minor who is not that person's spouse to engage in any act which involves: (A) Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; (B) Bestiality; (C) Masturbation; (D) Lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any person; (E) Flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude; (F) Condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained on the part of a person who is nude; (G) Physical contact in an act of apparent sexual stimulation or gratification with any person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, or buttocks or with a female's clothed or unclothed breasts; (H) Defecation or urination for the purpose of sexual stimulation; or

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(I) Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object except when done as part of a recognized medical procedure.

"Sexual abuse" shall not include consensual sex acts involving persons of the opposite sex when the sex acts are between minors or between a minor and an adult who is not more than five years older than the minor. This provision shall not be deemed or construed to repeal any law concerning the age or capacity to consent.

(4) "Sexual exploitation" means conduct by a child's parent or caretaker who allows, permits, encourages, or requires that child to engage in: (A) Prostitution, as defined in Code Section 16-6-9; or (B) Sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual or print medium depicting such conduct, as defined in Code Section 16-12-100. (c) (1) The following persons having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused shall report or cause reports of that abuse to be made as provided in this Code section: (A) Physicians licensed to practice medicine, interns, or residents; (B) Hospital or medical personnel; (C) Dentists; (D) Licensed psychologists and persons participating in internships to obtain licensing pursuant to Chapter 39 of Title 43; (E) Podiatrists; (F) Registered professional nurses or licensed practical nurses licensed pursuant to Chapter 24 of Title 43; (G) Professional counselors, social workers, or marriage and family therapists licensed pursuant to Chapter 10A of Title 43; (H) School teachers; (I) School administrators; (J) School guidance counselors, visiting teachers, school social workers, or school psychologists certified pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title 20; (K) Child welfare agency personnel, as that agency is defined pursuant to Code Section 49-5-12; (L) Child-counseling personnel; (M) Child service organization personnel; or (N) Law enforcement personnel.

(2) If a person is required to report abuse pursuant to this subsection because that person attends to a child pursuant to such person's duties as a member of the staff of a hospital, school, social agency, or similar facility, that person shall notify the person in charge of the facility, or the designated delegate thereof, and the person so notified shall report or cause a report to be made in accordance with this Code section. A staff member who makes a report to the person designated pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed to have fully complied with this subsection. (d) Any other person, other than one specified in subsection (c) of this Code section, who has reasonable cause to believe that a child is abused may report or cause reports to be made as provided in this Code section. (e) An oral report shall be made as soon as possible by telephone or otherwise and followed by a report in writing, if requested, to a child welfare agency providing protective services, as designated by the Department of Human Resources, or, in the absence of such agency, to an appropriate police authority or district attorney. If a report of child abuse is made to the child welfare agency or independently discovered by the agency, and the agency has reasonable cause to believe such report is true or the report contains any allegation or evidence of child abuse, then the agency shall

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immediately notify the appropriate police authority or district attorney. Such reports shall contain the names and addresses of the child and the child's parents or caretakers, if known, the child's age, the nature and extent of the child's injuries, including any evidence of previous injuries, and any other information that the reporting person believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries and the identity of the perpetrator. Photographs of the child's injuries to be used as documentation in support of allegations by hospital staff, physicians, law enforcement personnel, school officials, or staff of legally mandated public or private child protective agencies may be taken without the permission of the child's parent or guardian; provided, however, that any photograph taken pursuant to this Code section shall, if reasonably possible, be taken in a manner which shall not reveal the identity of the subject. Such photograph shall be made available as soon as possible to the chief welfare agency providing protective services and to the appropriate police authority. (f) Any person or persons, partnership, firm, corporation, association, hospital, or other entity participating in the making of a report or causing a report to be made to a child welfare agency providing protective services or to an appropriate police authority pursuant to this Code section or any other law or participating in any judicial proceeding or any other proceeding resulting therefrom shall in so doing be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed, provided such participation pursuant to this Code section or any other law is made in good faith. Any person making a report, whether required by this Code section or not, shall be immune from liability as provided in this subsection. (g) Suspected child abuse which is required to be reported by any person pursuant to this Code section shall be reported notwithstanding that the reasonable cause to believe such abuse has occurred or is occurring is based in whole or in part upon any communication to that person which is otherwise made privileged or confidential by law. (h) Any person or official required by subsection (c) of this Code section to report a suspected case of child abuse who knowingly and willfully fails to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (i) A report of child abuse or information relating thereto and contained in such report, when provided to a law enforcement agency or district attorney pursuant to subsection (e) of this Code section or pursuant to Code Section 49-5-41, shall not be subject to public inspection under Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 even though such report or information is contained in or part of closed records compiled for law enforcement or prosecution purposes unless: (1) There is a criminal or civil court proceeding which has been initiated based in whole or in part upon the facts regarding abuse which are alleged in the child abuse reports and the person or entity seeking to inspect such records provides clear and convincing evidence of such proceeding; or (2) The superior court in the county in which is located the office of the law enforcement agency or district attorney which compiled the records containing such reports, after application for inspection and a hearing on the issue, shall permit inspection of such records by or release of information from such records to individuals or entities who are engaged in legitimate research for educational, scientific, or public purposes and who comply with the provisions of this paragraph. When those records are located in more than one county, the application may be made to the superior court of any one of such counties. A copy of any application authorized by this paragraph shall be served on the office of the law enforcement agency or district attorney which compiled the records containing such reports. In cases where the location of the records is unknown to the applicant, the application may be made to the Superior Court of Fulton County. The superior court to which an application is made shall not grant the application unless: (A) The application includes a description of the proposed research project, including a specific statement of the information required, the purpose for which the project requires that information, and a methodology to assure the information is not arbitrarily sought;

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(B) The applicant carries the burden of showing the legitimacy of the research project; and (C) Names and addresses of individuals, other than officials, employees, or agents of agencies receiving or investigating a report of abuse which is the subject of a report, shall be deleted from any information released pursuant to this subsection unless the court determines that having the names and addresses open for review is essential to the research and the child, through his or her representative, gives permission to release the information.

(Code 1933, § 74-111, enacted by Ga. L. 1965, p. 588, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1196, § 1; Ga. L. 1973, p. 309, § 1; Ga. L. 1974, p. 438, § 1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 242, §§ 1-3; Ga. L. 1978, p. 2059, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1980, p.

921, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1034, §§ 1-3; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1624, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1761, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1695, §§ 1, 1.1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 19; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81,§ 19

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APPENDIX D Organizational Chart

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Georgia Tech Counseling Center Organizational Chart

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Senior Staff Time Allocation Form

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APPENDIX E Client Forms and Triage

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Authorization for Services Form

AUTHORIZATION FOR SERVICES The Georgia Institute of Technology Counseling Center provides a variety of counseling, psychological and career related services to students, including individual, couples and group psychotherapy and counseling. Services are provided by a staff of licensed psychologists, licensed professional counselors, and a Marriage and Family Therapist. Services are also provided by psychology and counselor trainees, supervised by the professional staff. Individual and couples counseling are offered primarily on a short term basis. By law, students who are under the age of 18 must receive parental consent to be seen in the Counseling Center. If this applies to you, immediately bring this to the attention of the initial consultation counselor and do not sign this form.

1. The purpose of your first initial consultation appointment is to determine what services will most help you. If you only need information, the initial consultation interview may be all you require. The concern that brought you to the Counseling Center may not be resolved at the conclusion of the initial consultation interview. Your initial consultation counselor may recommend a variety of learning experiences including: career counseling, computer assisted study skills, individual counseling, group counseling, referral for psychiatric evaluation, any of a variety of skill building workshops, or referral to a service or program outside of our agency.

If additional counseling is recommended, it may not be with your initial consultation counselor.

You may request counseling from a particular staff member, but that may entail waiting until his or her schedule permits an appointment. We will attempt to assist you in a timely fashion as is possible.

2. You may elect to discontinue counseling at any time. Please notify us if you no longer want service in the Center. The counseling staff (including therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, and Marriage and Family Therapist) also reserves the right to discontinue counseling if it is determined that your concern(s) would be better addressed elsewhere, or if you have not been compliant with the agreed upon counseling plan. If a decision is made that your concerns would be better handled elsewhere or a decision is made to cancel your appointments due to non-compliance with the counseling plan, an appropriate referral to another agency for counseling will be provided.

3. The Center adheres to strict confidentiality according to federal and state laws. There may be rare exceptions to confidentiality, i.e., if a client should express or report a specific and serious intent to inflict harm to him/herself or to someone else, it is the legal duty of the therapist to warn the intended victim and proper authorities (including law enforcement agents).

Counselors also have a duty to report cases of abuse where a minor, an elderly person, or a disabled individual is the victim of the abuse. Otherwise, information about your therapy can only be released with your written consent. (If you are a client of both the Counseling Center and the Psychiatry Office in Stamps Health Services, information may be shared by both

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agencies to facilitate your care.) Information about clients is maintained on a computer data base and in paper files. These are secured to prevent unauthorized access.

4. Our staff engages in in-house consultations as they are deemed to be in the best interest of the therapeutic relationship.

5. Clients are requested to contact the Center no later than the day before their appointment if they wish to cancel or reschedule. Appointments that are missed without cancellation 24 hours in advance maybe counted toward the session limit. If an appointment is missed without your contacting us, we cannot guarantee to hold your appointment time. Repeated lateness, no-shows, and/or cancellations may result in the termination of counseling.

6. Appointments normally last 45 minutes.

7. The Center’s staff is committed to offering high-quality services and conducts program evaluation to ensure quality care. You may receive a written survey to help us evaluate your satisfaction with our services. If we seek such an evaluation of your satisfaction with our services, your name or other identifying information will not be disclosed and that data will be presented only in aggregate form. You may also receive requests to complete a self-report questionnaire at varying points in your treatment which allows us to assess potential benefit or change over time.

8. Because email is not a secured medium and confidentiality cannot be assured, the Counseling Center limits email to correspondence specifically about scheduling. All other confidential treatment matters are handled by phone or in person.

9. The Counseling Center may periodically collect data used to understand student needs and trends and to improve our services. The data collected is examined collectively and individual data will remain anonymous. Collective data may be compiled at the end of each year to track utilization trends.

I have read and understand the conditions listed above and agree to them. _______________________________________ Signature

Revised 9.1.2013 Authorization for Services

_____________________ Date

PLEASE SEE REVERSE SIDE OF PAGE

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Authorization for Release and/or Exchange of Information Form

Authorization for Release and/or Exchange of Information Client Information

Date of Release Request: ________/________/_________

Please Print Clearly

I authorize The Georgia Tech Counseling Center/____________________________________to release (transmitting agency/person) and/or exchange information with:_________________________________________________ about: (please specify receiving agency/person) Last Name: ______________________

First Name: ____________________ GT ID : _____________

for the purpose(s) of: _____________________________________________________________________________________

This consent is valid until: ___________/____________/_______ I understand I may revoke this consent at any time and that the above-named persons and/or agencies authorized to receive this information have the right to inspect and copy the information to be disclosed.

It has been explained to me that if I refuse to consent to this release of information, the following are the consequences (specify, if any): _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Client's Signature: ___________________________

Date: _____________

Witness Signature: ___________________________

Date: _____________

Georgia Institute of Technology Counseling Center 353 Ferst Drive, Suite 238 Atlanta, Georgia 30332 Telephone: (404) 894-2575 Fax: (404) 894-1804 Form Updated 4/08

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Client Information Form

Client Information Form

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Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62

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Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-34

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Parental Consent Form for Students Under 18 Years of Age

Student Name________________________________________________________________________________ (Last)

(First)

GTID#__________________________________

(M.I.)

Date of Birth_____________________

Age_________

Home Address: Street________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/County___________________________________________________ Zip Code_________________ Home Telephone (_____)_____________________________

Home Email_____________________________

Authorization for Counseling Services

I hereby authorize the staff of the Georgia Tech Counseling Center to provide counseling services (including necessary testing and assessment) to the above named student while she/he attends Georgia Tech. I waive all claim to prior notification. I understand that counseling is a confidential process, but that I may be notified as warranted in the event of an imminent danger or harm to self or others.

This consent is valid until withdrawn or when the student turns 18 years of age.

Name of parent/guardian_______________________________________________________________________ (Please Print)

Signature of parent/guardian___________________________________________

Date__________________

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Consent to Audio/Video Record Form

CONSENT TO AUDIO AND/OR VIDEO RECORDING I give my permission to the Georgia Institute of Technology Counseling Center to make Audio and/or Video recordings of my counseling sessions (including individual or couples counseling).

I

understand that these recordings are for the purpose of training and supervision and may be reviewed by the counselor and her/his supervisor(s). Any and all recordings will be deleted immediately after completion of clinical training, and no identifying information {e.g., names} will be associated with my recording(s) in order to maintain the strictest standards of confidentiality. I also understand that I have the right to revoke this consent at any time.

This consent expires automatically one year from the date of signing.

PLEASE PRINT

LAST NAME:

FIRST NAME:

GT ID:

_____________________________ CLIENT SIGNATURE

DATE

_____________________________ COUNSELOR SIGNATURE

DATE

Georgia Tech Counseling Center- Division of Student Affairs Smithgall Student Services Building, 353 Ferst Drive, Suite 238, Atlanta GA, 30332 PHONE 404-894-2575 FAX 404-894-1804 Revised spring 2012 M:\Staff\Administrative staff\Forms\Forms

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Behavioral Definitions for Severity and Urgency Likert Scales on the Initial Consultation Note (dev. 07/2013)

SEVERITY (a rating of the degree of impairment in life functioning) 1= Severe (client is markedly restricted in functioning): Severe psychopathology, active psychosis, severe impairment in speech or communication; imminent danger or recurrent violence; serious suicide attempt. Examples include clients who communicate an expressed intent to kill themselves or another, who are mute or who cannot effectively communicate their concerns, or who have a history of violent behavior.

2=High Moderate (more than moderate & less than severe): Serious symptomology and/or impairment; recent trauma, delusional but functional clients; suicidal ideation, repeated psychiatric hospitalizations.

Examples include clients presenting with major depressive disorder, PTSD, recurrent panic attacks, schizoaffective disorder, substance abuse or addiction, severe eating disorders.

3=Moderate (client is somewhat impaired in functioning): Moderate impairment or difficulty around academic, personal, and/or social functioning. Examples include clients presenting with a relationship ending, bereavement concerns, adjustment disorders, academic jeopardy, ADHD, developmental delays, social phobia, racial or cultural injustice or microaggression.

4=Low Moderate (more than minimal & less than moderate): Good overall functioning, general satisfaction with life but endorsing occasional problems with situations and/or mood states. Examples include clients presenting with occasional test anxiety, identity or existential concerns, developmental issues, or concerns over choosing a major/determining institutional fit.

5=Minimal (client is minimally impaired in functioning): Excellent overall functioning, no major concerns.

Examples include clients presenting with academic difficulty due to a temporary stressor, communication issue with a roommate, concern over the well-being of a family member/friend.

URGENCY (a rating of the urgency for intervention based on risk-factors and severity) 1= High (life threatening, immediate death of someone close, other type of reason that this client should not have to wait): Client should be sent to the hospital immediately due to imminent risk of harm to self or others; client has experienced a recent trauma (e.g., death of family member, assault) and needs immediate help.

2= High Moderate (but low risk of threat to life): Client should be seen on a follow-up visit within 48 hours or be provided with a referral that accommodates intervention within 48 hours. Examples include clients who need a referral to an eating disorder treatment center due to health complications; clients who have decided to withdraw from the Institute due to a medical or psychological condition and need referrals.

3= Moderate (needs to be seen, however, no immediate factor dictates high urgency): Client is within scope and concerns warrant an approximate 2 week wait. Examples include clients who will be participating in a Life Skills workshop and have scheduled a follow-up visit thereafter to assess further needs; clients who want to be seen and choose to wait for 2-3 weeks with no intervention even though referrals are offered.

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4= Low Moderate: Clients are able to wait a month with no intervention. Examples include clients who have an active relationship with a psychiatrist or other structured therapeutic support system and are interested in counseling as ancillary care; clients who report a need for career exploration and will be involved in the career assessment process.

5= Low (less urgent, able to wait): Client is triaged at minimal impairment. An example would be a client who received consultation on a personal concern initially and would like a follow-up appointment at the end of the semester to assess any further needs.

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Initial Client Consultation Form

IDENTIFYING INFORMATION (State the client's name, age, ethnicity, gender, academic standing, major, citizenship, spirituality, sexual orientation, and relationship status): PRESENTING CONCERNS: ASSESSMENT: CCAPS SCORE/TRIAGE/RISK FACTORS (Report any notable CCAPS scale elevations, your triage rating, notable behavioral observations, and any risk factors): SEVERITY (a rating of the degree of impairment in life functioning): 1=Severe (client is markedly restricted in functioning), 2=High Moderate (more than moderate & less than severe), 3=Moderate (client is somewhat impaired in functioning), 4=Low moderate (more than minimal & less than moderate), 5=Minimal (client is minimally impaired in functioning).

URGENCY (a rating of the urgency for intervention based on risk-factors and severity): 1=High (life threatening, immediate death of someone close, other type of reason that this client should not have to wait), 2=High Moderate (but low risk of threat to life), 3=Moderate (needs to be seen, however no immediate factor dictates high urgency), 4=Low Moderate, 5=Low (less urgent, able to wait).

SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS (If individual counseling at GTCC is recommended, answer the following questions): (a) Is the client appropriate for and willing to see a trainee? (b) Does the client have any other preferences for their counselor? (c) Other: RECOMMENDATIONS (Describe the plan you discussed with the client, and the next steps to be taken): The client will be registered for the following Seminars (please delete the Seminars you are not registering the client for): Relationship Seminar; Mind over Mood; Stress Less.

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Follow-up Client Consultation Form

SESSION #: DATA: ASSESSMENT: PLAN:

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Termination Summary Form

Summary: Progress: Recommendations:

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Testing Request Form

Semester (circle)

For Counselor Use Only Counselor’s name

Year

Today’s date

Fall Spring Summer Testing appointment (date & time):

Last name

Client Information-Please Print Clearly First name GT ID #

Phone number

Email address

File #

Grade level

Date of birth

COUNSELORS- PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SAME DAY TESTING AND FILL OUT ENTIRE FORM ● Check the box next to the test(s) or service(s) you are requesting for your client. ● For computer and online tests, ask the client to schedule a testing appointment with the testing secretary or with the front desk for Monday through Friday between 8-3 pm. Independent Study exams should be scheduled between 9-1:30 and be completed by 3:30pm. ● Inform student that all testing fees are due prior to testing and only money order or checks will be accepted. ● For Mandated and Psychoeducational Assessments, all tests ordered are included in the charge listed for that service. Please indicate the specific tests you are requesting for your battery. √

Test Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (paper format) Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II) (paper format) CAARS – OL (observer) (paper format) CAARS – SL (self-report) (paper format) Kuder Career Planning System (includes 3 reports) MBTI Form M – Profile [261145] MBTI Form M – Interpretive Report [261144] MBTI Form M – Career Report [262153] MCMI-III Interpretive Report [51513] MMPI-2 Adult Clinical System – Revised [51487] MMPI-2-RF Interpretive Report [51563] SASSI-3 SCL-90-R Profile Strong –College Profile [284106] Strong – College Interpretive Report [284220] Strong + MBTI Combined Career Report (if MBTI type is unknown, this also requires the purchase of a MBTI)

Time 5 min.

5 min.

10–15 min.

10–15 min.

20 min. X3 15–25 min.

15–25 min.

15–25 min.

25–30 min.

60–90 min.

25-35 min.

10 min.

12–15 min.

30 min.

30 min.

30 min.

Price No charge No charge No charge No charge $20 $20 $30 $25 $50 $50 $50 $15 $12 $20 $25 $25

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Testing Services Independent Study (to be scheduled between 9-1:30, and completed by 3:30) Mandated Assessment Psychoeducational Screening Psychoeducational Assessment (includes any tests checked above)

$35 $250 $25 $75

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Form 1013-Emergency Evaluation Certificate and Report to Peace Officer (Involuntary Hospitalization)

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Available at: http://bit.ly/1mxoecA

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Counseling Center Crisis Resource Card

HOLD FOR SAMPLE

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APPENDIX F Ridgeview Institute MOU, Client Transportation

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Ridgeview Institute Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Student Hospitalizations January 12, 2007 Present: Drs. Bill Manns, Cindy Smith, Jill Barber, Jennifer Fortner, Rad, Dean John Stein, & Mr. Tom Connell The process that was outlined for providing care for a student needing a psychiatric hospitalization who is referred to Ridgeview is below: 1. The provider on call (either from the Counseling Center staff or the Health Center, though this is typically Counseling Center staff) would first call the Admissions Coordinator at Ridgeview to let them know that we would like to refer a student and to make sure that a bed is available if needed.

2. The provider would get the student to sign a release of information form so that s/he could communicate about the student concerns with the provider at the hospital and with parents and Dean’s office. This is done to facilitate smooth medical care, transport, as well as handling of the academic issues that arise related to hospitalization.

3. If the referral is being made, and it is voluntary, transportation to Ridgeview would be arranged by contacting a parent or supportive other to drive the student to the hospital or by having GT Police provide the transport. If the referral is involuntary, the GT Police or Emergency Transport Personnel would transport the student.

4. The provider on call would then provide the clinician at Ridgeview with information regarding the presenting concern of the student so that the referral once the student gets to the hospital is facilitated.

5. Once the student arrives at Ridgeview, the provider on call takes responsibility for assessment and treatment. If the student is not hospitalized, s/he is given referrals for follow up care and is directed to return to the provider at GT who referred to Ridgeview to concretize a follow up plan. If the student is hospitalized, upon discharge, s/he is given a discharge plan with referrals and is directed to make a follow up appointment with the provider at GT who referred to Ridgeview to concretize a follow up plan. It is likely that a student who is referred to the hospital may need a level of care that is outside the scope of services of GTCC’s brief counseling model; therefore ongoing counseling may not be at GTCC but the consultation to make sure the student has a good referral and is clear about treatment options will be provided by GTCC upon discharge.

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Ridgeview Institute Transportation Service

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Taxi Cab Transportation Taxi cab transportation may be used for student transport to a local hospital or in-patient facility. Use of the taxi cab transportation service will be used in cases where the student has agreed to a voluntary hospitalization and in cases where the student does not pose an imminent risk to harm themselves or others.

1. Call the Checker Cab Company at (404) 351-1111. The Checker Cab Company is the only authorized cab company to provide this service.

2. When speaking to the Checker Cab representative, identify the need for transportation as an “account call” (e.g., “This is an account call”) and provide the following information: a. Authorization code (Beringause8792-Counseling Center) b. Pick-up location (Student Center/Ferst Drive) c. Contact number 3. When the cab company arrives, please make sure that the student’s voucher is complete, including student’s name and counselor’s signature (see example).

4. If a voucher cannot be located, you may ask the driver for a voucher. Required information will be completed prior to departure.

5. Complete the Checker Cab Taxi log sheet located in the folder at the front desk for each voucher used for a student transportation for the appropriate semester (e.g., Summer 2014). Provide the white copy to the cab driver. Retain the yellow and pink copy and place in folder.

Voucher #

Date

Client Name

Drop-off Location

Counselor Last Name

6. The Clinical Services Director will submit a monthly log sheet to Kerrie Ward at GTPD (mail code 0440) by the 5th of the following month.

7. If additional vouchers are needed, the Clinical Services Director will request additional vouchers from Kerrie Ward at GTPD (404-385-6185).

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APPENDIX G Orientation to Stepped Care Model and Client Care Team

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Georgia Tech Counseling Center Orientation to Stepped Care Model

START

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Georgia Tech Counseling Center Orientation to Client Care Team

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APPENDIX H Employee Relations and Institute Policies

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Georgia Tech Anti-Harassment Policy

1.7 Anti-Harassment Policy

General Discriminatory harassment of any person or group of persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status is prohibited. Any employee, student, student organization, or person privileged to work or to study at the Georgia Institute of Technology who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including permanent exclusion from the Institute.

Every member of the Institute community is expected to uphold this policy. Faculty, students, and staff at all levels are responsible for maintaining an appropriate environment for study and work. This includes conducting themselves in a professional manner. Toward this end, the Georgia Institute of Technology supports the principle that harassment represents a failure in professional and ethical behavior that will not be condoned.

This policy and procedure is intended to facilitate an atmosphere in which, faculty staff, and students have the right to raise the issue of discriminatory harassment without fear of retaliation and to ensure that violations are fully remedied. No member of the of the Georgia Tech Community will be retaliated against for making a good faith report of alleged harassment or for participating in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing.

Definitions Discriminatory harassment is unwelcome verbal or physical conduct directed against any person or group, based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status that has the purpose or effect of creating an offensive, demeaning, or intimidating environment for that person or group of persons.

Sexual harassment is inappropriate sexually-oriented behavior or unwanted sexual attention of a persistent or offensive nature that sufficiently interferes with an employee’s job performance or a student’s status in an academic course, program, or activity.

Harassment must be distinguished from behavior which, even though unpleasant or disconcerting, is appropriate to the carrying out of certain instructional, advisory, or supervisory responsibilities.

One example (not intended to be exclusive) of incidents that may not be discriminatory harassment is as follows:

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

In an effort to complete work in a unit, supervisors often have to make difficult decisions about working conditions and arrangements in their perspective areas. These general management decisions may not please others, but they do not constitute harassment.

Examples of Sexually Harassing Behaviors Both men and women, as well as, persons of the same gender may be either the initiators or victims of sexual harassment. Some examples of sexually harassing behaviors that are strictly prohibited include (but are not limited to): Physical Conduct   

Unwelcome intentional touching, patting or pinching, etc.

Deliberate physical interference with or restriction of movement “Accidentally” bumping

Verbal Conduct    

Oral, written or symbolic expressions that personally describe or are personally directed at a specific individual or group of identifiable individuals Explicit or implicit propositions to engage in sexual activity Comments, jokes, questions, anecdotes or remarks of a sexual nature Using terms of endearment, such as, honey, babe, dear, stud, or hunk when referring to coworkers or employees

Nonverbal Conduct   

Displaying sexually oriented pictures or cartoons Using sexually oriented screen savers Sexually oriented notes, faxes, letters, or email

Applicable Procedures Bringing a Complaint 1. Any member of the Institute community who believes that he or she has been the victim of discriminatory harassment as defined above (the Complainant) should promptly report the matter to the appropriate institute officials within the offices designated to handle such complaints. The complaint must be brought within 60 calendar days of the most recent alleged harassing act.

2. The Appropriate Institute Offices where a complaint should be made are the Office of Diversity Management for incidents involving faculty and staff, and to the Dean of Students Office for incidents involving students or student claims.

3. The initial discussion between the Complainant and the Appropriate Institute Official will be handled with sensitivity and discretion. The Appropriate Institute Official will inquire into all reports of alleged sexual harassment brought to his or her attention.

4. During the initial meeting with the Appropriate Institute Official, a written summary of the complaint will be made and should be signed by the Complainant.

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5. The Appropriate Institute Official will inform the alleged offender ("Respondent") of the allegation and of the identity of the Complainant, will provide him or her with a written summary of the Complaint and will proceed as set forth in the following section.

Resolution of a Complaint 1. When a Complaint is submitted, the Appropriate Institute Official will discuss the matter with the parties promptly, will notify the appropriate Dean or Vice President of the charge, and may initiate whatever steps he or she deems appropriate to affect an informal resolution of the complaint acceptable to both parties within 15 calendar days of a reported incident. If an informal resolution is reached, it will be documented in writing, approved by the Director of Diversity Management or the Dean of Students, as appropriate, and signed by the Complainant and the Respondent.

2. If an informal resolution satisfactory to the Parties is not reached within 15 calendar days after an incident is reported, or if in the sole discretion of the Appropriate Institute Official, an informal resolution is not possible; the Appropriate Institute Official will proceed with a full investigation. A report of the investigation results along with a recommendation for resolution of the Complaint and/or disciplinary action will be made to the Associate Vice President for the Office of Human Resources and/or the Dean within 60 days of the date the investigation was initiated in the ODM. The Associate Vice President for Human Resources or the Dean of Students will initiate prompt remedial or corrective action where warranted.

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Georgia Tech Equal Opportunity Complaint Policy

1.11 Equal Opportunity Complaint Policy Policy Statement The Office of Human Resources Performance and Talent Management (PTM) team facilitates compliance of the Institute with federal, state, and Board of Regents Equal Opportunity (EO) laws and guidelines. This office has the full support of the Institute to identify and initiate resolution of EO policy violations. This policy sets forth the procedure by which employees and faculty of the Institute may file a complaint of discrimination or an appeal.

PTM also facilitates compliance of the Institute with Title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination in education programs or activities. In addition, PTM investigates student discrimination complaints involving faculty or staff of the Institute.

The Institute will use this complaint process whenever it becomes aware of a possible violation of the laws or guidelines referenced herein. However, if an alleged violation is under review in another office/forum, or has already been reviewed in a different forum, PTM may reject a new complaint regarding the same allegations or elect to temporarily set the complaint aside until processing in the other forum is complete.

Reason for Policy Georgia Tech is committed to affirmative implementation of equal opportunity in education and employment.

Entities Affected By This Policy All employees, students, and contractors of Georgia Tech are covered by this policy.

Who Should Read This Policy All employees, students, and contractors within Georgia Tech should be aware of this policy.

Contacts Senior Director, Performance and Talent Management 404-894-0300 pearl.alexander@ohr.gatech.edu Related Documents/Resources https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/en/report_custom.asp?clientid=7508 http://www.diversity.gatech.edu/ http://www.academic.gatech.edu/handbook/Georgia_Institute_of_Technology__Faculty_Handbook_Sep2008.pdf http://www.justice.gov/crt/cor/coord/titleix.php http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html http://www.usg.edu/hr/manual/grievance_policy/

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Definitions Retaliation/Non-Reprisal - seeking revenge, evening the score, or striking back at a perceived wrong. In an employment law context, examples of retaliation could include termination, suspension, disciplinary action, denial of promotion, benefits, or refusal to hire an individual. Federal and state laws prohibit retaliation against persons who file complaints of discrimination or who participate in an employment discrimination proceeding. For Appeals, an employee will be free from restraint, interference, coercion, or reprisal in bringing an appeal, serving as a representative of an appealing party, appearing as a witness, or in seeking information about the Appeal policy.

Abuse of Process - Adverse employment action may be taken against persons who knowingly file false complaints of discrimination, retaliation, or harassment. Such actions may include dismissal of the complaint and/or disciplinary actions against the employee, up to and including discharge or dismissal.

Withdrawal - Either the complainant, the appealing party, or the respondent may submit a voluntary complaint resolution or proposal for resolution prior to or during an investigation. The complainant or the appealing party may also, at any time, withdraw a complaint or appeal through the complaint and appeal line. PTM may have a business responsibility to continue investigating certain types of complaints, even if the complaint is withdrawn, and where applicable will do so.

Overview If an employee is not able to resolve the complaint informally and wishes to pursue the matter further, Georgia Tech has partnered with EthicsPoint, Inc. to provide an enterprise-wide solution by which members of the Georgia Tech community may file a formal complaint. Such complaints must be filed by completing an online form or by calling 1.866.294.5565 and having a neutral third party from EthicsPoint, Inc. transcribe the information. There are two types of formal procedures: (1) Discrimination Complaints and (2) Appeals.

Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to communicate effectively, treat each other with respect, and to resolve conflicts as quickly as possible without having to use these formal procedures. However, any employee or student who believes he or she has been subjected to discriminatory and/or harassing behavior from individuals covered by the same policies may have their complaints addressed by the Institute's official complaint process.

Lawyers are prohibited unless the hearing involves a criminal indictment.

Alternatively, individuals may elect to file their discrimination complaints with an external civil rights agency or court of law and subject to the processes of those forums.

Process/Procedures Discrimination Complaints Employees who believe that they have been subjected to illegal discrimination or workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or retaliation may file their complaint within 60 days of the alleged harm. All such complaints will be referred to PTM for investigation and resolution. Please refer to the 4-Step Discrimination Complaint Process and the 60-Day Timeline for PTM Discrimination Complaint Process documents for more details.

Appeals Employees who have been terminated, suspended, or demoted may appeal management's decision. If a satisfactory resolution of an appeal is not achieved by appealing to one administrative level above the level of the supervisor who took the original employment action, then the employee has up to 7 days of notification by next level management to file an Appeal. A PTM Rep. will initiate the formal grievance

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process. Please refer to the 4-Step Appeal Process and the 60-Day Timeline for PTM Appeal Process documents for more details.

According to the University System of Georgia's Grievance Policy, a grievance will not be available to dispute:  promotion and tenure decisions,  performance evaluations,  hiring decisions,  classification appeals,  challenges to grades or assessments,  challenges to salary decisions,  challenges to transfers or reassignments,  termination or layoff because of lack of work or elimination of position,  investigations or decisions reached under the institutions Harassment Policy, and  normal supervisory counseling.

A classified employee may file a grievance only if:  The employee has been suspended; or  The employee has been discharged; or  The employee has been demoted, or their salary has been reduced.

An employee may not file a grievance, even in the above circumstances, if:  The discharge occurred during the six (6)-month provisional period;  They have been adversely affected by a reorganization, program modification or financial exigency (such employees may apply to the Board of Regents for review);  The issue underlying the grievance is a charge of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability or religion.  The issues being grieved have been previously heard by an administrative panel at the institution.

Faculty members who appeal may also seek the assistance of the Faculty Status and Grievance Committee (FSGC). See Faculty Handbook, section 5.6.3.

_____ The complete policy may be accessed at http://www.admin-fin.gatech.edu/human/action/011100.html

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Georgia Tech Computer and Network Usage and Security Policy (CNUSP) At A Glance Georgia Tech CNUSP Policy: http://www.oit.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/CNUSP.pdf

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APPENDIX I Miscellaneous Forms

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Georgia Tech Equipment Loan Agreement Form

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