Confidentiality

All information shared with the mental health professionals at CAPS is confidential and no information will be released without student-client written consent.  There are specific exceptions as mandated by California state laws, which include:

1. When there is reasonable risk of danger to the student-client or to another person, group of people, or property, the mental health professional is required to take reasonable steps to prevent such danger;
2. When there is reasonable suspicion that a child (i.e., person under age 18), older adult (i.e., person over age 65), or dependent adult (i.e., person over age 18 who is in the custodial care of someone else) is being abused or is at risk of abuse, the mental health professional is required to take reasonable steps to protect the person and to inform the proper authorities;
3. When a valid legal request is made for mental health records, the mental health professional and CAPS are required to comply with such requests.

Records

Your records are stored electronically in an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system that includes information you provided to CAPS and Student Health Services, such as demographic information, treatment goals, therapy progress, and any correspondence related to the student-client. CAPS counselors also document information in your record pertaining to appointments, communications, and other interactions you have with CAPS. Records are protected by multiple security measures and extensive safeguards exist to protect the security of the mental health records. Only professional staff who are involved in treatment have access to these records. A short summary of your CAPS record is accessible to medical providers in SHS, including total appointments, date of last appointment, counselors seen, diagnosis(es), and treatment letters. The following are not accessible without your written consent: intake documents, session notes, and assessments. In compliance with federal (Cures Act) and CA state law, you have access to your protected health information (PHI) via the student health portal, https://csumportal.pointnclick.com. All PHI in your EHR is separate from your academic records.

Requesting Records

• All student-clients have the legal right to access their confidential Counseling Services records.  If desired, a "Release of Information" form must be filled out, signed, and dated in ink.
• Releases of Information may be faxed, emailed or hand-delivered to CAPS.
• Releases of Information are not accepted from anyone except the student-client, the legal representative of the student-client (as defined by law) or the beneficiary/personal representative of a student-client (if they are deceased).
• When a valid Release of Information is received, the relevant information will be provided within 30 days, as required by law.

Relevant Confidentiality Laws

• All CAPS actions and records are provided in accordance with relevant laws in the State of California.  For more information, please refer to the California Board of Psychology.
• CAPS does not meet the definition of a HIPAA-covered entity.
• CAPS' student-client records are considered "exempt" under FERPA.  Therefore, a campus-wide FERPA waiver does NOT apply to any records held by Counseling Services.

Letters of Support

We are here to support you. You may at some point require documentation of the treatment you have received at CAPS, whether to verify a diagnosis, to document mental health reasons for academic withdrawal, or to coordinate with another treatment provider, among other reasons.  If you require a letter from a CAPS counselor, please note the following: 

• Letters are provided at the discretion of CAPS counselors according to the health information in your record, current functioning, contextual circumstances, and relevant legal and ethical statutes.
• When providing the “Verification of Diagnosis” form for the Accessability and Disability Services office, CAPS counselors are informed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (2009) guidelines, Disability Rights under the California State University System, as well as the AHEAD Guidance.
• Letters will be provided only when a clinical relationship has been established with a CAPS counselor. 
• All requests for letters must be made at least five working days in advance of when it is needed 
• You must fill out a Release of Information before a letter will be provided to a third party. 
• The following shows the process of obtaining accommodations and where health care providers can provide supporting documentation

Confirmation of Appointment(s)

If you only need a confirmation of your appointment(s), contact the front desk of Student Health Services or call 707-654-1170 for more information.

Service Animals

CAPS complies with all ADA requirements and welcomes appropriately trained and specifically designated service animals as defined in the ADA 2010 to the Student Health Center and CAPS spaces.  Please work with the Accessability and Disability Services office to get more information about the process of obtaining a service animal. 

Emotional Support Animals

In general, approved Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not permitted in campus buildings apart from Campus Housing. CAPS and Student Health Services do not permit ESAs in the Health Center in compliance with university policy. Emotional Support Animals, sometimes used as part of a treatment plan as therapy animals, are not considered service animals under the ADA. 

Letters and other documentation for emotional support animals are only provided in the most rare of circumstances because there is currently no clearly established literature base for the clinical efficacy of emotional support animals.  Additionally, though we love animals and many of our providers have important animals in their lives, we do not have training in the assessment of animal behavior or impact to complete necessary documentation for ESAs. The documentation we would provide when indicated for established clients would only be about the student's mental health symptoms, diagnosis, and recommendations. 

Session Limits

The number of sessions you will attend here at CAPS depends on several factors. As the sole campus mental health department, we seek to provide meaningful treatment for as many students as possible. We don't have set session limits. 

Given our current staffing and the size of the student body, we wouldn't be able to meet all of the mental health needs of every student. However, we do commit to supporting student mental health and having at least one service available to everyone – whether a drop in workshop, a therapy group, a consultation about a friend, or ongoing individual therapy. We'll also help you get connected to the care you need – whether that's here or somewhere else. 

As a demonstration of our commitment to health equity and easing access to care, we consider both the symptoms the student is experiencing and the resources a student has – like insurance, family support, financial means, transportation, therapist fit, and location – as we collaboratively explore what services would best meet their needs at that time. In general, we focus on providing brief treatment. For students who need longer-term care or have resources to support them, we'll consider finding appropriate treatment options in the community for that ongoing care.   

A few things to keep in mind: 

• We don't have session limits; we focus on providing primarily brief therapy to students.   
• Workshops are clinical in nature and are intended to share information and teach skills to help students with common concerns make progress toward health and balance. 
• Groups are often the treatment of choice for students to connect with other students, and learn to support one another more effectively around a given topic or through the relationships established in the group. Studies have shown that groups are just as effective as individual therapy for students. 

No Show/Late Cancellation Policy

Currently, CAPS has a 24-hour appointment cancellation policy, which states you must change or cancel your appointment at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled time. We have a high demand for our services and non-canceled appointments translate into missed opportunities for other students in need of timely services. If you no show* for your appointment two times, you may lose your privilege of seeing a counselor at CAPS and will be given outside referral sources for you to continue your counseling. This policy reflects the mission of Counseling and Psychological Services to serve as many Cal Maritime students as possible. Please feel free to clarify this policy with your counselor. (* No Show is defined as not calling to cancel your appointment or calling to cancel with less than 24 hours notice. There are exceptions such as last minute illness or emergency.)

How do I cancel my appointment?

You can cancel your appointment by:

• Calling the Student Health Center at 707-654-1170
• Canceling in person by coming into the Student Health Center
• Canceling via the Student Health Portal (accessible with your Cal Maritime login)