Policies

Confidentiality

The American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics, American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, and Washington State law consider the personal information you discuss in counseling to be confidential. This means that no record of counseling is made on an academic transcript, and that information regarding your counseling is not released without your written permission, unless otherwise indicated by law as noted below. This means that if you want someone else to be informed that you have received services at the Counseling Center, you must sign a document to authorize any disclosure. Electronic records are kept of your appointments.

Information about your contact with the Counseling Center will not be shared with others outside the Counseling Center without your written consent, except in specific circumstances described below:

• If there is imminent danger to the health and safety of yourself or another person
• The information involves the abuse or neglect of a child (under 18 years) or vulnerable adult
• You bring charges against your counselor, and/or the Counseling Center
• We receive a court order for your records or other situation required by law

Cancellation and no-show policy

If you are unable to keep an appointment time, please notify us at least 24 hours prior to your appointment to cancel. It will free up the appointment slot for other students and ensure that we can provide equitable and high quality access to services. Students who no-show or late cancel two out of three individual sessions will not be eligible to schedule additional appointments for the remainder of the quarter. Similarly, students who no-show or late cancel two intakes, neurodiversity consultations, psychiatric consultations, or case management appointments will not be eligible to reschedule those appointments for the rest of the quarter.

Telehealth

The Counseling Center uses a hybrid model.  We offer both in-person appointments as well as telehealth appointments over HIPAA-certified Zoom. In order to be eligible for telehealth, the following conditions must be met:

• you have provided an emergency contact
• you are located in the state of Washington at the time of your appointments
• there is no clinical reason that contraindicates telehealth service
• you have a private location, reliable internet, and access to Zoom

Scope of practice

The role of the University of Washington Bothell Counseling Center is to provide brief mental health counseling and related services to help students be successful. Common issues that fall within our scope of practice include but are not limited to:

• Effective use of coping skills
• Addressing personal and emotional issues that may impede academic and career success
• Developmental issues associated with life transitions and life purpose
• Systemic and structural barriers which create health inequities for minoritized students

Out of scope

Those whose needs cannot be accommodated within our brief treatment model will be referred to community resources for care. Such referrals may occur at time of intake, or they may occur after some treatment and further assessment of need has taken place.

Some examples of clinical issues that will likely be addressed through a community referral include but are not limited to:

• Clients who have a current provider in the community
• Formal psychological testing including
  • ADHD
  • Learning differences or other neurocognitive differences
  • Emotional support animal assessment
  • Other types of disability assessment
• Court-ordered counseling
• Long term psychiatric services
• High need for crisis appointments which may include
  • Chronic suicidality and/or recent history of multiple suicide attempts
  • Severe and chronic self-injury
  • A history of multiple psychiatric hospitalizations
• Follow up post psychiatric hospitalization
• Issues that require specialized or long-term care which may include
  • Significant emotional regulation issues or interpersonal difficulties that would be best served through a DBT program
  • Significant or chronic disordered eating symptoms
  • Significant or chronic substance use/abuse
  • Active symptoms of psychosis or mania

Documentation requests

The Counseling Center only provides academic support letters and documentation for already established clients who have attended at least 3 sessions in ongoing counseling (intake does not count as “ongoing”) and the clinician determines that the psychological condition meets criteria for the documentation requested. This process takes several weeks and is not guaranteed to result in signed paperwork. Please be advised, if you seek an intake for the sole purpose of receiving documentation, we will not be able to meet your request. Visit the Academic Support resource on our Resource page for more information. Support documentation requires a release of information to be signed and includes:

• Former quarter drop
• Tuition forfeiture petition
• Financial aid petition
• DRS accommodations
• International student reduced coarse load petition

The Counseling Center does NOT provide letters for emotional support animals.

English language proficiency

In order to receive clinical services at the Counseling Center you must be able to speak and be understood using basic conversational English. If your clinician determines that you are not able to communicate in English at a level to engage in meaningful counseling, then you will be referred to case management to try to locate a provider who can provide services in a language that you are proficient in. Exceptions include languages that a clinical staff member can competently provide services in. 

Accessibility

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request connected to a disability or health condition contact us 10 days in advance of your appointment at 425-352-3183 or emailuwbcc@uw.edu.

We have iPads with screen readers and accessibility features available to complete paperwork, but you may also use your own device. Please note that oral communication is the primary mechanism for services; however, we can bring in sign language interpreters. We are located on the ground floor of UW1 in room 080 (T5 on this map).

Faculty & staff seeking counseling

The UW Bothell Counseling Center offers services to students only. Faculty and staff members should seek counseling through the Employee Assistance Program at the respective colleges. For additional questions or concerns, please contact the Enrollment Management & Student Affairs Program Coordinator of Operations at 425.352.5424 or your Human Resources office. You can also check out the Whole U program.

If you are a student AND a faculty/staff member, your main identity becomes faculty/staff. The dual status can cause complications and create ethical dilemmas for our staff. Your Employee Assistance Program services is the appropriate resource in these cases.

If you are a student employee, you can use the Counseling Center.