Anyone can refer a student for counseling services…yes, including parents…especially parents! If you notice sudden and/or negatives changes in your child’s emotional state, ability to cope during stress, or behaviors, you can contact your child’s School Counselor or me directly to set up an assessment.

Confidentiality for Students and Legal Guidelines – What Parents Should Know

If a student is meeting with the Mental Health Coordinator (MHC), it is because either you (the parent/guardian), your child, a staff member, or your child’s peer(s) had a concern. It is important to the therapeutic relationship and your child’s growth and processing that everything the MHC and student discuss will be held confidential. Unless a signed authorization is received, the MHC will not speak to or correspond with anyone about the student. It is crucial that students feel safe and comfortable opening up about their concerns and challenges.  Even in instances when a student is mandated by administration to receive counseling services, information provided in sessions is held confidential (only the total number of attended sessions with be shared with administration).  Please note that I will not disclose information to parents even if the activities or behaviors you would disapprove of or be upset by (unless the student could be at risk of serious and/or immediate harm).

• With all of this in mind, New Jersey law and professional ethics do either mandate or permit therapists to break student confidentiality under certain circumstances. Some ‘exceptions to confidentiality’ include situations in which there is reasonable suspicion that any of the following has ever occurred or is occurring now:
  • A student tells me that they are thinking about or plan to cause serious harm or death to themself.
  • A student tells me that they are thinking about or plan to cause serious harm or death to someone else.
  • A student tells me about physical, sexual, or emotional abuse that incurred in their lifetime.
  • A student is under the influence of a substance while in school.
  • The student presents a danger to self or others
  • The student is a victim of neglect, or unjustified mental suffering

** Note that the preceding is a sample, and not a complete list of exceptions to confidentiality.

Communicating with other adults:

School Personnel: I will not share any information with school personnel unless I have the student's permission. Exceptions to this include situations that require immediate assistance, such as the ones previously listed on this form. In addition, school policy requires the Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) to provide assessment, prevention, intervention, and referral services for students, so although I will always work to get a student’s verbal permission before sharing any information, there may be times when I must use my professional judgment to decide if information sharing is appropriate with administrators or the SAC. 

Outside Counselor/Agency/Program: If a student is receiving outside services it may be beneficial for the MHC to work with them. Written permission is required to share information with an outside agency (please see the “Confidentiality and Consent Forms” tab for the release of information form).

Law enforcement: NJ state law requires me to notify law enforcement when a student is sent to the emergency room (ER) for suicidal/homicidal threat. Only their name, address and the threat made will be shared. In addition, state law requires me to notify law enforcement and the SAC of a student who self identifies as someone who sells drugs.

Email: akortenhaus@monmouthregional.net

Phone: (732) 542-1170 x.1157

Fax: (732) 542-5815

Room #: 402