Mission Statement
The mission of the UAH Counseling Center is to enhance personal development and academic achievement by providing counseling, information, and guidance to students as they navigate through their college careers. In addition, we provide support and consultation to faculty, staff, and when appropriate, parents, in assisting students in achieving their academic goals.
The function of the UAH Counseling Center is to provide the university community with mental health services aimed at maximizing the personal growth and development of its members. These services are offered to students and include a variety of educational and preventative, therapeutic, and crisis management activities within a short-term therapy model.
Counseling Center services help students achieve their educational goals, learn the process of problem solving, increase and enhance their capacity for satisfying interpersonal relationships, and make full use of their potential for continued growth beyond their educational experience.
Confidentiality
The staff at the Counseling Center adheres to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines set forth by the American Counseling Association, American Psychological Association, and Alabama State Law. In doing so, we maintain confidential records of all counseling. This means that information about your contact with the Counseling Center is not included in your academic record, nor is it released to any other office or individual without your permission and signature on a written release form. However, there are some specific exceptions or limits to confidentiality.
Counselors are mandated to release only pertinent information in certain situations:
- Possible harm to the client
- Possible harm to another person
- Cases of child or elder abuse, or other situations in which a person who cannot protect themselves may be harmed
- In the event of a confirmed court order
While these situations are possible, they are infrequent. It is important to remember that your counselor's primary goal is to provide a safe environment in which you will feel comfortable to talk about your personal concerns.
The staff at the Counseling Center operates as a team. Therefore, from time to time, your counselor may consult with other clinical staff members or receive supervision from a clinical supervisor. These consultations are for professional and training purposes only and are aimed at providing the best possible care for all clients.