Records Request Policy

Requests for Client Records

Drexel University Counseling Center upholds ethical and legal standards of confidentiality.  The Counseling Center creates a record of the care and services that a student receives from the Counseling Center, to provide clients with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements.  The Counseling Center records are kept confidential at all times and are not associated with academic records.  They are not released without a client’s written consent and direction, except in accordance with the very limited exceptions provided under applicable laws and regulations. The Counseling Center records are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and other privacy policies.

Upon written request, the Counseling Center can provide a treatment summary of the client record to a client.  The Counseling Center is unable to provide any additional clinical record beyond the Record Summary, as the client record is the property of Drexel University.  Requests may be made at any time and will require the client's written permission by signing a release of information records form, which can be obtained by contacting the Center at 215.895.1415 or counsel@drexel.edu. A current client can also discuss this request with their current treatment provider at the Counseling Center during their scheduled appointment.

Regarding external record requests received from insurance companies, military personnel, or security clearance personnel (e.g. FBI, CIA), the Counseling Center will only release a record to a licensed mental health professional, with written permission from the client. With written permission, the Counseling Center will release information that the student attended counseling and the number of sessions attended.  The Counseling Center will not make recommendations on a client’s suitability for service or security clearance. When the Counseling Center sees students as clients, the Counseling Center sees them for treatment and are not seeing them for assessment or evaluation to make decisions about their suitability for jobs. Such evaluations require different techniques and skills. The Counseling Center will require a direct contact with the client in addition to the written permission before verifying attendance to therapy.

The Counseling Center requests at least seven business days between the time of request for treatment summaries and external record requests, and possible fulfillment of request.