Confidentiality and Limitations

Confidentiality and Limitations of Distance School Counseling Programs

School Counselors will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of our students. However, when operating in a distance (virtual) setting, school counselors recognize there are limitations. These limitations may include: unintended viewers or recipients as well as other factors inherent in electronic communications. By participating in Samuel Jackman Middle School's Distance School Counseling Programs, all stakeholders including students and their families acknowledge such limitations.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

Counselors have the ethical obligation to maintain confidentiality and establish practices to sustain student fidelity. Our legal and ethical responsibilities within the EHMS Distance School Counseling Programs shall be in accordance with the practices we execute in school settings. Any communication(s) between a student and counselor shall stay under fidelity unless any of the following has been expressed:

1. Student is being harmed

2. Student is harming himself/herself

3. Student intends to harm someone else

Ethical Standards for School Counselors

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a professional organization supporting school counselors, school counseling students/interns, school counseling program directors/supervisors and school counselor educators. School counselors have unique qualifications and skills to address preK–12 students’ academic, career and social/emotional development needs. These standards are the ethical responsibility of all school counseling professionals.