Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act Policy and Procedures

[effective January 1, 2016]

Pursuant to the Illinois Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act, 110 ILCS 74/, the University is required to offer all students the option of designating an adult whom they would want contacted in case of an imminent safety risk to themselves or others. A student may state whether or not they would like to designate someone as an emergency contact who would be notified if an SIUC clinical psychologist, physician, licensed counselor, or other qualified examiner determines that the student poses a clear, imminent danger to self or other(s).

Students may designate such an emergency contact through the following procedure:

• All newly-enrolled SIUC students are given the option for disclosure or decline to disclose a personal mental health contact through the SalukiNet student portal at the time of registration.
• Students who wish to designate an emergency contact will have the option to do so either online (via SalukiNet) or by printing out, signing, and delivering the emergency contact form (available through the Office of the Registrar) to the campus office indicated.

Students who wish to revoke or otherwise modify their designated emergency contact may do so by following the same process stated above.

Students will be informed on the emergency contact form that not completing the form will indicate that the student has chosen not to identify an emergency contact for the purposes of the Act.

If, in the course of meeting with an SIUC student, an SIUC clinical psychologist, physician, licensed counselor, or other qualified examiner determines that the student poses a clear, imminent danger to self or others:

• That SIUC provider will take needed steps to assess the situation and arrange for appropriate treatment and referrals as warranted; and
• That SIUC provider will, no more than 24 hours after making the determination of an imminent danger, identify and attempt to contact the designated emergency contact person and notify that person of the determination that the student poses a clear, imminent danger to self or others.

Nothing in this policy shall preclude an SIUC clinical psychologist, physician, licensed counselor, or other qualified examiner from taking all necessary and warranted steps to help ensure the safety of a student and/or others who may be immediately threatened. This may include notifying others (including those who may not have been designated as emergency contacts) of the imminent safety risk, as allowed by law.