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​LEONARD: CAPS and the importance of confidentiality

CAPS’ confidential support is a critical resource for struggling students

As Opinion columnist Bobby Doyle correctly pointed out in his op-ed earlier this week, the University is taking part in a very important dialogue regarding the mental health of our students. With the tragedies of last semester, our students are at an exponentially greater risk for depression and self-harm — which makes clarification of some of the points Doyle made extremely important. It is necessary that our students be accurately informed about the resources available to them regarding receiving aid for their mental health.

Doyle expresses concern at the extent of confidentiality during CAPS sessions, and suggests an alternative program, Peer Health Education, as a better option for students looking to keep their issues as private as possible. This is a gross misrepresentation of one of the core values of CAPS, which is the emphasis on maintaining confidentiality between the student and his therapist. Tim Davis, director of CAPS, writes regarding confidentiality, “The times when we break confidentiality are when we believe that another human being’s life or safety is in jeopardy and we take those exceptions extremely seriously.” The FAQ page referenced by Doyle gives a list of the few exceptions in which CAPS reports an aspect of the student’s past to authorities, but those are few and far between and the point of the report is to “protect the [student] involved.”

Doyle also expressed concern that should a student see a therapist, his future could be jeopardized, particularly when applying to government jobs. Lenny Carter, crisis management coordinator at CAPS, has this to say regarding Doyle’s question: “Specifically, Doyle’s statement that ‘issues get put onto a person’s medical record which can be looked at when getting a government job’ is quite false nearly all the time. In fact, the State Department states the following on its website: “going to a therapist. . . is unlikely to result in a negative security clearance recommendation. . . such counseling can be a positive factor in [security clearance] eligibility questions.” In addition to this clarification, I can present some anecdotal support for Carter’s message.

As a third-year student, I was diagnosed with anxiety with depressive symptoms. I have been to CAPS and have not only been through multiple rounds of therapy, but I have also been prescribed medication. Yet, I was hired as a Peace Corps volunteer — meaning I will be sworn in as an employee of the U.S. government. Because I will be living abroad in a rural area with limited medical care, I am required to provide documentation of my symptoms and medication, but this is the same process anyone with a chronic diagnosis would go through (i.e. asthma, past surgeries and the like). Additionally, during this process my personal recovery process is still between myself, my therapist and my psychiatrist — I am fully allowed to decide what beyond my medication history I wish to disclose.

Finally, I would like to address Doyle’s expression of a need for “an anonymous health advisor.” It seems he was unfortunately unaware of a wonderful program we have on Grounds: Helpline. Helpline is a 24/7 confidential telephone service operated through Madison House open to both Charlottesville and the University. According to its website, workers at Helpline “provide callers with a nonjudgmental, empathetic ear for any issue that the caller wishes to discuss. . . [and] they focus on referring long term services in the community to callers.” They are trained to handle discussions “ranging from relationship issues to sexual assault to suicide.” Yet, should they determine that the individual on the line poses a threat to themselves or others, they are trained in addressing the situation and involving the appropriate authorities.

This protocol for addressing a student who is in danger holds for any and all resources an individual would use on Grounds: Peer Health Educators, CAPS, Helpline — even professors, and this is a good thing; we are here to help resolve dire situations and to protect students to the best of our ability. Yet, for the vast majority of students who are not immediately in danger, our resources are totally confidential and designed to support the student as best as possible. Additionally, it must be clarified that PHEs and Helpline volunteers are not counselors — for those students in need of therapy to discuss their mental health, CAPS (or the other clinics in Charlottesville) is the appropriate resource. PHE, meanwhile, is in the final stages of a totally revamped mental wellness initiative. Students who make an appointment with a PHE will be supported in improving their overall wellness through the formation of goals, whether that be through self-care, stress management, tools for aiding academic performance in a healthy way and eventually even meditation and mindfulness training.

As a peer health educator myself, I deeply encourage students who are struggling to not be afraid or nervous to go to CAPS — CAPS workers are here to give you confidential support and guidance through life’s difficulties, and especially know that during this difficult time, they are here for us around the clock.

Here is a list of resources for a variety of needs students would want to address:

CAPS: (434) 243-5150

CAPS After-Hours: (434) 972-7004

HELPLINE: (434) 295-8255 (TALK)

Health Promotion/PHE: (434) 924-1509

Ainsworth Psychological Clinic: (434) 982-4737

Women’s Center: (434) 982-2361

Anna Leonard is a fourth-year in the College.

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