All Internet/e-mail/telephone/face-to-face discussions are kept private except, by law, information of endangerment, abuse or injury.
Limitations and/or exceptions to confidentiality include:

• when a client poses danger to self or others,
• when the counselor believes the client (under age 16 or over age 65) is the victim of child/elder abuse, rape, or incest,
• when the client needs hospitalization,
• when information is needed in court action,
• and when a client makes a written request for information to be released to self or third party,
• when the counselor confers with another colleague for advisement.

HCC reserves the right to monitor Internet and email usage, and this poses the possibility that someone, an outside third party, may see the text of your e-mail. We are unable to assure the confidentiality can be maintained, but we will make every effort to assure privacy. If you are concerned about the contents of your e-mail being read by someone other than the individual you are contacting, then you might want to look at an alternate means of contact.

If you believe an HCC counselor is behaving unethically you may go directly to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Development. If we are not able to correct the situation together then feel free to contact the Consumer hotline at 1-800-942-5540 or write to the Texas State Board of Professional Counselors at 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756-3183.