Mental Health
Designate an Emergency Mental Health Contact
Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Policy
In accordance with Illinois state law, the Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act, the University of Illinois Springfield provides students with the option to designate a person (parent, guardian or adult over age 18) who may be contacted by a physician, clinical psychologist, or other qualified examiner employed by the University of Illinois Springfield, during a mental health emergency.
This Act states that an institution of higher learning may disclose mental health information if a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner makes a determination that the student poses a clear danger to himself, herself or others, to protect the student or other person against a clear, imminent risk of serious physical or mental injury or disease or death being inflicted upon the person or by the student on himself, herself, or others. The physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner shall, as soon as practicable, but in no more than 24 hours after making the determination under this Section, attempt to contact the designated person and notify the designated person that the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner has made a determination that the student poses a clear, imminent danger to himself, herself, or others.
If a student would like to designate a person to receive certain private mental health information in such a situation, the student can complete and submit this form. The form will allow the student to authorize or decline to authorize the disclosure of the information.
If a student wishes to make changes to or rescind the authorization, the student must revisit the website and complete and submit the form again with the updated information. The authorization form will be stored in a secure record keeping system. It will be password protected and only accessible by a University of Illinois Springfield physician, clinical psychologist, or other qualified examiner.
The University of Illinois Springfield reserves the right, under certain circumstances as allowed by and/or required by law, to contact parents, legal guardians, spouses and/or other emergency contacts or the proper authorities, in the event of an emergency, to protect a student’s life or the lives of others.
Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness on mental health on college campuses shows that:
- One in four students have a diagnosable illness
- 40% do not seek help
- 80% feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities
- 50% have been so anxious they struggled in school