Mr. Fred Deaton This is Me

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1. 1. CTOnline -- April 1997

   www.counseling.org/ctonline/ar - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/31/1999   Last Visited: 2/23/2002

   "I think college counselors are going to be faced with a growing number of difficult confidentiality issues in the years to come," said Fred Deaton, a licensed professional counselor and coordinator of disabled student services at Jackson State Community College in Tennessee. "As college populations become larger and more diverse in regard to age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religious beliefs, there is little doubt in my mind that the rights of confidentiality will continue to be the subject of debate."
   
   Deaton also believes that the gradual disappearance of community mental health centers will force college counseling centers to pick up some of the slack. This too will contribute to the influx of confidentiality dilemmas on campus, he said.
   
   The type of pressure being placed on college counselors, as Mattox points out, is not unique to college counseling centers. "Supervisors everywhere will, on occasion, encourage counselors to disclose confidential information," he said.
   
   However, the potential for abuse appears to be much greater within the campus environment for two reasons: 1) academic leaders are relatively out of touch with the rights of confidentiality; and 2) confidentiality issues arise with disproportionate regularity-which is in part due to the leadership's lack of understanding of confidentiality.
   
   A frequently occurring scenario is that a student-client becomes disruptive in class or in the dorm and college administrators call on the counselor to assess whether the individual should be removed from the school. The disruptive behavior, in many cases, is due to the mental condition for which the student-client is receiving counseling.
   
   In some instances counselors are required to testify at college disciplinary proceedings.
   ...
   However, not all of the blame can be placed on college administrators, according to Deaton. "Many of the state laws and courts have been unclear and confusing as to the protection of counselor confidentiality," he said.
   
   Most professional counselors agree that stronger licensing laws and the subsequent rights of confidentiality would eliminate many of the confidentiality issues faced by college counselors. However, that goal will not be realized overnight.
   
   As it now stands, counselors cannot disclose confidential information without a waiver or release statement from the client-except if the client is regarded as a threat to him or herself, or to others; or it is mandated by court order. However, the nuances of confidentiality can vary widely from state to state and association to association, casting a shadow of confusion over the minimum level of legal protection.
   
   ...
   Many colleges have policies regarding records and procedures that apply to all faculty members, and according to Deaton, counselors are often presumed to be part of that equation.
   
   There seems to be a fundamental lack of understanding on college campuses as to the exact nature of counseling, said Deaton. Administrators often consider the rights and responsibilities of counselors to be the same as those of all other faculty members. Therefore, "counselors are expected to follow as non-counselors do," he said. This line is blurred even further in the context of smaller colleges where professors often double as counselors.
   
   Another confidentiality issue occurring with increased frequency on college campuses is who has access to confidential counselor files. According to a study published in the Journal of College Student Development, counseling center directors are concerned by the fact that "too many people have access to client records in college counseling centers."
   
   "One of my most difficult problems is convincing administrators that counseling records are something much different than academic records," said Deaton. "The need-to-know clause that applies to educational records does not pertain to counselor files."
   
   Deaton goes on to say that the academic environment is "relatively unsecure," which makes the accessibility of counselor files an even greater concern.
   
   The ultimate consequence of this unsecure environment is that more and more counselors are opting to protect their clients and themselves by taking fewer and less detailed notes during counseling sessions. The logic is simple: If there is a possibility that the confidentiality of counselor files will be violated, keep less information in those files.
   
   Unfortunately, this trend has the potential to hurt the treatment of clients if it is taken to the extreme.
   
   Although there are a variety of difficult confidentiality issues being explored and debated on the nation's college campuses, a common thread ties them all together.

2. 2. View Guest Book

   www.americanconsolidated.com/v - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/22/2000   Last Visited: 9/30/2000

   Fred Deaton
   
   Counselor
   
   Jackson, TN
   
   fd01@gnofn.org

3. 3. Tennessee College Fair Program Calendar - Spring 2007

   www.healthworkforce.org/colleg - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/1/2007   Last Visited: 11/10/2007

   Fred Deaton - 731/425-2616
   
   fdeaton@jscc.edu
   
   *** Due to limited space, Jackson State community College is hosting a Transfer Week in which six colleges can attend each day during that week. JSCC has requested that colleges contact Fred Deaton to schedule a specific day of that week to visit. You must contact Mr. Deaton prior to attending JSCC's Transfer Week.