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Making an Appointment
What to Do and What to Expect:
Students may call 253-692-4522 or stop by the Student Counseling Center (SCC), MAT 253, to schedule an appointment.
Individual appointments are approximately 50 minutes in length.
The SCC makes every effort to schedule students as soon as possible. Same day appointments are available.
After your first appointment, your counselor will assist you in scheduling additional appointments. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please contact the SCC at least 24 hours in advance.
There is no fee charged for Student Counseling Center services for all enrolled UW Tacoma students.
Emergency protocol at Student counseling center at UW Tacoma: please be advised that we do not provide 24 hour services. If you are experiencing a crisis, after hours or weekends, please call the crisis clinic:
- Mobile Outreach Crisis Services Crisis Line (253) 798-2709
- University of Washington Tacoma Campus Safety: (253) 692-4416
- Immediate Danger or medical emergency call 911
- For more resources, visit the resource page.
Your rights, responsibilities and role:
- Be an active participant. Take an active part in deciding how you want to use your time. Give feedback to your counselor and be honest with yourself and your counselor. If you do not feel a connection with the counselor you're assigned to, you may request a different counselor.
- Keep appointments and be prompt. Your appointment day and time is reserved especially for you. If you find you are unable to keep an appointment, need to cancel or change an appointment, please call AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. If you find that you are going to be late to an appointment, please be courteous and let the Counseling Center know so that your counselor can wait for you to reschedule, if appropriate. PLEASE NOTE: While there currently is no additional fee for services, missed appointments especially no-shows, will count toward your maximum allowable sessions. If you have 2 or more no call/no show appointments, you may be terminated so other students can be served. Missed appointments, especially no-shows, will count toward your maximum allowable sessions.
Confidentiality, why it's ok to trust us:
Our staff has been trained with the latest HIPAA and FERPA guidelines. Communication with your counselor will be kept in confidence and will not, except under the circumstances explained below, be shared with anyone outside of the SCC, unless you give written authorization. SCC records are not part of academic records, and no one on or off campus has access to Counseling Center records except under extremely rare conditions which are included in the exceptions, to confidentiality mandated or permitted by law, below.
Exceptions to Confidentiality:
- We may break confidentiality if there is risk of imminent danger to any person (yourself or another person)
- When we have reason to suspect that a minor or an elderly person is in danger of being abused or neglected we are legally required to report this to the Department of Social Services.
- If a court of law or federal security entity orders the release of certain information about a client we are legally required to comply with this order.
- Professional standards recommend confidential consultation within the agency to ensure quality care.
- If you file a law suit or other legal action against UW Tacoma or its employees, agents or officers contesting your services at this center, information contained in your records could be released to UW Tacoma's attorneys if relevant to your law suit.
