University of Virginia: Higher Education Meets Lower Health Privacy
When I was in college, I was married. My university mailed every bit of information that pertained to my grades, my financial aid and bills, and my courses directly to me. Nothing passed “Go,” i.e. my parents, and no one collected $200.
Well, the school did. A lot more than $200, too. But that’s neither here nor there.
Once my younger sister - who didn’t run off and elope at 18 - started college she, too, received everything pertaining to her grades and courses; my parents, however, received the bills.
When traditional-aged college students apply for college, the schools and financial aid programs often use the parents’ financial information to determine how much financial aid the student receives.
My marriage didn’t last, but one of the few good things that did come of it was that, because I was married, my university and FAFSA looked at my and my husband’s income - not my parents’ income. The result? I got more financial help.
My sister’s financial aid, on the other hand, was based on my parents’ income. Ah, the joys of not giving in to youthful ignorance, or mania - whichever caused my decision to get married.
*cough*
Anyway, my father has often wondered aloud why colleges are so quick to use the parents’ income to determine how much money a student gets (”They’re your children!” they say), yet they refuse to share the student’s grades and other information with the parents (”They’re adults!” they say).
Such were the thoughts that surfaced in my mind when I heard about the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors recent and unanimously approved policy to “notify student’s parents if their child has mental illness and is deemed a danger to himself or others” (UVa to warn of mental illness signs). I don’t see how this comes as such newsworthy information, given that the article also reminds us “[a]ll public colleges and universities in Virginia are required to approve such a parental notification policy, as per legislation unanimously passed by the General Assembly earlier this year and signed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine in March.”
I have several opinions and thoughts about this policy. I commend the University’s effort to protect all students, especially in light of college- and mental health-related tragedies such as the Seung Hui Cho shooting. At the same time, I wonder how the students - who are 18 years old and older, i.e. adults - are going to feel about having their personal health information revealed - even if it is to their parents.
Sure, the policy states that the University won’t contact parents in the event that such contact could cause the student to harm himself or others, but that in itself poses a whole host of other problems.
When it comes to potential suicide and/or murder, I’m all for an intervention. To me, potential suicide and/or murder are the confidentiality deal breakers. Period. Still, I can’t help but to pause and wonder how the students are going to feel about such personal health information being revealed.
*sigh*
I do hope this works out for the best.
What are your thoughts on it?
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Tags: Board of Visitors, colleges, FAFSA, financial aid, Governor Timothy M. Kaine, mental illness, murder, school shootings, Seung Hui Cho, Suicide, U.Va., universities, University of VirginiaPOSTED IN: Criminal Psych, Current Affairs & News, Sites of Interest, Suicide
2 opinions for University of Virginia: Higher Education Meets Lower Health Privacy
Katharine
Apr 18, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Parents are not necessarily the people whose notification would have the most positive impact when it comes to dealing with any health piece of information of a given adult. Sure, the rules of privacy can change in certain instances for the benefit of the individual and/or society, but the parents? Plus, it’s such a slippery slope! They “won’t contact if” clause is so open ended…
The mentally ill have so little control over their treatment as is.
I think this is outrageous, and as a mental health consumer, terrifies me… I believe it says something about the general tone/fear that can potentially lead to more knee jerk responses…. that diminish my civil rights, and that are ineffective - creating more stigma, and not addressing more pivotal issues related to mental health and public safety/wellbeing - separately and as the two intersect.
Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader
Apr 18, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Katharine, I think you hit the nail on the head several times in your comment. It is a slippery slope, it is a very open ended clause, and it definitely invites more knee-jerk reactions.
And, honestly, one of the things this country could do with a lot less of is knee-jerk reactions.
When I think about it as applied to me, as if I were still in college - it would probably work. My parents are great, supportive, loving, and educated about mental illness. If I were having some mental health issues and posing a threat to myself or others on campus, and the college contacted them, they’d swoop in and save the day. Or, try to. Get me some help. Encourage me to take some time off. I don’t know, something.
However, everyone comes from different family backgrounds. One person’s parents may freak out. Another person’s parents may tell him/her to “get it together.” Another may cart them off to a psychiatric ward.
It just seems very slippery indeed.
And that’s not even taking into consideration that someone between the ages of 18-22 (you know, those traditional-aged college students) are technically adults and may not want their parents to know. Shouldn’t they have that right? Yes! Shouldn’t they be given that right even if contacting the parents won’t mean they’re (the students) at more risk of harming themselves and others? Yes!
Which brings up a few more questions -
1. If the college doesn’t contact the parents because the doctor decides that would put the student at more risk for harming himself or others, then…what’s the next step?
2. What about those students who aren’t of the traditional age? Those students who are in their 30s, married and with kids? How do they fit into this?
I’m very interested in seeing how this pans out!
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