The privacy conundrum in mental health situations
In 1988, only three to seven percent of students were
treated for mental health conditions. Today, the number
is 38 percent. Incidences of “self injury” such as cutting,
eating disorders and substance abuse have risen six-fold
in 12 years.
Scott Lewis is associate general counsel for St. Mary’s
College. He’s also a partner in the risk management con-
sulting fi rm, National Center for Higher Education Risk
Management (NCHERM). Lewis cites studies by the Amer-
ican College Health Association, the National Behavioral
Intervention Team Association, the Association of College
and University Counseling Center Directors and the Jour-
nal of Psychology, all of which document the rising tide of
mental health disorders among the college population.
After the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, an apparent conundrum surfaced regard-
ing a confl ict between the proper response to aberrant student behavior and the student’s right to privacy. Lewis
sees the way through the conundrum.
“FERPA deals with disclosure of personal information to external entities, not internal,” Lewis points out.
“Further, FERPA has a health and safety exception.” He believes that campus personnel not only have the right
to report suspicious behavior, but an obligation to do so to protect lives. Plaintiff attorneys for victims of violence
will fi nd out whether the school “had knowledge.”
He also believes that a school exposes itself to liability by not following up threatening behavior in the class-
room or even a threatening message on a student’s Facebook page. Lewis recommends less fear of overstep-
ping FERPA rules. “It is an illusory barrier. A citation from FERPA is the equivalent of being mauled by a kitten.
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