Self-Disclosure & Confidentiality of Health Information

Self-Disclosure

CGIS strongly encourages students to self-disclose health and dietary information to faculty leaders and on-site staff. This includes mental health concerns, allergies, medications, dietary preferences or restrictions, physical disabilities, and so on. Any information that is disclosed will be treated confidentially.

Dietary Restrictions and/or Allergies

Student should disclose any special dietary restrictions or allergies to faculty leaders and on-site program staff as soon as possible so accommodations can be made in advance. While on site, be prepared to discuss special accommodations with your host family or housing coordinators.

Health Concerns

Students are strongly encouraged to disclose their health concerns (including mental health) to both faculty leaders and on-site program staff. It is in your best interests to share this information, which will remain confidential unless the information needs to be shared with need-to-know staff in the event of an emergency.

Disabilty Accommodations

Students who receive accommodations at UM can receive the same or similar accommodations abroad, with some preparation. To learn more about that process and who needs to receive your disability documentation, please check out our Disabilities and Accommodations page.

Confidentiality

CGIS takes the confidentiality of student information very seriously and complies with federal and state law and with University policy.

FERPA Privacy Laws

According to the University of Michigan’s Office of the Registrar, within the US, "once a student reaches the age of 18 or attends an institution of postsecondary education, the families have no rights under FERPA." Only the student can give permission for their families and others to have access to their academic records, which includes health information that the student discloses on the health form in M-Compass (if applicable) and/or to UM faculty or staff. CGIS will disclose health information without the student’s permission only in the event of an emergency, such as when the student is hospitalized or poses a threat to themselves and/or others. 

Disclosing Sexual Assault / Misconduct  

Students are strongly encouraged to report any sexual harassment or assault to a UM program leader, Program Assistant, or to on-site staff. They can help the student access local and UM resources, seek any needed medical care, and file police reports. 

Please note that all UM program leaders and Program Assistants are considered Responsible Employees under the University’s Sexual Assault Policy, and thus may be required to report any incident of sexual assault that is disclosed to them. This means that one individual from the University’s Office of Institutional Equity will contact you to ask you if you’d like to pursue an investigation. If you decline, the matter will be dropped and that will be the end of it. To read more about how the OIE investigation policy works, please click here.

If you wish to remain anonymous, there are a number of ways to seek out confidential resources both here on campus as well as abroad. We have listed a few of these resources below, but there are many more available.

Confidential resources:

• Clergy members
• SAPAC (www.sapac.umich.edu)
  • 24/7 Sexual Assault hotline (+1 734-936-3333)
• RAINN (www.rainn.org)
• Any sexual assault or domestic violence shelter
• Any therapist or mental health counselor