Eligibility and Services: Our counseling services are provided without charge to all UK faculty and staff with full-time equivalency (FTE) of .50 or greater, and their eligible dependents including spouses, sponsored dependents, unmarried children up to the age of 26, and mentally or physically disabled children at any age who were disabled before the age of 26. We also provide counseling services to UK retirees and Central Kentucky Management Services employees (Accounts Receivable Management Services (ARMS) and Eastern State Hospital) and their spouses.

An eligible employee is entitled to five (5) individual sessions per UK’s fiscal year (July – June). Unused visits do not carry over. Sessions may include the involvement of spouse, sponsored dependents, and other family members.

Our services may include assessment, referral and/or short-term counseling. If we refer you or one of your eligible dependents to another provider, charges billed by that provider are your/your dependent’s sole responsibility. Reasonable efforts will be made to make referrals to providers and for services covered by insurance when applicable.

If we provide social work services to you, we will inform you of your condition and the services we recommend. We will explain the reasonable expectations of the benefits from the service; possible foreseeable risks or negative consequences of the service; possible alternative services; and the right to refuse our services. We will obtain your informed written consent before audiotaping or videotaping you.

Staff will not offer opinions, recommendations, or assessments regarding legal or judicial issues in which you are involved.

Location Requirement: Due to board licensure requirements, all telehealth appointments must occur in the state of Kentucky. If you live and/or work from a location outside Kentucky, please schedule an appointment with LiveHealth Online at www.livehealthonline.com, which is currently offering $0 co-pays for behavioral health services.

Confidentiality: Information in the possession of the mental health therapists regarding the content of your counseling sessions or evaluations is confidential and can only be released with your written permission. There are legal exceptions to the confidentiality policy, which include:
• When the information relates to a clear and present danger of harm to oneself or others,
• Mandated reporting of threats of violence, harm, or abuse and neglect (from evidence or suspicion), and
• Other disclosures that may be mandated or permitted by law or regulation. 

Therapists will not disclose more of your information than is necessary to meet the requirements of the law.

Confidentiality of records cannot be guaranteed once they are released. In the context of professional consultation or supervision, other professional staff may have access to confidential information. Additionally, aggregate data on client demographics, issues of concern and the service outcome are compiled. This data is used for planning services and institutional evaluation. No client names appear in this aggregate data.

Participation in mental health therapy appointments is voluntary. Supervisors may recommend our services as part of resolving a personal or work-related issue, but the decision is yours. The information in your file is not part of your human resources personnel file or your UK HealthCare patient record (if you are a patient of UK HealthCare), and use of WLC services will not jeopardize your job or your chances for promotion.

Cancellations: Please respect our time, be punctual, and notify us if you cannot keep your appointment, preferably 24 hours in advance or by 8:00 a.m. the day of your appointment. A missed appointment without notification and without a reasonable explanation will be counted as a session. We will respect your time in the same manner.

Communications:
• Email, texting, and Microsoft Teams are not confidential methods of communication, and your therapist may not access or respond to these forms of communication quickly. Please be aware that emails and Teams communications/chats sent via a UK email or Teams address are subject to review by the University.
 • If you choose to contact your therapist by email, texting, or Teams, do not include private information, and do not expect a prompt response.
 • E-mail communications will be stored electronically as treatment records. If you need to reach your therapist between sessions, you may call the main office during business hours (859-257-9355) or email employeementalhealth@uky.edu.
• If we believe you are in crisis and we are unable to contact you, we may call your emergency contact or local emergency services providers.

Hours of operation:
 • The main office is open 8am-4:30pm, Monday - Friday except for holidays and University closures.
• Your therapist may have availability for appointments between the hours of 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, except for holidays and University closures.
• This office cannot provide 24-hour emergency management, particularly to those using services at a distance.
If you are in crisis outside of normal hours, you agree to:
• Call 911 orthe National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) to speak with a counselor.
• Go to the nearest emergency room or crisis mental health agency.