Revised March 7, 2024

Hokkaido University Student Advice and Counseling Center
Terms of Use and Agreement for Counseling Services
The following are the procedures and rules regarding the use of the Student Advice and Counseling Center (hereinafter referred to as theSACC, which includes the Student Counseling Office, Accessibility Services Office, and International Student Counseling Office) and its
services. Please feel free to ask the staff of the SACC if you have any questions or concerns.
1.

Eligibility for Use
Students currently enrolled at Hokkaido University, their family members, faculty, and staff who reside in the country of Japan, areeligible for the SACC services. Consultation for family members, faculty, and staff is limited to matters related to student support. If
family members, faculty and staff wish to receive consultation, it is preferable to obtain the student's consent. However, this does not
apply in cases where it is not appropriate or possible to obtain the student's consent.

2.

Scope of Services
At the Student Counseling Office, clinical psychologists provide counseling, consultation, and other services according to the natureof the concerns. The Accessibility Services Office offers consultation on study and research and coordinates reasonable accommodations.
At the International Student Counseling Office, counseling and consultation services are provided by clinical psychologists who areproficient in English and Chinese. According to the nature of the concerns, we may also refer you to appropriate service providers,faculty, or staff members. In general, each session lasts no longer than 45 minutes.

3.

Confidentiality
In principle, the SACC does not disclose any information about students who use its services, including the fact they have visited theSACC, or the content of consultation without their consent.
The SACC staff work as a team and may share information with other staff within the SACC. In order to provide better assistance,
the SACC may seek advice from other professionals without revealing detailed personal information.
In the following exceptional cases, the minimum necessary information may be disclosed to relevant persons or organizations (familymembers, Hokkaido University Health Care Center, academic supervisors, administrative agencies (e.g., public health office, police,etc.), hospitals, etc.) even without the consent of the student concerned.
・ When there is an imminent risk of suicide

・ When there is a risk of harm to others

・ When there is a risk of abuse to the student or others
・ When contracting an infectious disease that must be reported to the public health office・ When mandated by law
4.

Safety of Service Users and Staff
Any actions or behaviors that threaten the safety of other service users or staff inside and outside of the SACC may result in a restrictionof its services. Actions or behaviors that threaten the safety may include the following:・ Threatening, aggressive, or violent behaviors and obstruction of the SACC operations
・ Stalking and harassing

5.

・ Other disruptive behaviors

Consultation Records
The SACC staff maintains records of consultation and securely handles them as personal information along with other informationsuch as the service user's student ID number and contact information.
Such information may be used for the following purposes:(1) To improve the quality of services(2) To utilize anonymized information for periodic reporting and organizational purposes in order to improve the operations andservices at the SACC

6.

Research Use
The SACC conducts research to improve its counseling and consultation services as well as the effectiveness of support it provides.
Using anonymized information, the SACC may present the research findings at academic conferences or publish them in academic
journals. We ask for your kind understanding and cooperation on this matter.
If you do not want your information to be used for research purposes, please notify the SACC. You will not be at a disadvantage by
not giving consent and are always welcome to use the services offered at the SACC.

7.

Making/Changing/Canceling Your Appointment
To make, change, or cancel your appointment, contact the reception desk of the SACC, your counselor or coordinator. Contact us if
you have missed your scheduled appointment and would like to reschedule.
If you are a student and miss your appointment without notice, we may contact your family members, academic supervisors, or otherrelevant university staff members to verify your safety. Please provide the emergency contact information below:

8.

Parent or Guardian Name (please print)

Academic Supervisor Name (please print)

Parent or Guardian Contact Information

Academic Supervisor Contact Information

Dispute Resolution
When a dispute occurs between a service user and National University Corporation Hokkaido University on the use of the SACC,
both parties will faithfully discuss to settle the issues. If there is no resolution, the Sapporo District Court or the Sapporo Summary
Court has the sole and exclusive jurisdiction. The same applies when the service user lives outside of the jurisdiction of these courts, isa foreign national, or does not reside in the country of Japan.

9.

In the Case of Contracting Infectious Disease That Must Be Reported to Public Health Office
Please contact the SACC immediately.

10. Important Reminder for Remote Consultation ServiceAlthough remote consultation is a convenient method, precautionary measures for online security are necessary. Please take all
possible security measures, such as receiving consultation in a place where there are no people around or using a wired network(LAN). It should also be noted that if you record or videotape a remote consultation session, there is an additional risk of data
breaches.
Please understand that remote consultation services may be unavoidably suspended or terminated in order to prioritize your safety
and confidentiality of the consultation and to maintain the quality of the consultation.
For remote consultation, your counselor or coordinator may conduct the consultation at a location other than the SACC. In suchcases, the SACC will ensure that the confidentiality of the consultation is protected.

11. Agreement to Terms and Conditions Above and Submission of Consent Form
If you have read, fully understood, and agreed to the above terms and conditions, please complete the section below.

Student Name (please print)

Date (month/day/year)

Name (if you are not the student listed above, please print your name here)