Which statement best describes privacy protections in NCAA student-athlete mental health services?

• A. Privacy protections and confidential reporting channels are provided.
• B. Mental health information is publicly shared with coaches.
• C. There are no privacy protections.
• D. Only medical staff can access records.

Answer: (A)

Privacy protections and confidential reporting channels are central to how NCAA student-athlete mental health services operate. Students can seek help knowing their mental health information is kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know for treatment, safety, or compliance, and with the athlete’s consent when appropriate. This structure also provides safe, confidential ways to report concerns about oneself or others without exposing unnecessary details.

Coaches typically don’t have full access to mental health records; information is shared on a need-to-know basis with medical staff and other authorized personnel, not publicly. The idea that there are no protections, or that mental health information is publicly shared with coaches, doesn’t fit how student-athlete care is managed or how privacy laws and NCAA policies are intended to function.