Informed Consent and Confidentiality

Responses submitted through the Report Bias form are encrypted and sent to a secure server. Users have the option to provide their name, phone number, and email to facilitate follow-up.

Report Bias does not disclose information from your report except to select University employee(s) involved in resolving reports. Report Bias maintains an electronic record of the information you provide to us and the services we provide to you. If the information in your report involves sexual misconduct as defined in PSU policy AD85 or AD91, then this information is confidential and will be shared only with the Office of Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response (OSMRR).

Please understand that even if you request that Penn State take no action beyond recording the incident, Penn State may, depending on the circumstances, refer the report to another office, and/or respond to situations that threaten the safety of anyone mentioned in the report. 

Limits to confidentiality include:

  • Life-threatening risk: If we believe you pose a life-threatening risk to yourself or others, we may need to notify responsible individuals for your protection.
  • Child abuse reporting: We may be required by Pennsylvania law (Act 31, 2014) to report the following types of child abuse (depending on the nature and date of abuse) to PA Child Protective Services (and Penn State) if we have reasonable cause to suspect that a child (a person who is currently less than 18 years of age) has been the victim of child abuse:
    • If you are less than 18 years of age and disclose that you are the victim of child abuse.
    • If you disclose that an identifiable child has been the victim of child abuse. A report may be required even if we do not meet with the child.
    • If you disclose that you abused a child when you were 14 years of age or older. A report may be required even if the victim is no longer in danger.
  • Clery Act: If the information being shared occurred in a Clery Act location and is a Clery Act offense (rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking), we will need to file a Campus Security report with the Clery office. However, this does not include personally identifiable information.
  • Court Order or Search Warrant: Information may be required to be disclosed as a result of a court order or search warrant in connection with judicial proceedings.

 

Email and phone may not be secure mediums. However, we may contact you via email or phone to provide referral information and to provide information upon request.