Vermont § 184 - Student access to confidential sexual misconduct support services; collaboration with external partners

§ 184. Student access to confidential sexual misconduct support services; collaboration with external partners

• (a) Postsecondary schools shall ensure students have access to confidential sexual misconduct
  support services covered by victim and crisis worker privilege under applicable law,
  either on or off campus. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit
  a postsecondary school from also facilitating student access to support services not
  covered by a victim and crisis worker privilege. (b) If a postsecondary school is working with an external provider to provide confidential
  support services on its behalf, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and those
  support services are beyond those the external provider may provide as a matter of
  course to the general public, the postsecondary school shall enter into, and maintain,
  an agreement with the external provider. Agreements may address: (1) assistance in development or delivery of programming and training regarding sexual
  misconduct involving students; (2) collaborative marketing to make the campus community aware of the availability of
  confidential services from the external provider, either on or off campus, such as
  sexual assault crisis services, domestic violence crisis services, and sexual assault
  nurse examiner services; (3) reciprocal education of school and external provider personnel to ensure a mutual
  understanding of the other’s role, responsibilities, and processes for receiving disclosures
  of sexual misconduct, the provision of support services, and options for resolution; (4) reporting of data as required by federal law, if applicable, as well as reporting
  of de-identified aggregate information that will aid the school in identifying and
  addressing trends of concern; and (5) use of school-provided space to meet confidentially with members of the campus community. (c) All agreements executed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be independently
  negotiated between the postsecondary school and external providers. (Added 2023, No. 114 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2024.)