Counseling Center Impact on First-Year Students

Presentation to Committee on Improving the UW Undergraduate Experience

October 2005

Attributes of an Excellent First-Year Experience At UW

• Success experience in adjusting to academic environment/requirements

• Establishing a social support network• Developing a “cognitive map” of the UW community to identify and

utilize needed resources and to organize student’s new experiences• Linking academic work in a meaningful way with career path,

whether in an exploratory goal identification process or progressing toward established career objective

• Maintaining physical and emotional health to allow academic success

• Finding a sense of community adequate to meet students’ developmental needs and unique identities; feeling a part of at least one group

Strengths of the Current UW First-Year Experience

• Diverse, multicultural student body and faculty offer exceptional opportunities for growth

• Strong academic environment and outstanding research productivity create academic opportunities for students

• High quality services available to students, both in Student Affairs and within academic departments,

• Campus environment is relatively compact and “knowable” geographically, assisting in cognitive mapping of physical environment

• Special programs (e.g., FIG, TRIG, Suicide Prevention Program) available to students who can access them or are referred

• Opportunities for service learning enhance a sense of community, add meaning to students’ lives, and build self-worth and competence

Weaknesses of the Current UW First-Year Experience

• Overall: rich variety of opportunities in the environment will not be accessed unless students’ cognitive maps allow awareness of them.

• Student body size and limited financial resources in some departments create problems in students’ utilization of services

• “Commuter campus” reality is challenging re: providing effective “gathering places” -- and times -- to foster a sense of connection

• Cost of some services may limit access to students most in need of assistance

• University strategy may be too passive, relying on students’ initiative in seeking and finding resources and opportunities for growth. Research in brain development suggests some younger students may not be fully prepared to succeed in the environment without active assistance.

(Sowell ER, Thompson PM, Holmes CJ, et al, 1999)

• At the beginning of their UW experience, students may be overwhelmed with too much information to effectively utilize; resources may be better used if spread throughout the year.

Current Issues in Student Mental Health

• College/university counseling centers have seen a significant increase in severity and breadth of presenting issues over the last two decades. This has been broadly acknowledged in professional journals and reports (Benton, 2003; Gallagher, Sysko, & Zhang, 2001; National Survey of Counseling Center Directors, 2004; Kitzrow, 2003; Pledge, Lapan, Heppner, & Roehlke, 1998) and in the popular media (Smart Money, 2005; US News and World Report, 2005).

• --Suicide is the second leading cause of death in college-age students (Vastag, 2001; Centers for Disease Control, 1995). The rate of suicide has tripled among adolescents in the last 60 years (Anderson, 2001).

• --Most students who commit suicide will not have had prior professional contact (Schwartz and Whittaker, 1990).

• --In a recent study of 28 campuses, 9.5% of students had seriously contemplated suicide and 1.5% had made a suicide plan (American College Health Association, 2001).

• --Students cite stress (32%) and depression or anxiety (15%) as major impediments to their academic performance (American College Health Association, 2004).

Major Issues for University Counseling Centers Today

• Increased severity of client presenting problems• Increased diversity of student populations with specific

needs• Increased documentation demands • Emerging clinical issues (obsessive pursuit, gambling

addiction)• Depression and suicide prevention• Increased demand for services without corresponding

increase in resources

Importance of Behavioral Health on Campus

• Maximizes students’ academic success• Treatment increases retention and graduation rates

(Rummel, Acton, Costello & Pielow, 1999; Turner & Berry, 2000)

• Crisis management and ongoing services ensure an appropriate continuum of care

• Mental health consultation to faculty and staff reduces faculty/staff stress and enhances referral of students

• Prevention strategies contribute to a culture of health and wellness (Joffe, 2003)

• Behavioral health services support and increase the multicultural competence of students who are in a diverse academic community and will live in a global community

UW Counseling Center Mission and Core Value

• Mission: – To maximize student success via provision of high quality

mental health care across the continuum of prevention: developmental, preventive, and remedial services.

– To support the University community in the areas of mental and behavioral health.

• Core value that health and developmental dimensions are tied to, and necessary for the successful completion of, academic and intellectual goals

• In 2004-2005, provided direct and indirect services to over 2900 students, 908 online mental health screenings, and indirect services to the community via consultation

UW Counseling Center Remedial Services for First-Year (All) Students

• Individual, group, and couple therapy

• Crisis intervention

• Biofeedback, neurofeedback, and light therapy

• Psychiatric consultation

UW Counseling Center Developmental Services for First-Year (All) Students

• Outreach programming to students• Developmental career counseling• Developmental individual, group, and

couple counseling• Developmental workshops targeted to

dimensions of student/adult development

UW Counseling Center Preventive Services for First-Year (All) Students

• Outreach programming to staff and faculty • Outreach programming to students• Consultation to staff and faculty• Liaison relationships with closely allied units• Service on University committees related to

mental health issues

Successful Experience in Adjusting to Academic Environments:

How the CC Helps

• Study Smarter Workshops on the following topics, provided weekly each quarter

Time Management and ProcrastinationNote-taking and Learning from Your TextbookTest Anxiety and Stress ReductionMemorization and Test-taking Skills

• Outreach programming on topics related to academic success

Establishing a Social Support Network: How the CC Helps

• Communication Workshops• Developmental and Remedial interpersonal

group counseling• Liaison and training with Residence Hall and

Greek leaders• Outreach on topics related to social adjustment

Developing a “Cognitive Map” of the UW Community: How the CC Helps

• Participation in orientation programming• Intensive outreach early in the academic year

to inform students of counseling and related services

• Collaborative programming with other departments increases students’ effective self-referral to appropriate services

Linking Academic Work with Career Path: How the CC Helps

• Career workshops utilizing the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessments

• Individual career testing and counseling• Values Identification and Clarification Workshop• Transitions Workshop• Special workshops on career issues (e.g., Careers in Psychology,

Grad School Career Symposium, co-sponsored career workshop with Office of Minority Affairs’ Educational Opportunity Program staff)

• Career-related workshops for specific groups (e.g., ASUW leaders, Student Athletes, Dietetics Interns, Occupational Therapy students, Youth Academy Students, Law Students)

• Active co-programming and cross-referral with the Center for Career Services, Gateway Advisers, and other key departments

Maintaining Physical & Emotional Health: How the CC Helps

• Individual, group, and couple therapy• Suicide Prevention Program• Outreach to faculty and staff on mental health topics• Body Image and Healthy Eating workshops• In-person and online screening services for Depression, Anxiety, and

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)• Biofeedback, neurofeedback, and light therapy • Psychiatric consultation• Stress Management workshops• Workshops on Disability Issues• Training Peer Educators on Sexual Assault Survivor Issues• Ongoing clinical consultation to the SARIS Specialist• Close collaboration with other healthcare providers on campus (e.g., Hall

Health Mental Health Clinic, Hall Health physicians, professional school counseling staff)

Finding a Sense of Community:How the CC Helps

• Liaison, referral, and collaborative planning with campus professionals serving unique student groups (e.g., Campus Ministries, Office of Minority Affairs’ Educational Opportunity Program, Office of International Services, Women’s Center, Q Center)

• Workshops on diversity issues• Outreach to underrepresented student groups• Liaison and collaboration with Residence Life and

Greek staff • Housing & Food Services supports a full-time

psychologist whose services are primarily targeted to students in residence

National Best Practices for First-Year Students Related

to Counseling Services • Provide rapid access to care; maximize resources by coordinating care

and utilizing online services (Kadison, 2004)

• Provide specific suicide prevention and education programming (Jed Foundation, 2002)

• Provide active support for mental health needs at the institutional/top administrative level

(Jed Foundation, 2002; Kitzrow, 2003)

• Provide developmental and preventive services as well as remedial mental health services to fully extend resources, reach a broader array of student groups, and minimize crises by intervening early

(Stone & Archer, 1990)

• Conduct needs assessment regarding specific mental health needs of the university community, including assessment of specific populations, utilizing principles of intentional campus design

(Huebner & Banning, 1987)

• Utilize a broad systems perspective in conceptualizing and adapting mental health services

(Hamilton & Meade, 1979)