An Update to ASG: Counseling and Psychological Services

Dr. John H. Dunkle, Executive Director January 30, 2013

Why Health and Wellness?

Wellness must be a prerequisite to all else. Students cannot be intellectually proficient if they are physically and psychologically unwell. ~ Ernest Boyer

Comprehensive Approach To mental Health Services: Basic Assumptions

Community Issue Services and programs must be data-driven Services and programs must be driven by best practices Scope of services must be commensurate with allocated resources

The JED Foundation/Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion

Identify Students at Risk

Promote Social Networks

Increase Help-seeking Behavior

Develop Life Skills

Model for Comprehensive Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion

Provide Mental Health Services

Restrict Access to Potentially Lethal Means

Follow Crisis Management Procedures

http://www.jedfoundation.org/professionals/increase-help-seeking-behavior

Counseling & Psychological Services

Offices in Evanston and Chicago

Serves Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students

Counseling & Psychological Services

Clinical Unit

Outreach and Education

Community Relations

Training Unit

Great Plans Already Underway

CAPS 2010-2017 Strategic Plan: Cultivating Healthy Minds and Balanced Lives: http://www.northwestern.edu/counseling/media/pdfs/caps10-17.pdf

Campus Coalition on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

CAPS launched Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training in March 2012

CAPS will pilot an Emotional Intelligence class in the McCormick School of Engineering in spring 2013
CAPS welcomed two brand new permanent professional staff members, including a Case Manager, in summer 2012 Collaboration with the Feinberg School of Medicine Essential NU on Mental Health in Fall 2013 7

Counseling & Psychological Services

*Includes undergraduate, graduate, and professional students

Provide Mental Health Services: Clinical Trends at CAPS

Since 2009, CAPS has seen a 7% increase in demand for clinical services CAPS Crisis appointments have increased by 25% since 2009 CAPS also has increased Outreach and Education Services (OES) with the implementation of QPR and expansion of the Stress Clinic. CAPS has reached 600 community members with QPR and has had an 85% increase in the Stress Clinic in one year.

Provide Mental Health Services: Current Clinical Resources at CAPS

CAPS current staff to student ratio = 1 to 1196 COHFE Peers staff to student ratio = 1 to 940

Counseling & Psychological Services

*Includes undergraduate, graduate, and professional students

Provide Mental Health Services: Student Feedback about CAPS*

Dissatisfaction with being referred off-campus Dissatisfaction with wait list for assignment to on-going therapy Dissatisfaction with session limit (12 sessions for academic program) Dissatisfaction with accessing a therapist quickly.

* Based on CAPS Satisfaction Surveys and COFHE Survey data. Anecdotally, other feedback has emerged in The Daily and other publications, expressing concerns about mental health resources.

Capacity issue =

Increase Clinical Demands and Severity

Increase Outreach and Education

Current CAPS Resources

CAPS FY 2014 Budget Request*

Staff Psychologist 1 will also serve as Coordinator of Suicide Prevention Programs (this type of position exists at several of our peer institutions) Staff Psychologist 2 will have an expertise in multicultural counseling issues to help address the specific mental health needs of our students of color and GLBTQ students Staff psychologist 3 will be a generalist but, preferably, have an expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (long-term therapy option)

* Increasing the staff by three psychologists will improve CAPS staff to student ratio to 1 to 995.

CAPS FY 2014 Other Budget Request

Rationale: Peer listening programs are common offerings on campuses to help reach troubled students and to encourage them to seek professional help. Data from the Northwestern Suicide Survey revealed that if a student told anyone about being suicidal, he/she would tell another student/friend. Peer Listening program would be another way to help increase help-seeking behavior. Such a program must be run by a mental health professional if it is going to be done responsibly and ethically. NU Listens was developed by students but is not implemented because there is not appropriate training and supervision resources. Based on other model programs, we propose a Staff Psychologist to coordinate the program and to provide on-going training and supervision. In addition, such a program would require two graduate assistants to help run the service. Other costs would include phone lines, office space, and computer hardware and software.

Future Plans

Continue Campus Coalition on Mental Health Explore potential for increasing session limits with commensurate increase in staff Implement Essential NU Continue to explore longer-term therapy options, such as expansion of our group therapy program Explore capacity to add a peer listening program

CAPS Update

Questions