saint joseph’s college
CONTENTS table of contents
Staff
1
Role of the Counseling Center
2
What Guides Our Work
2
Services
3
Highlights
4
Direct Service Individual Counseling
5
Substance Use Intervention
10
Groups/Workshops
13
Athlete Mental Health Screening
13
Indirect Service Outreach and Training
15-19
Consultation
20
Professional Development
20
Looking Ahead
21
References
22
STAFF
counseling center staff
Sarah Gordon, BS Violence Prevention Coordinator Saint Joseph’s College
Angie Moorman, MSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker Barry University
David Lischer, MSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker University of Maine
Jimmy Riley, MS Administrative Assistant Arkansas State University
Liz Wiesen, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Wright State University
1
ROLE
the role of the counseling center
Saint Joseph’s College Counseling Center strives to: Support the educational mission of the College; Promote personal development, self-knowledge, and psychological well-being; Contribute to a community culture that maximizes learning and educational achievement; Collaborate with other college offices and programs in helping students succeed and persevere in their educational pursuits; and Provide services that reduce the effects of psychological, behavioral, and interpersonal difficulties that interfere with learning, increase self-awareness, encourage personal responsibility, and develop respect for self and others.
VALUES guiding principles
Because we are people, we e re recognize the intrinsic value of diversity. Because we are professionals, B we strive to support and promote diversity. Because we are human, we are works in progress - still learning about and growing in our understanding and appreciation of those who are different from ourselves. Because we are committed to the affirmation of diversity, B w invite students of every age, background, ability, we religiou religious belief, race & ethnicity, sexual orientation & gender to use our services with an expectation of respect and compassion. adapted from Jim Nolan, Baldwin Wallace University
2
from the director It was another exciting and productive year at the Counseling Center that included some new initiatives and new staff, in addition to our typical work on a college campus. While the following pages detail the activities of the past year, some specific highlights of note include: 298 individuals engaged in clinical services (i.e., individual counseling and substance use evaluations),
representing over 30% of the on-campus student population. One in four SJC students (n = 235) engaged in individual counseling and 63 students were seen for substance use assessments. The Counseling Center, participants in a Penn State University pilot study, collaborated with SJC Athletics
to provide mental health screening to 276 student-athletes, providing direct feedback to each athlete and aggregate feedback to SJC Athletics. Workshops/groups were introduced this year as a way to diversify clinical options for students and to explore
more efficient intervention strategies given the continued high demand for services. The Department of Justice and Office for Violence Against Women awarded the College a $300,000 grant
to reduce sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking on campus. This grant, housed within the Counseling Center, funds a full-time Violence Prevention Coordinator - filled by SJC '11 alum, Sarah Gordon. In addition to enthusiasm and a genuine desire to bring positive change to her alma mater, Sarah brings to the position eight years of experience in the area of violence prevention. Speaking of new positions and alums, the Counseling Center acquired a long-needed administrative
assistant position filled by SJC '16 alum, Jimmy Riley. Jimmy brings to the position an excellent knowledge of the ins-and-outs of the College, a strong work ethic, and a welcoming, reassuring manner with (often vulnerable) students. Given that on most days clinical staff are behind closed doors 75% to 95% of the time, this role is an important one in not just managing the daily operations of the Center, but in triaging walk-in students. There have been 56 walk-ins in the six months that this position has been filled - most of whom were students who, prior to having the reception area staffed, may have walked out without the help they sought. Titanium, a scheduling and electronic records software system, was launched! There was quite a bit of
work that went into the configuration of the new system (led by staff member, Angie Moorman), but the result has been well-worth the investment. Titanium has been helpful in efficient record keeping and is an administrator's dream in terms of data. Finally, the Counseling Center was humbled and honored to receive the Father John Tokaz Award presented
annually to the individual within the college community who has displayed extraordinary support of and assistance to the athletic department mission and to the Saint Joseph's College student-athletes. While there are many more highlights from the year worth mentioning here, space limitations prevail. Those interested are invited to read on! Thank you for your interest in our work and for your support of our students' well-being. Wishing you good mental health,
Liz
Liz Wiesen, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Director, Saint Joseph's College Counseling Center
DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling
Number of Individual Counseling Clients 250
235 215 201 191
200
150
139 123
121
122
131
Utilization rates increased again this year with 235 students seen for individual counseling, a 9% increase from last year and 50% higher than the national mean for institutions less than 1,500 (LeVines, Bershad, and Gorman, 2017). Clinicians provided over 1,850 individual therapy appointments representing over 2,335 hours of service. Six percent of meetings included rapid access appointments, emergency sessions, and risk evaluations. Clinicians responded to 6 after-hour emergencies.
118
100
50
0
Across the U.S. at any given time, 32% of college and university students are dealing with a mental illness. Of those, only 36% of students with mental health disorders have participated in mental health treatment. Without treatment, students experiencing mental health disorders are at high risk for lower grade point averages, school dropout, and unemployment (Eisenberg, Hunt, and Speer, 2011). 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Number of Appointments per Client by Range 1 to 5 appointments
61%
6 to 10 appointments
20%
11 to 15 appointments
12%
16 to 20 appointments
3%
21+ appointments
4%
6
average number of appointments per client
Some have suggested establishing session limits in order to address the ever-growing demand for clinical services on college campuses. Indeed, 45% of college and university counseling centers have session limits, though this figure drops to 29% for schools under 1,500 (LeVines et al., 2017). The average number of sessions per client at SJC is 6.26, comparable to the national figure for similarly sized institutions, 5.75 (LeVines et al., 2017). Given the relatively low average number of visits per client and that SJC Counseling Center has been able to absorb demand and avoid a waitlist, session limits do not appear to be indicated at this time.
5
DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling & return on investment
Return-on-Investment Calculator for Mental Health (depression) Programs/Services* (Eisenberg, Golberstein, and Hunt, 2009). EƵŵďĞƌƐ ŝŶ LJĞůůŽǁ ŚŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚĞĚ ĐĞůůƐ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ĐƵƐƚŽŵŝnjĞĚ ƚŽ ^: ΖƐ ĐŽŶƚĞdžƚ͖ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĐĞůůƐ ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶ ĂƵƚŽŵĂƚŝĐ ĐĂůĐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ůĞĨƚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ͘ ^ƚƵĚĞŶƚ ƉŽƉƵůĂƚŝŽŶ й ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ;ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ , ͲE , // ĚĂƚĂ͕ ^: ϮϬϭϲͿ EƵŵďĞƌ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ EƵŵďĞƌ ŶŽŶĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ
ϭϬϬϬ ϭϱй ϭϱϬ ϴϱϬ
ƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ й ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ Ăůů ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ EƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ Ăůů ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ
ϮϬй ϮϬϬ
ZĞůĂƚŝǀĞ ƌŝƐŬ ŽĨ ĚƌŽƉƉŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ͕ ŶŽŶĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ǀĞƌƐƵƐ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ;ƌĂƚŝŽͿ
Ϭ͘ϲ
EŽƚĞ͗ Ϭ͘ϲ ŝƐ ĂƉƉƌŽdžŝŵĂƚĞ ƌĂƚŝŽ ĨƌŽŵ ƐƚƵĚLJ Ăƚ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ŽĨ DŝĐŚŝŐĂŶ
ƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ й ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ EƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ й ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ŶŽŶͲĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ EƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ŶŽŶĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ
Ϭ͘ϯϬ ϰϱ͘ϰϱ Ϭ͘ϭϴ ϭϱϰ͘ϱϱ
/ŵƉĂĐƚ ŽĨ ŚLJƉŽƚŚĞƚŝĐĂů ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ EƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ďĞŶĞĨŝƚŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ŚLJƉŽƚŚĞƚŝĐĂů ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƌĞĚƵĐƚŝŽŶ ŝŶ W,YͲϵ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶ ƐĐŽƌĞ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ;ϭϬсůĂƌŐĞ͖ ϱсŵĞĚ͘Ϳ
ϭϮϱ ϱ
EŽƚĞ͗ ĂŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƌĞĚƵĐƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ ϯͲϱ W,Y ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ŝƐ ĐŽŵƉĂƌĂďůĞ ƚŽ ĞĨĨĞĐƚ ƐŝnjĞƐ ŝŶ ŵĞƚĂͲĂŶĂůLJƐĞƐ ŽĨ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶ ƚƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ
EĞǁ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ й ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ĂŵŽŶŐ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ďĞŶĞĨŝƚŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ EĞǁ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ĂŵŽŶŐ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ďĞŶĞĨŝƚŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ WƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ ĂŵŽŶŐ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͕ ǁͬŽ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ
Ϭ͘Ϯϰ ϯϬ͘ϯϬ ϯϳ͘ϴϴ ϳ͘ϱϴ
EƵŵďĞƌ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ĂǀĞƌƚĞĚ͕ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵͬƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ EĞǁ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ й ;ƉĞƌ LJƌͿ͕ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ŝŶƐƚŝƚƵƚŝŽŶ ĚĚĞĚ LJĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚĞŶĐĞͬƌĞƚĞŶƚŝŽŶ ƉĞƌ ĂǀĞƌƚĞĚ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚ
ϭϵ͘Ϯϰй Ϯ
EŽƚĞ͗ ƚŚŝƐ ŝƐ Ă ĐƌƵĚĞ ĂƐƐƵŵƉƚŝŽŶ͖ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ŶŽ ǁĂLJ ƚŽ ďĞ ĐĞƌƚĂŝŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚŝƐ ƉĂƌĂŵĞƚĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĚĂƚĂ͘
dŽƚĂů ĂĚĚĞĚ LJĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚĞŶĐĞͬƌĞƚĞŶƚŝŽŶ ĚĚĞĚ ŝŶƐƚŝƚƵƚŝŽŶĂů ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ;ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶͿ ƉĞƌ ĂĚĚĞĚ LJĞĂƌ ŽĨ ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚĞŶĐĞͬƌĞƚĞŶƚŝŽŶ
ϭϱ͘ϭϱ ;Ψ ϭϱ͕ϬϬϬͿ
EŽƚĞ͗ ƚŽ ĐĂůĐƵůĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ ƚƌƵĞ ŶĞƚ ďƵĚŐĞƚĂƌLJ ŝŵƉĂĐƚ͕ ŽŶĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ƉƌŽďĂďůLJ ƵƐĞ Ă ŶƵŵďĞƌ ůŽǁĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ĨƵůů ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶ͕ ƚŽ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ͗ ĂͿ Ă ƌĞƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚ ƵƐĞƐ ĐĂŵƉƵƐ ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ͖ ďͿ ƚŽ ƐŽŵĞ ĞdžƚĞŶƚ͕ ůŽƐƚ ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶ ĚŽůůĂƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ ĚƌŽƉͲŽƵƚƐ ŵĂLJ ďĞ ƌĞƉůĂĐĞĚ ďLJ ĂĚŵŝƚƚŝŶŐ ŵŽƌĞ ŶĞǁ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͖ ĐͿ ŽŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ƉĂLJ ůĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ĨƵůů ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶ ;ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĐŚŽůĂƌƐŚŝƉƐ ĂŶĚ ĨŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ĂŝĚͿ
dŽƚĂů ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶĂů ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ĨŽƌ ŝŶƐƚŝƚƵƚŝŽŶ
;Ψ
ĚĚĞĚ ůŝĨĞƚŝŵĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƉĞƌ LJĞĂƌ ŽĨ ĐŽůůĞŐĞ ĞĚƵĐĂƚŝŽŶ ;ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚĞĚ ǀĂůƵĞͿ
ϮϮϳ͕ϮϳϯͿ ΨϱϬ͕ϬϬϬͿ
EŽƚĞ͗ ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ ĐĂůĐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƵƌƌĞŶƚ WŽƉƵůĂƚŽŶ ^ƵƌǀĞLJ ĂŶĚ ĂƐƐƵŵŝŶŐ ϯй ƉĞƌ LJĞĂƌ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚŝŶŐ ŽĨ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ
dŽƚĂů ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶĂů ůŝĨĞƚŝŵĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ĨŽƌ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ;ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚŝǀŝƚLJͿ
Ψϳϱϳ͕ϱϳϲͿ
The connection between mental health issues and student retention has implications for the economic well-being of students and institutions alike. Specifically, the negative effects of mental health problems on student retention suggest that institutional investments in student mental health are likely to generate both increased tuition revenues for institutions and higher earnings for students who attain a college degree (Eisenberg, Golberstein, and Hunt, 2009; Ashwood et al., 2015). *customized to SJC
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DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling
CCAPS National Comparison - Initial Distress W^ ǀĞƌĂŐĞ ^ĐŽƌĞƐ >ŽĐĂů ǀĞƌĂŐĞ EĂƚŝŽŶĂů ǀĞƌĂŐĞ
^ƵďƐĐĂůĞ Ϭ
ϭ
Ϯ
ϯ
ĨĨĞĐƚ ƐŝnjĞ͕ ĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ
ϰ
ĞƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶ
͘ϲϮ͕ DĞĚŝƵŵ
'ĞŶĞƌĂůŝnjĞĚ ŶdžŝĞƚLJ
͘ϯϵ͕ ^ŵĂůů
^ŽĐŝĂů ŶdžŝĞƚLJ
͘Ϯϴ͕ ^ŵĂůů
ĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ŝƐƚƌĞƐƐ
͘ϱϳ͕ DĞĚŝƵŵ
ĂƚŝŶŐ ŽŶĐĞƌŶƐ
͘ϮϮ͕ ^ŵĂůů
,ŽƐƚŝůŝƚLJ
͘ϯϵ͕ ^ŵĂůů
&ĂŵŝůLJ ŝƐƚƌĞƐƐ
͘ϰϱ͕ ^ŵĂůů
^ƵďƐƚĂŶĐĞ hƐĞ
͘Ϯϰ͕ ^ŵĂůů
ŝƐƚƌĞƐƐ /ŶĚĞdž
͘ϱϳ͕ DĞĚŝƵŵ Ϭ
ϭ
Ϯ
ϯ
In the last two years, SJC Counseling Center has begun using the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS), a multidimensional assessment instrument developed to meet the clinical, research, and administrative needs of counseling centers while also contributing valuable information to the science of mental health in college students (Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2019). The CCAPS is a 62-item measure with eight subscales related to psychological symptoms and distress. Current norms have been derived from close to 400,000 U.S. students who sought services at college/university counseling centers leading to a high level of confidence in CCAPS data.
ϰ
CCAPS Data Table Subscale
National average
National SD
Local Average
Local SD
Raw Average Difference
Raw SD Difference
Pooled SD
Cohen's d
% of Clients Above National Average
Depression
1.68
0.94
1.06
0.83
0.621438
0.110809
0.889461
0.698668
31.06%
Generalized Anxiety
1.72
0.94
1.33
0.93
0.391705
0.016043
0.936184
0.418406
38.37%
Social Anxiety
1.91
0.97
1.63
0.87
0.280365
0.100209
0.917579
0.305548
41.45%
Academic Distress
1.88
1.02
1.31
0.84
0.569146
0.182011
0.931685
0.610878
33.29%
Eating Concerns
1.01
0.88
0.79
0.72
0.220923
0.156584
0.804835
0.274495
42.30%
Hostility
1.03
0.87
0.65
0.65
0.388047
0.216436
0.765554
0.506884
36.00%
Family Distress
1.31
0.97
0.86
0.88
0.454246
0.084552
0.926019
0.490536
36.43%
Substance Use
0.74
0.86
0.50
0.66
0.244005
0.205044
0.764859
0.319020
41.08%
Distress Index
1.73
0.85
1.16
0.76
0.574402
0.085367
0.806858
0.711900
30.73%
Suicidal IdeaƟ on/Homicidal IdeaƟon Item Analysis SI/THO Item Analysis Item "I have thoughts of ending my life (SI)" "I have thoughts of hurting others (THO)"
% Responses > 0 (Local / National)
Item Average (Local / National)
Local Response Frequencies (# / %) 0
1
2
3
4
15.5% / 36.3%
0.30 / 0.73
245 / 84.48%
20 / 6.90%
13 / 4.48%
8 / 2.76%
4 / 1.38%
3.8% / 13.9%
0.05 / 0.23
276 / 96.17%
10 / 3.48%
Ͳ
1 / 0.35%
Ͳ
0 = not at all, 4 = every minute of the day
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DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling
Index of Client Concerns 80%
At intake, 73% of students reported that their concerns were interfering with their academic functioning - 35% of whom identified moderate to severe interference.
70% 67%
60% 50% 47%
40% 40%
30%
33% 28%
20%
26%
25%
25% 20%
19%
10%
Similarly, 72% experienced interference in their social functioning with 35% indicating moderate to severe interference.
0%
Distribution of Individual Counseling by Academic Year
First st Year Y ar Students Ye Stud dent 40%
Sophomores So phom ph homore 30%
J niors Ju i Juniors 18%
Se SSeniors eni nior iorss 12%
Gender differences in negative mental health attitudes and willingness to access mental health services are present early in adolescence. Research has found that boys have less mental health knowledge, experience higher mental health stigma than girls, and are two times less likely to report willingness to use mental health services (Chandra and Minkovitz, 2006).
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DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling
With the implementation this past ye year of Titanium, an electronic medical record software system, ste the Counseling Center is able to systematically capture e considerably more information about the clients served. d. This data helps to inform treatment, as well as highlight g the challenges facing college students today.
5% of clients attempted suicide within their lifetime. 20% of clients reported a history of suicidal ideation and 17 individuals had thoughts of suicide within the last 12 months. 20% of clients purposely injured themselves without suicidal intent.
9% of clients reported being previously hospitalized for a mental health concern. 31% of clients reported a history of having been prescribed medication to treat a mental health concern. 18% of clients reported an unwanted sexual experience and 12 individuals experienced an unwanted sexual experience within the last year. 30% of clients reported a history of harassment/abuse and 35 individuals experienced harassment/abuse within the last 12 months.
5% 20% 20% 9% 31% 18% 30%
Students benefit most from (counseling) centers when an array of appointment times are available, clinics are known and easily accessible, staff are not overworked, and confidentiality is prioritized (Kognito, 2015).
9
In a 2012 survey of college students with mental health problems, 64% of students who were no longer in college said the main reason was due to their mental health difficulties (Gruttadaro and Crudo, 2012).
DIRECT SERVICE individual counseling
Counseling Outcome Survey The new software system at the Counseling Center allowed for a more efficient and broader distribution of surveys, resulting in a more valid data set. Twenty-eight percent of those that used the Counseling Center responded (n = 83). I would recommend the CC to others. I felt comfortable using CC services and would use again, if needed. The wait between appointments was suitable. I felt my information would be kept confidential. I felt my counselor honestly cared for me. My counselor understood where I was coming from. Counseling services have been helpful in my continued enrollment at SJC. I am better able to deal with my concerns because of counseling. Counseling has helped me better focus on my academic work. As a result of counseling, I have a better understanding of others. As a result of counseling, I have a better understanding of myself. My work with my counselor had a positive impact on my college experience. Counseling has been helpful in my academic progress at SJC. I like the location of the CC. The counselor's office was welcoming and comfortable. The waiting area was welcoming and comfortable. It was easy to schedule an initial appointment at the CC. 0%
Strongly agree/agree
Neutral
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Strongly disagree/disagree
in a single school year treating
averts
retaining an average of
depressed students
potential dropouts
in tuition and fees
100
6
$240,000
Source: Data from the Healthy Minds Network, The Economic Case for Student Health Services.
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DIRECT SERVICE substance use intervention
Wiit respect to alcohol use on campus, the Counseling Center operates from a harm reduction model—a With perspective pe er and set of practical strategies primarily designed to reduce the adverse health, social, academic, and d economic consequences associated with alcohol use and abuse. Ah harm-reduction model is considered by many to be particularly apropos to a college setting given that the ep p episodic drinking that characterizes students’ use of alcohol appears to be contextual—most who use and abuse ab b alcohol while in college moderate their alcohol use upon graduating. The Counseling Center also acknowledges the efficacy of a socio-ecological model to curb high risk drinking. Adapted from the field of public health, this approach recognizes policies/enforcement and individual, peer, institutional, and community factors as significant mediating variables in alcohol use, and implements strategies specific to each factor. The Counseling Center employs Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) as a primary intervention to address “the individual factor” of the socio-ecological model. BASICS, a harm-reduction model specifically for 18-24 year old college students, developed by researchers at the University of Washington, is designed to support students making better alcoholrelated choices and reducing risk for alcohol-related negative consequences.
The Counseling Center works closely with Residence Life with respect to high risk drinking. First Year students found responsible for an alcohol infraction, students found responsible for a 2nd alcohol offense, and any student, regardless of number of infractions, who is involved in a serious alcohol-related incident (e.g., one that involves injury or illness) are routinely sanctioned to complete a substance use assessment. Students have an option to complete the requirement off-campus, though the vast majority elect to come to the Counseling Center for the evaluation.
This past year 76 individual students were referred through the judicial system for a substance use evaluation, 83% of whom completed their sanction (n = 63).
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DIRECT SERVICE substance use intervention BASICS Outcome Survey Fifty-seven percent (n = 36) of students who completed BASICS also completed an outcome questionnaire, results of which are illustrated below. It is worth noting that the overall positive findings are significant given that all of those who participated in BASICS this year did so as a result of a judicial sanction.
Based on my experience, I would recommend the Counseling Center to others. I felt that the information I told the counselor would be kept confidential. I felt the counselor understood what I was saying and where I was coming from. As a result of BASICS, I am more focused on my academic work. As a result of BASICS, I am more aware of resources available if additional help is needed. As a result of BASICS, I am more inclined to make healthy or safer choices with respect to alcohol. As a result of BASICS, I have a better knowledge of the warning signs of alcohol abuse/dependence. As a result of BASICS, I have a greater and more realistic understanding of the +/- effects of alcohol. As a result of BASICS, I have developed a better understanding of my substance use. As a result of BASICS, I have developed a greater understanding of myself. 0%
Strongly agree/agree
Neutral
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Strongly disagree/disagree
A meta-analysis of controlled studies evaluating alcohol abuse prevention interventions for college drinkers found that participants in risk reduction interventions drank significantly less relative to controls and reported fewer alcohol-related problems over long intervals. Authors of the study conclude that individual, face-to-face interventions using motivational interviewing and personalized normative feedback predict greater reduction in alcohol-related problems, Carey, B., Scott-Sheldon, Carey M., and DeMartini, 2007).
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DIRECT SERVICE groups/workshops & screening
Groups/workshops
SJC Counseling Center’s
peace
Fall 2018 Calendar
supp or
ng
ti
A goal this past year at the Counseling Center was to diversify service options in the interest of prevention and increased efficiency. Toward this end, each clinician identified a topic area and developed a multi-session workshop experience for students, including groups focused on anxiety management, emotional regulation, and test-taking success for nursing students. Nineteen students participated in these offerings.
minD Workshops
stu
dent mental hea
lth
First Year Student Series:
August 28th, 29th, 30th * 4:00-5:00 O’Connor Hall, Standish HAll, St. Joe’s Hall
Yappy Hour
A casual, low-key get together where you can enjoy some appetizers and meet the Counseling Center’s Canine Assistants.
Wednesday, September 5th * 4:00-5:00 Alfond Center Student Lounge Over 65% of First Year students feel homesick. TRUTH. Learn some strategies to make the adjustment to college a little less dif¿cult.
SJC was pleased to be one of 28 U.S. institutions to take part in a Pre-Participation Mental Health Screening for varsity student-athletes, per Screeni the N NCAA Mental Health Best Practices aand nd as a part of a pilot study through Penn State University’s Center for Collegiate Stat Mental Health (CCMH). In collaboration M with SJC’s Athletic Department, the w Counseling C Center administered the Counseling Center Assessment of Psyc Psychological Symptom Screen (CCAPSSScreen) Sc re to 276 student-athletes.
Workshops
Monday, September 24th, October 1st, October 15th 3:30-4:30 Webber Room, Alfond hall Please email counselingcenter@sjcme.edu to register
Nursing Success Strategies This 3-session workshop will help sophomore and junior students: * identify, condense, and organize information as you prepare for tests * teach decision-making skills to tackle NCLEX-type questions
Homesick as hell
Athlete Mental Health Screening
additional
College 101 !
Wednesday, September 12th * 4:00-5:00 Alfond Center Student Lounge
* address the impact of anxiety on test performance and ways to tame unproductive stress
Wednesday, October 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th 4:00-5:30 Webber Room, Alfond hall Please email counselingcenter@sjcme.edu to register
Live Like a Monk This workshop will talk about ways to get your feet under you so that you can ¿gure out the lay of the land and feel comfortable on campus.
Wednesday, September 19th * 4:00-5:00 Alfond Center Student Lounge
roommate: Deal or ditch? Sharing a small space with anyone is a challenge. This presentation will help you ¿gure out when and how to best deal with a situation or when and how to call it quits.
Wednesday, September 26th * 4:00-5:00 Alfond Center Student Lounge
Emotion commotion This 4-session workshop will help students better understand, regulate, and use emotions to increase quality of life and improve relationships.
Tuesday, October 23rd, 30th, & November 6th 4:00-5:00 Webber Room, Alfond hall Please email counselingcenter@sjcme.edu to register
Hi, Anxiety!
I'm thinking I need to learn more about you, my nervous little friend.
This 3-session workshop will help students better understand anxiety symptoms, identify skills to manage anxiety, and teach ways to stop overthinking every damn thing!
the friendship paradox Making friends in college is important, but it takes time. Learn about how developing college friends is similar to yet different from past experiences.
For more information, contact the Counseling Center at counselingcenter@sjcme.edu
The table below compares the means of CCAPS screen subscales from SJC to the national CCAPS screen pilot, which included 5,885 students from 28 schools. It also includes a comparison to the national CCMH clinical population of students seeking treatment at college counseling centers. On all subscales, higher values indicate more distress, and possible values range from 0 to 4. Subscale
SJC Mean
National Pilot Mean
National Clinical Mean
Depression
0.27
0.28
1.68
Anxiety
0.74
0.55
1.93
Social Anxiety
1.13
0.94
1.96
Academics
0.62
0.60
1.98
Eating
0.40
0.40
0.95
Frustration
0.42
0.34
0.99
Alcohol
0.36
0.22
0.63
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DIRECT SERVICE groups/workshops & screening
Athlete Mental Health Screening, continued Scores in the Moderate range are most consistent with college students receiving treatment at college/ university counseling centers. Scores in the Elevated range are most consistent with high levels of distress. For subscales associated with a diagnostic area (i.e., Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Eating Concerns, and Alcohol Use), those who fall in the Elevated range are more likely to meet the criteria for a diagnosis in that area. In the SJC data, 50.72% of student-athletes have at least one Moderate or Elevated subscale; whereas in the national pilot data, 40.59% of students had at least one Moderate or Elevated subscale. Further, 26.09% of SJC student-athletes have at least one Elevated subscale compared to 20.9% of studentathletes in the national pilot data. SJC Pilot Moderate and Elevated Depression
National Pilot Elevated only
Moderate and Elevated
Elevated only
7.61
2.17
10.03
3.04
Anxiety
18.84
6.88
13.54
4.33
Social Anxiety
21.38
6.52
15.62
4.77
Academics
12.32
1.81
11.45
2.29
Eating
11.59
7.25
12.29
8.09
Frustration
16.30
7.61
12.93
7.14
Alcohol
21.01
10.14
12.73
5.85
For the 26.09% of SJC students with at least one subscale in the Elevated range the table to the right provides the percentage of those who were in the Elevated range. For example, of the 72 students who had at least one Elevated subscale, 6 (8.83%) were Elevated on Depression.
Score 0 1 2 3 4
Frequency 266 6 4 0 0
Percent 96.38 2.17 1.45 0.00 0.00
Administration of this screening allowed for the opportunity to meet individually with each student-athlete, provide personalized feedback, and make referral/support recommendations where appropriate - all in the interest of early intervention.
keeping your head in the game! 14
INDIRECT SERVICE outreach and training
RESPOND Mental health challenges among college and university students pose a significant public health threat in the United States. Indeed, mental disorders—which typically manifest by young adulthood—account for almost half of the disease burden for this age group in the United States (Mathers, Fat, and Boerma, 2008). Colleges and universities are increasingly assuming an important role in identifying and responding to student mental health needs. Given the nature of a college campus, especially one the scale of SJC, faculty, staff, and other community members are well positioned to prevent serious mental health problems through early identification, intervention, and referral. Indeed, a number of trainings have emerged in recent years to support campus communities in assuming a critical gatekeeper role. In 2017, the Counseling Center identified and invested in one such program, RESPOND. Developed by the University of Missouri, RESPOND was designed specifically for colleges and universities and, relative to comparable models, was deemed affordable. Staff clinician, Angie Moorman met with RESPOND developers and has offered the 8-hour training biannually since 2017. This past year 58 community members attended RESPOND, including resident advisors, peer mentors, faculty, and staff. Some of the attendees comments include:
This training was most effective in learning how to recognize who needed help and ways to get them to talk about how they were feeling.- SJC RA Great content and great opportunity for open dialogue and collaboration across campus departments and roles! - SJC Staff Member The RESPOND training provided an abundance of information from statistics to real-world responses. It kept participants involved and allowed all to share experiences. - SJC Staff Member This RESPOND training showed me how to recognize someone who is stressed and distinguish between a problem and a crisis. It also taught me a step by step process about how to deal with distressed people. - SJC RA
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INDIRECT SERVICE outreach and training
This past year the Counseling Center brought to campus the documentary It’s Real: College Students and Mental Health, with the intention of increasing knowledge of mental health issues facing students, challenging associated stigma, and promoting resources on campus. In addition to being used during resident advisor training, the film was shown to all First Year students, and also made available to SJC faculty and staff. In sum, 308 members of the SJC community viewed the documentary.
Open to all SJC faculty and staff.
Date: September 20th Time: 12:00-12:45
Orientation to the Counseling Center and its services was provided to: new faculty members to the College, First Year students, prospective students at the Admitted Student Days and Admission’s Fall Visit Days, and sophomore nursing students.
Room 128 Alfond Hall
Sponsored by Saint Joseph’s College Counseling Center counselingcenter@sjcme.edu
Research documents the impact of untreated mental health issues on GPA, enrollment discontinuity, and attrition. Resources and programs directed toward student mental health directly improve students’ well-being, as well as the economic well-being of the College (Eisenberg, et al., 2009; Arria, et al., 2013).
30%
100% 10 0% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50%
The Counseling Center took advantage of the Annual Wellness Fair to promote SJC's 2016 results from the National College Health Assessment II. The Counseling Center will look to administer the comprehensive survey again in 2020.
50% 50 50% 0% 45% 40% 35%
SJC Reference Group
30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%
40% Male
30%
Female Total 10%
Seriously considered suicide
Attempted suicide
Inte n ntionally injured yourself (ex. cut, burned)
So depressed it was difficult to function
Overwhelming anger
Felt hopeless
Overwhelming anxiety
Very lonely
Very sad
Exhausted (not from physical activity)
Overwhelmed by all you had to do
0%
Within the last 12 months has any of the following been very traumatic or very difficult to handle:
20%
Career related issues Personal health issues Health problems of family member/partner Sleep difficulties Death of close friend/family member Personal appearance Other relationships Intimate relationships Family problems Finances Academics
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
16
50%
INDIRECT SERVICE outreach & training
For the second consecutive year, the Counseling Center participated in the College's Sustainability Fair. This year's effort promoted consent in relationships and was influenced by preliminary work related to the Department of Justice/Violence Against Women grant to prevent sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking.
Late Night Breakfast & Blue Pancakes! While the Counseling Center has participated in the traditional, pre-final exams late night breakfast for a number of years, it has only been in the last two that a bit of friendly competition has ensued between the Counseling Center and the Registrar's office. The result of this contest - the Counseling Center's St. Joe's-blue-pancakes! The pancake product may not look as enticing as those flapjacks pictured, but they are definitely blue and arouse the interest of our student patrons. While the playful exchange with colleagues is fun, the Counseling Center's participation in such events is deliberate in that they offer an opportunity for staff to engage with students informally and challenges stigma and stereotypes of mental health and mental health providers, respectively. Thank you for being at school events and NOH8 games because I like seeing the dogs and recognizing you all makes going to the Counseling Center much less intimidating! Student comment on the 2019 client survey
Men
Relationship Health
Women
14%
Results from the 2016 National College Health Assessment II (see graph to the left) demonstrate that SJC students are not immune to emotional, physical, and sexual violence. This fall the Counseling Center welcomed an invitation to participate in a First Year student floor program that addressed healthy and unhealthy relationships.
12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% SJC
Ref
Emotional abuse
17
SJC
Ref
Physical abuse
SJC
Ref
Sexual abuse
With the Department of Justice/Violence Against Women grant, it is expected that the Counseling Center will be increasingly involved in such programs.
INDIRECT SERVICE outreach and training
W
F: Yappy Hour!
For a number of years now, the Counseling Center has had the good fortune to "employ" canine assistants whose jobs are to sleep a lot, beg for bicuits, and on occasion, comfort a distressed or anxious student. Importantly, they serve as ambassadors of the Counseling Center and contribute to a welcoming environment and, in their doggy-sort-ofway, challenge the stigma associated with mental health services.
C’mon down to the St. Joe’s Hall Yappy hour! Thursday, August 30th 4:00-5:00 St. Joe’s Hall Lounge A casual, low-key get-together where you can enjoy some free appetizers and meet
Feedback from students about the the Counseling Center’s Canine Assistants. pups is enthusiastic and positive. This year it was decided to feature them (and surreptitiously, Counseling Center services) at the start of the year by hosting a "Yappy Hour" in each of the First Year students' residence halls. Over 95 students enjoyed the company of the dogs, as well as chicken wings and mac & cheese generously donated by local restaurant, Binga's Wingas.
Doggie Dates Consistently, students remark favorably about the dogs at the Counseling Center as evidenced by comments in this year's client survey, including:
More dogs.
Thank you for sharing Olive and Elsie with us! I love that the Counseling Center has dogs! It makes it a lot more comfortable. I wish we could see the dogs more often without an appointment. It is very helpful
for me especially when I'm having an anxious day. In response to student stu udent ntt ffeedback, eedb back, the Counseling Center created "Do "Doggie oggie D Dates." ates.".". Usi Using a QR code, students (and staff aff ff ) co could ould d sschedule ch hed edu ule to o meet with a dog and, following a brief brieff orientation orientatiion on d doggie etiquette, walk and get th hei e r fido-fix! take the pup for a walk their
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INDIRECT SERVICE no h8 outreach and training
The Counseling Center carried over from last year the NOH8 campaign - an apolitical initiative directed toward promoting a respectful, inclusive campus culture, pro-social norms, personal responsibility, and bystander intervention. Similar to last year, drives were held at NO PLACE FOR HATE ON OUR CAMPUS which 497 community members pledged to uphold standards of civility and actively challenge instances of injustice. NO PLACE FOR HATE ON OUR CAMPUS
NO PLACE FOR HATE ON OUR CAMPUS
NO PLACE FOR HATE ON OUR CAMPUS
Once again, the Counseling Center partnered with Athletics to host a NOH8 men's and women's basketball game. The event fittingly corresponded to Martin Luther King, Jr. day and provided an opportunity to remember the great civil rights leader. Adding to the NOH8 campaign, the Counseling Center also introduced the campus to the "What do you fight for" initiative in which community members were invited to declare their values. In addition to faculty and staff, athletic teams and residence halls participated in the program leading to several hundred responses. Some of the Counseling Center's favorites include:
i am
of European descent. i fight for all to feel valued and welcomed. i am
i am
the spark. i fight for the underdog. 19
a student. i fight for mental health awareness i am
healed. i fight for my sisters who aren't. .yet.
i am
gay. i fight for love and acceptance. i am
a friend. i fight for suicide awareness
i am
a cadet. i fight for freedom.
INDIRECT SERVICE consultation and professional development
Consultation and Committee Work This past year the Counseling Center provided over 450 consultations to over 2,550 students, parents, faculty, staff, and outside professionals. Among constituents on campus, those who sought consultation most frequently were Academics (administration and faculty), Residence Life, the Academic Center for Excellence, Athletics (including administration, coaching staff, and athletic trainers) and students. Parents and family members also accessed Counseling Center consultation services. This year more than 45 family members conferred with clinical staff. Other indirect service provided by the Counseling Center included Angie Moorman's representation on the College's Institutional Effectiveness Committee, David Lischer's advising role for the Gay-Straight Alliance student group, and participation by Angie, Jimmy Riley, and Liz Wiesen in the NetVUE Vocation grant initiative.
Continuing Education Ass licensed A lic icen icen ensed ense se ed mental ment ment me ntal ntal al h health e professionals, Counseling Center clinical staff are required by their respective professions pr p ro offe essssiion ons to to engage eng ngag nga ag in continuing education in order to meet requirements for license renewal. Without Wi W ith th hou ou o ut a license, lilicens nse e,, one on cannot practice; thus, approved training is not optional. Staff SSt Sta taaff ff sstrive triivve to tr to engage en ng gage age in educational opportunities that are relevant to the clinical population served ag aand an nd address addr ad dre esss skill skilill development, sk dev de ev all the while being mindful of costs and taking measures to curtail expenses. e ex xp pe ens nses es. IIn n 2018-19 201 018 8--19 19 two tw wo o unique un niiq opportunities presented themselves. The first was an intensive train-thetrainer ttr raaiin ne er cco course our ursse e iin n bystander byst by intervention offered locally at a greatly reduced cost and subsidized by the tth he DOJ/VAWA DO D OJ/ OJ J/V J/VA VA AW WA A grant. gra rant nt. Two staff members participated and became certified trainers in Green Dot, an em e empirically mpi piri rica calllly supported ssu up upp pp po orrte rtte e bystander intervention program that will be integral in meeting DOJ/VAWA grant nt re requirements eq qu uiirre em men ents ts iin n th tthe he cco coming om miing ng yyears. ea Another otthe o her op her o opportunity, ppo port rtun unit ity, ity y, aavailable vailab va ililab able abl le tthrough hrro h ou u a New England university at a markedly reduced cost, is a training that will lead to certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) - an integrative clinical approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. Given over 25% of the clients seen this past year at the Counseling Center reported a history of childhood abuse and 20% reported a history of physical and sexual violence, this training will strengthen clinical expertise and enhance treatment options available to SJC students. Additional trainings topics this year included psychopharmacology, eating disorders, and "Technical Training Institutes" related to the DOJ/VAWA grant. The latter involved travel to Washington, D.C. and San Diego.
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LOOKING AHEAD moving forward
Goals for the Coming Year As the 2019 academic year comes to a close, there is an awareness of some of the significant challenges facing the College in terms of resources. The Counseling Center is committed to the financial stability of the College by working diligently to ensure the persistence of students, stewarding allocated resources as if they were our own, and supporting our colleagues to advance the mission of the institution. Additionally, the Counseling Center will focus on the following objectives: Continue to meet client demand for services, while also looking to expand this year's efforts at offering alternatives to individual counseling. Replicate last year's effort with respect to mental health screening of student athletes. Yappy Hour with First Year students was such a success in terms of student response and in marketing the Counseling Center that plans are underway to continue the initiative next year. This first year of the DOJ/VAWA grant was one of planning. Next year, programming will begin in earnest as bystander intervention, among other prevention work and trainings, will be implemented. Toward this end, Angie Moorman is slated to obtain Green Dot Certification in September; staff will travel for Technical Training Institutes and participate in the Coordinated Community Response Team. The Counseling Center will explore options to make mental health workshops available to our on-line students.
Thank you for your interest in the Counseling Center. Please direct questions and/or comments to Liz Wiesen, Psy.D., Counseling Center Director, lwiesen@sjcme.edu.
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References citations
Arria, A., Calderia, K., Vincent, K., Winick, E., Baron, R., & O'Grady, K. (2013). Discontinuous college enrollment: Association with substance use and mental health. Psychiatric Services, 64( 2), 165-172. Ashwood, S., Stein, B., Briscomb, B., Sontag-Padilla, L., Woodbridge, M., May, L., Seelman, R., Burnam M. A. (2015). Payoffs for California College students and taxpayers from investing in student mental health. (https://www.rand.org/pubs/ research_reports/RR1370.html). Sant Monica, CA: Rand Corporation. Carey, B., Scott-Sheldon, L., Carey, M., & DeMartini, K. (2007). Individual-level interventions to reduce college student drinking: A meta-analytic review. Addictive Behavior, 32 (11) 2469-2499. Center for Collegiate Mental Health. (2004-2019). Counseling Center Assessment of Pychological Symptoms (CCAPS) instruments (https://ccmh.psu.edu/ccaps-instruments/). University Park, PA: Penn State Counseling And Psychological Services. Chandra, A., & Minkovitz, C. (2006). Stigma starts early: Gender differences in teen willingness to use mental health services. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38 (6), 754-758. Eisenberg, D., Golberstein, E., & Hunt, J. (2009). Mental health and academic success in college. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 9 (1), 1-35. Eisenberg, D., Hunt, J. & Speer, K. (2011). Mental health service utilization among college students in the United States. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 199 (5), 301-308. Eisenberg, D. & Lipson, S. (2018) The healthy minds study: 2017-18 data report. (http://www.healthymindsnetwork.org/ system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTgvMTIvMDYvMTBfMDdfMDlfNzI5X0hNU19uYXRpb25hbC5wZGYiXV0/HMS_national. pdf ). Gruttadaro, D., & Crudo, D. (2012). College students speak: A survey report on mental health. (https://www.nami.org/ About-NAMI/Publications-Reports/Survey-Reports/College-Students-Speak_A-Survey-Report-on-Mental-H.pdf ). Rep. Arlington, VA: NAMI. Kognito. (2015). The benefits of investing in students' mental health (White Paper, https://doc-10-3s-apps-viewer. googleusercontent.com/viewer/secure/pdf/5otikoogc5s544g802qd7d39k61tffff/1aktd0of93pmhagkhqaolk t0lltq373c/1558105425000/gmail/16086973596697530300/ACFrOgAjos94sbXu1pekOn3s9-_4nrcSToVeAq-_bzu9GZuWIe30kSxhzUCt_VshnOCoh5aSSa62-ZAcRinpShN6W0k_-AvPPonl9lB1dkw5tH6KXEBc4YgQicrz-Q=?print=tr ue&nonce=0kspiktopfkao&user=16086973596697530300&hash=d9c5jleu1p0a2i9vavaatib0u4lbmbdq0). LeVines, P., Bershad, C., & Gorman, K. (2017). Association of university and college counseling center directors annual survey (https://taucccd.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/Governance/2017%20aucccd%20survey-privateapr26. pdf ). Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors. Mathers, C., Fat, D., & Boerma, J. (2008). The global burden of disease: 2004 Update, Geneva: World Health Organization.
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