University Counseling Center
Division of Student Affairs
Armstrong Atlantic State University
2009 – 2010
A. Mission
AASU’s University Counseling Center provides services to help students grow and develop, overcome personal problems, and learn the coping skills they need to succeed in meeting their academic goals. Students will be helped to appreciate their own identify and culture of origin.
B. Departmental goals and results for 2009 – 2010
1. With the assistance of our division director continue to fund part time medical/psychiatric services.
a. Goal accomplished. Our thanks to Dr. McNeil who found a way to continue to provide funding despite extremely severe budget cuts.
2. Update our Alcohol Education program using the “BASICS” model.
a. Goal is met. Newly designed A & D Education program put in place fall of 2009. Program was updated and revised in February 2010 after one semester of field-testing.
3. Rewrite/update our Policy and Procedures Manual
a. Goal is met. Update completed March 2010. This will be a valuable teaching tool to orient new clinical graduate interns, which we hope to have in place by fall 2010.
4. Have professional staff attend workshops, seminars and conferences as needed to maintain licensure and stay current with the best practices in the field.
a. Goal is met at a minimum level. Training money was extremely tight. We were able to attend some key training events when the opportunities arose.
1.) Conferences
a) Georgia College Counseling Association
b) The Behavioral Summit for Clinical Excellence: Brain Matters. Neuro Science, Trauma, Recovery (one day)
c) Clinical Social Work Association. “Challenges on the Home Front for Soldiers and Their Families”
d) Violence Prevention Team Training for the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management.
2.) Workshops
a) Pathological Gambling Intervention for College Campuses
b) Generation NeXt Goes to College
c) Second Annual Behavioral Health Symposium
d) SBIRT: Substance Use Screening. Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment.
3.) Lunchtime/meeting workshops (which earned CEU’s) presented by the Clinical Social Workers Association of Savannah.
5. Continue to actively publicize our services and do prevention through class, staff and family presentations.
a. Goal is met. We feel the absence of our graduate assistant in our efforts to put visual reminders of our services up on campus, but historically we have found that the majority of students find us from word of mouth, seeing us present in class, and by referrals from faculty and staff.
C. Assessment 2009 – 2010
1. Student Feedback Form
a. Implementation: This form was last revised January 2009. It has 16 satisfaction and quality issues, including student learning outcomes measured on a 5 point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). It also tracks timeliness of appointment scheduling and has four open ended questions. They are filled out in the waiting room without the counselor present (n = 36)
b. Results: (percentage pf students that chose a “4” or a “5” on key measures.)
1.) Satisfaction with services measures.
a) “I am satisfied with the scheduling of sessions after the first meeting” 92 %.
b) “I am getting what I want and need out of the services I am receiving”
89%.
c) “Overall I am satisfied with the quality of my counseling,” 94%.
d) “I would recommend my counselor to other students” 92%.
2) Learning goals
a) “Counseling has helped me improve my problem solving skills” 83%
b) “Counseling has helped me learn better coping skills” 83%
c) “Counseling has helped me improve my ability to make decisions and set goals” 86%
d) “My counselor has helped me understand myself better” 92%
3) Outcome Measures
a) “I have experienced improvement in the condition or problem for which I sought services” 81%
b) “My counseling sessions have helped me stay in school” 72%
c) “My counselor has helped me reduce my stress level” 92%
2. Groups/Seminars Evaluation Forms
a Implementation: Last updated December 2008. It asks 5 questions and also has a 1 – 5 scale (1-strongly disagree/5 strongly agree)
b. Results (N = 172)
1.) Key satisfaction question:
“I would recommend this group/seminar to others” 97% chose a “4” or a “5”.
2.) Key learning goal question:
“I learned new skills that will help me succeed academically” 97% chose a “4” or a “5”.
3. Open-ended questions:
a. Implementation: The Student Feedback form also includes four open-ended questions in a “Comments” section.
b. Results: (N = 36)
1.) 84% wrote a positive comment in response to “The most helpful aspect of the services I have received at the University Counseling Center is”.
2.) 14% wrote a critical comment in response to “The least helpful aspect is”.
a) These comments were all about our busy schedules and wait time for appointments.
(1) “There are only two of you”
(2) “Busy booked all the time”
(3) “Having to wait to get an appointment”
3.) 72% made comments in response to “What reactions do you have to your counselor that you would like him/her to know?”
a) As in previous years comments were 100% positive with many extremely positive.
4.) 11% responded to our “What services would you like to see us have in the future?”
a) “Less waiting for appointments”
b) “Workshops and seminars”
c) “Financial advice” Coping with bill collectors.
d) “Coping mechanisms such as education and employment”
e) “Petting zoo”
C. Changes made as result of the assessment
1) Only two students (6%) of our sample said they were not seen within 10 days of their first request. Some students still feel this is not fast enough. Our staff assistant does reminder calls for all students and we also have a ”work in” list to call students in sooner if someone cancels.
2) In response to the student who requested “Workshops or seminars” we made our publicity for our workshops and seminars more visible and in more than one location in the counseling center.
3) Only one student suggested, “Financial advice and coping with bill collectors” as a new service, but in these difficult financial times it might be a topic to consider for a workshop/seminar.
4) The request for the “petting zoo” I find humorous.
D. Usage statistics as of June 01, 2010.
1. Individual counseling session 11/2 hours for initial intake session, 1 hour regular session, 2 hours or more for emergencies.
a. 1,233 sessions scheduled (22 % increase from 1,012 in fiscal year 2009.
b. 187 cancellations and 169 no shows (356 total) is a 29% of our total number of sessions scheduled as compared to 27% in fiscal year 2009.
c. 877 face-to-face sessions 18% increase from 743 in fiscal year 2009.
2. Students seen in mandated Alcohol and Drug Classes. (Not included in our individual session count)
a. 44 students were seen in 11/2-hour class, as individuals or group sessions.
3. Psychiatric appointments: ½ hour initial evaluation and 15 minute follow-ups.
a. 191 appointments scheduled.
b. 20 cancellations and 19 no shows = 39 total.
c. 152 face-to-face sessions with M.D.
4. Presentation totals:
a. 28 presentations down 13% from last years 32.
b. 507 students in attendance down 12% from last year’s 578.The number of presentations and number of students seen in fiscal year 2009 were up 88% and 68% compared to fiscal year 2008.
5. Sexual Aggression Reduction, programming/presentations:
a. Violence Against Women, Coalition Grant Meeting
b. No! Confronting Sexual Assault in Our Community (Sexual Assault Awareness Month with OMA, The Office of Multicultural Affairs)
c. V.A.W. Violence Prevention Team Training
d. “Date Rape Drugs and Alcohol” sexual assault prevention experience. (evening program at Compass Point with C.A.’s)
e. A fundraiser was held at all proceeds given to the Rape Crisis Center.
6. Additional Presentations new for fiscal year 2010
a. Careers in Mental Health (Behavior Analysis class at SSU, 3 classes, 75 students)
b. Assertiveness for Women (26 students)
c. Stress Reduction: Mind/Body Connection at the Student Recreation Center (12 students)
7. Seminars offered at the Counseling Center: Time Management and Stress Management.
8. Smoking cessation is still being taught in individual sessions, as we don’t get enough requests to form a group. Smoking cessation tips are also now a part of our stress reduction presentations.
9. Red Ribbon Week (RRW)
a. Due to severe budget cut backs our activities were limited, but we did our annual Side Walk Art Contest and got good participation.
E. Professional Activities of staff:
1. Julianna Williams
a. Departmental/division campus activities
1) AASU Day
2) Red Ribbon Week
3) Navigate Armstrong
4) Sexual Assault Response Team – Chair
5) CA Training
6) Move in/housing
7) Meet and Greet with OMA
8) Housing Awards Banquet
b. Professional Resources/Interviews
1) Memorial University Health Behavioral Health
2) Rape Crisis Center
3) Savannah State University Counseling and Development
4) Georgia Southern University Counseling
5) Coastal Behavioral Health
c. Professional Memberships
1) Georgia College Counselors (GCCA)
2) Licensed Professional Counselors Association (LPCAGA)
3) National board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
4) American Psychological Association (APAGS)
5) Psi Chi, lifetime member
2. John Mitchell
a. AASU Committees
1) Academic Advisement
2) Project Success (Nursing)
3) Nursing Workforce Diversity Advising Counsel
4) Judicial Affairs
5) Conflict Resolution Committee
b. Departmental/division campus activities
1) Red Ribbon Week
2) Navigate Armstrong
3) Move In Day
4) House Calls
5) CA Training
6) Meet and Greet with OMA
7) AASU Day
c. Community activities
1) United Way Health and Wellness Allocation and Review Panel
d. Professional Resource Visits/Interviews
1) Memorial Health Behavioral Health Services
2) Coastal Harbor Behavioral Health
3) Rape Crisis
4) Union Mission Behavioral and Physical Health Services
5) Savannah State University Counseling Program and Behavior Analysis Program
e. Professional Activities
1) CDA Administrative Committee
f. Professional Memberships
1) National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
2) Academy of Certified Social Workers
3) Clinical Social Workers Association of Savannah (CSWA)
4) Georgia College Counselors Association (GCCA)
5) Center Directors Association (composed of college counseling center directors of the state colleges and universities in GA) (CDA)
6) Georgia College Professional Association (GCPA)
7) The Network (GA chapter) for reduction of substance abuse among college students.
F. Resource Requests:
1. Next fiscal year
a. No further staff cuts
1) Demands for our services continue to increase and Windward Commons opens in August 2010. Our student worker’s time is cut to eight hours a week. The new counselor position cannot be filled. Ms. Williams has been cut to 10 months a year. Any further cuts will impact our ability to provide the quality and quantity of services our students have come to expect from us.
b. Funds to continue providing our part time psychiatrist.
c. Funds to get C.E.U.’s required to maintain licensure. Any support in this area will help.
d. Equipment/supplies
1) Any additional supplies and equipment needed to give graduate student clinical interns the basics needed to function efficiently.
e. Keyed locks on all office doors to provide added security for clinical records.
f. Space in Windward Commons to teach Alcohol Education group and office space for graduate student intern.
2. Long term issues.
a. Hire additional counselor
b. Fill vacant G.A. position
c. Additional student worker position
d. Move to larger facility with more office space, a group/conference room, storage and secure storage.
e. Additional M.D. hours to deal with increasing demand as needed.
G. Department goals for 2010 – 2011
1. Establish graduate clinical intern position(s) using best available applicants from GSU, SSU or South University.
2. Create campus wide committee and produce 2008 – 2010 Biennial Review as per federal mandate.
3. Work with housing and other departments to help provide targeted programming and services for our new on campus freshman population.
4. Maintain quality of counseling services to our students, despite the ever increasing demands and our August 2010 expansion of student housing. This will be a challenge with our reduced staff of paid employees.
H. Assessment plans for 2010 – 2011
1. We have recently added a Mental Status Exam checklist to our list of assessment measures, mostly to provide quick assessment for on call situations. We may also have our clinical interns use this form as part of the intake process.
2. We have also added a Lethality Assessment checklist to be used in assessing suicide risk.
3. The 10-item alcohol audit with the SASSI as follow up when needed is working well, so we will continue this as part of our Alcohol Education program.
4. We will continue to use the Beck Primary Care Depression Inventory as a quick screen and the Beck Depression Inventory II and Scale for Suicidal Ideation as needed.
5. Both our individual satisfaction/learning goals feed back survey and our groups/seminar evaluation forms are capturing the data we need so will keep them in place.
6. We will seek additional feed back as opportunities present themselves.
I. Staff/Titles in department
1. Administrator/counseling staff – John Mitchell
2. Counselor (10 month/year) – Julianna Williams
3. Support Staff – McKee Hamiton
4. Student worker (8 hours per week) – Jing Gessler
J. Overall assessment Fiscal Year 2009 – 2010
This is a year when the state of Georgia’s fiscal crises and resulting lack of tax revenue greatly affected the budget at AASU and our department as well.
We lost our graduate assistant position. We were told that there was no money to hire the additional counselor to help us deal with the big increase in demand that will come with Windward Commons, our big freshman residence hall, slated to open August 2010. Ms. Williams’s full time counseling position was reduced to 10 months a year. Our student worker’s time was reduced to eight hours a week.
We now have a more formal 24/7 on call system with a dedicated cell phone solely for that purpose.
Thanks to Dr. McNeil, we were able to continue contracting with Dr. Winders to provide greatly need psychiatric services. He was also very kind in supplying samples of expensive anti psychotic medication that were instrumental in keeping some of our students stable and functional and allowing them to succeed in their classes.
Demand for our services continues to increase. We were up 22% from fiscal year 2009 in the number of scheduled appointments and fiscal year 2009 was up significantly from fiscal year 2008.