COUNSELING CENTER ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2016 University of Northern Iowa
WELCOME! OUR MISSION The Counseling Center helps students succeed by promoting the personal development and psychological well-being of all students and encourages a campus environment that is conducive to growth and learning. We provide high quality, ethical counseling and psychological services to students and consultation services to UNI faculty and staff. LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE The Counseling Center will continue to provide high quality services to meet the needs of UNI students. The 2016-2017 year will include the implementation of a new outreach program, Let s Talk, which is designed to help reduce the barriers to seeking help. Best wishes for health and resilience, UNI Counseling Center Staff WHO WE SERVE The University of Northern Iowa Counseling Center serves a wide constituency of students, including those of varying genders, counseling histories, ethnicities, student classifications, and marital statuses. Other client characteristics include students who hold strong religious beliefs, are under financial stress, are first generation college students, have disabilities, are student athletes, are international students, or have served in the military. GENDER Female 70.0% Male 29.0% Transgender 1.0% ETHNICITY African American 3.8% American Indian 0.1% Asian American 3.6% Caucasian 81.0% Hispanic/Latino 4.2% Multiple Ethnicities 5.3% Not Reported or Other 2.0% STUDENT CLASSIFICATION Freshman 23.0% Sophomore 22.0% Junior 22.0% Senior 24.0% Graduate 7.0% MARITAL STATUS Single 60.0% Committed Relationship 37.0% Married 3.0% COUNSELING HISTORY Previous Counseling 57.0% Previous Counseling Before Attending College 39.0% Previously Hospitalized 11.0% On Psychotropic Medication Before College 31.0% Have Ever Been on Psychotropic Medication 44.0% Ever Engaged in Non- Suicidal Self-Injury 30.0% Ever Considered Suicide 39.0% Ever Attempted Suicide 12.0% Current Thoughts of Suicide 20.0% Unwanted Sexual Experience 23.0% Experienced Harassment or Abuse 41.0% Family Member with a Substance Abuse Problem 44.0% Felt The Need to Reduce Alcohol or Drug Use 20.0% SEXUAL ORIENTATION Heterosexual 80.0% Lesbian 1.7% Gay 2.6% Bisexual 6.2% Questioning 3.0% Other 4.2% OTHER CHARACTERISTICS Live in Department of Residence Housing 55.0% Religion is Important 42.0% Financial Situation is Always or Often Stressful 38.0% First Generation College Student 22.0% Registered With Student Disability Services 9.0% Intercollegiate Athlete 4.3% International Student 3.1% Military Service 1.2%
The Counseling Center staff members are specialists in college mental health and provide individual, group, and couples counseling to UNI students. The Counseling Center staff members also provide psychoeducational outreach to the campus community and consultation to students, faculty, and staff. Staff members are also involved in the training of graduate students in psychology mental health counseling and social work. STAFF ROLES: David Towle, PH.D. Licensed Psychologist, Director National Register of Health Service Psychologists; Iowa Health Service Provider Stephanie Harken, M.A., Assistant Director of Outreach National Certified Heidi Vogel, M.A. PART-TIME STAFF: Sarah Kiani, M.A. Temporary Licensed Mental Health Brian Merrick, M.A. COUNSELING INTERNS: Alexa Holmes, B.A. OUR STAFF Paula Gilroy, ED.D. Licensed Psychologist, Assistant Director for Training National Register of Health Service Psychologists Gretchen Honsell, M.A. National Certified ; Certified Alcohol and Drug Diana Frost Support Staff William Peach, M.A. Temporary Licensed Mental Health Amy Roling, M.A., National Certified Ashley Rubino, B.A. Jennifer Murra, M.A., Assistant Director for Clinical Services National Certified Stephanie Germann, M.A. National Certified PRACTICUM COUNSELORS: Aubrey Davis, B.A. Eric Eittreim, B.S. Cindy Enyart, B.S. David Mitchell, B.A. Courtney Yoachim, B.A. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY The Counseling Center is a member of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, the largest Practice-Research- Network of its kind. Along with over 350 other college counseling centers, the UNI Counseling Center contributes anonymous, de-identified data to the CCMH data base in order to better inform clinical work, policy, and procedures. Counseling Center staff members participate in many professional activities in order to improve their knowledge and skills and maintain professional licensure. Counseling Center staff members belong to several professional organizations, including the following. American Counseling Association American College Counseling Association American Psychological Association Iowa Psychological Association Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services National Board of Certified s Society of Counseling Psychology Section on College and University Counseling Centers Association of Educators and Supervisors International Association of Counseling Services Field Visitation Team
BUDGET 40% $278,637 General Education Fund 59% $404,965 Mandatory Health Fee Counseling Center Revenue 5% $36,400 Supplies and Services 1% $7,500 Testing and Missed Appointment Fees Counseling Center Expenses 95% $631,450 Personnel OF CLIENTS SAY THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO STAY IN SCHOOL BECAUSE OF COUNSELING THE MANDATORY HEALTH FEE IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF REVENUE. THE GENERAL EDUCATION FUND IS AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF REVENUE.
DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES The chart below shows the number of students who received help for a certain concern. Because clients may receive more than one diagnosis, the total number of diagnoses exceeds the number of Counseling Center clients. SEVERITY FACTORS Have a family member with 44% a substance abuse problem 26 ADHD 19 Bipolar Disorders 56 Eating Disorders 33 PTSD 86 Relationship Problems Have ever been on 44% psychotropic medication Friend or relative attempted 43% or completed suicide 26 Academic Problems 39% Ever considered suicide 44 Bereavement Engaged in binge drinking at 33% least once in the past month 31 Psychological Abuse 320 Depressive Disorders 31% On psychotropic medication at time of intake History of self-injurious 30% behavior 28 Phase of Life Concerns 36 Alcohol and Drug Disorders 402 Anxiety Disorders 65 Sexual Abuse 106 Adjustment Disorders 33 Physical Abuse 23% Unwanted sexual experience Felt the need to reduce 20% alcohol and drug use 12% Ever attempted suicide
CC FACT The Counseling Center has reduced the no-show rate for appointments to 6%, the lowest rate we've ever had and well below the national average. COUNSELING ACTIVITIES Number of Clients 968 Appointments Attended 5,744 Initial Assessments 778 Emergency Appointments 358 Individual Therapy Sessions 4,251 Group Therapy Sessions 30 Couple Therapy Sessions 33 Average Number of Sessions Per Client 5.9 CONSULTATIONS Telephone Consultations 425 In-Person Consultations 101 Medication Referrals to SHC for Psychotropic Medication 146 CLIENTS SEEKING EMERGENCY COUNSELING APPOINTMENTS There were 334 same day emergency appointments NEW CLIENTS SEEKING COUNSELING 7% Seen the same day 28% Seen within 2 days 77% Seen within 7 days Average wait for Initial Assessment Appointment was 5.3 days August 95 47 32 September 633 90 119 October 885 39 157 November 645 19 83 December 577 10 44 WHAT WE DO January 665 514 23 65 February 14 68 March 595 9 54 April 703 AFTER HOURS CRISIS COUNSELING 8 55 May 227 7 10 June 136 4 4 July 69 0 7 Therapy Sessions Unique Returning Clients Unique New Clients TOTAL Therapy Sessions 5,744 Unique Returning Clients 270 Unique New Clients 698 In August 2015, the UNI Counseling Center contracted with ProtoCall Services to provide afterhours crisis telephone counseling services to the UNI community. ProtoCall utilizes professional mental health counselors to provide solutionfocused crisis counseling any time the Counseling Center is closed, including nights, weekends, and breaks. UNI students, or anyone concerned about a student, may call the Counseling Center s main number, 273-2676, and press 2 at the prompt. The caller is transferred to a crisis counselor who is working on behalf of the UNI Counseling Center. The Counseling Center receives a report of each call so our staff can follow up as necessary. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 85 AFTERHOURS CRISIS CALLS IN 2015-16, AN 800% INCREASE OVER THE NUMBER OF AFTERHOURS CALLS RECEIVED BY THE COUNSELING CENTER IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR UNDER OUR OLD SYSTEM.
TRAINING THE YEAR IN REVIEW The Counseling Center provided training experience to 2 Counseling Interns from the UNI Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and the Walden University Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. The Counseling Center also provided training to 5 Practicum s from the UNI Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Counseling Interns provided 832 hours of counseling to 373 clients Practicum counselors provided 126 hours of counseling to 44 clients Counseling center staff provided 313 hours of supervision to the interns and practicum counselors OUTREACH The Outreach Team contributed to the well-being of students and reduction of stigma regarding mental health issues. There were 96 outreach activities attended by 2,578 students, staff, faculty, and parents. Outreach activities included presentations, information fairs, screening days, panels, and debriefings following traumatic incidents. The 2015-2016 academic year saw continued growth in the demand for Counseling Center services. 968 STUDENTS USED OUR COUNSELING SERVICES FOR A 12% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHICH ITSELF WAS A RECORD YEAR. We also collaborated with academic programs to provide clinical training experiences for 7 graduate students and reached a RECORD NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS. The Counseling Center s website also offered anonymous online screenings through Ulifeline.org which were completed by 461 students. Additionally, the Counseling Center staff members collaborated with others on campus by participating on committees and in programs such as: Mental Health Advocacy Committee One Is Too Many Student Affairs Diversity Committee Threat Assessment Team Student Intervention Team Jump Start Committee Healthy Campus Coalition Mental Health Services Team Victim Services Team Campus Violence Prevention Team
THE UNI COUNSELING CENTER IS PROUD TO BE ACCREDITED. We fulfill our mission by providing counseling services, conducting outreach to the campus, and providing education and training. In order to maintain the quality of our services, the Counseling Center staff engages in professional development activities, scientific research, and utilization of data to assess and improve our services. The Counseling Center continues to be accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services. This publication was designed by Megan Parisot, class of 2017 majoring in graphic design. COUNSELING CENTER HOURS FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS Hours: Monday Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The University of Northern Iowa does not discriminate in employment or education. Visit uni.edu/policies/1303 for additional information. SUMMER SEMESTER Summer hours: Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. COUNSELING CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION 103 Student Health Center University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0385 319-273-2676