Chapter
9. Student Counseling Center
Subchapter
9-100. General
Provisions
Section
9-101. Definitions
a. In this chapter, unless the context requires
a different meaning,
- "dean" means the dean of student affairs,
or the dean's delegate or representative;
- "hearing
officer" means a person appointed by the
president to conduct hearings of alleged violations
of a regents' rule, university regulation, or
administrative rule;
- "organization"
means a student group holding a valid registration;
- "president"
means the president of The University of Texas
at Tyler;
- "student"
means a person currently enrolled in residence
at the university, or who is accepted for admission
or readmission to the university, or who has been
enrolled at the university in a prior semester
or summer session and is eligible to continue
enrollment in the semester or summer session that
immediately follows, or who is attending an educational
program sponsored by the university while that
person is on campus;
- "university"
means The University of Texas at Tyler;
- "university
facility" means a classroom, auditorium,
University Pines student apartments,
other building, or outdoor area owned or controlled
by the university;
- "weekday"
means Monday through Friday except for official
university holidays; "day" means
calendar day;
- ”faculty
or staff” means a current employee of The
University of Texas at Tyler.
Subchapter
9-200. Mission
Section
9-201. Mission
a. The Mission of The Student Counseling Center
is to help students resolve personal concerns and
acquire the skills, attitudes, abilities, and insight
that will enable them to meet the challenges of
student life. The transitions and stresses of life
affect all students to a greater or lesser degree
and may require the help of a qualified professional.
b.
Licensed professional counselors are available to
provide a variety of services to a wide range of
concerns in a trusting and confidential setting.
Section
9-202. Access
a.
Students have various ways of learning about the
Student Counseling Center throughout the year. Presentations
are available during orientation and throughout
the year for a wide variety of topics related to
the Student Counseling Center.
b.
These presentations include basic information concerning
services, location, and qualifications of staff.
c.
Resource tables are also set up with counseling
brochures during registration, resource fairs, and
outreach days. Many clients are self-referred on
the basis of information learned from these presentations
and resource tables.
d.
Faculty and staff are reminded throughout the year
of services provided by The Student Counseling Center.
Students are often referred by a member of the faculty
or staff for counseling when academic difficulties
appear to be related to personal issues. However,
all students are seen on a voluntary basis, and
are never required to attend counseling sessions.
e.
Students are also referred by others who have had
positive experiences in utilizing the Student Counseling
Center.
Sec.
9-203. Population Served
a. The Student Counseling Center offers services
to all currently enrolled students at the University
of Texas at Tyler.
Subchapter
9-300. Services Provided
Sec
9-301. Description of Services
a. What the Student Counseling Center provides:
- Individual Counseling is offered in a confidential
setting to assist students in achieving personal
and educational goals. Some common issues that
students may deal with in counseling are:
A.
Decision-Making
B.
Procrastination
C.
Communication difficulties
D.
Self-Esteem
E.
Interpersonal Conflicts
F.
Stress Management
G.
Personal Relationships
H.
Physical/ Emotional/Sexual Abuse
I.
Sexual Assault
J.
Anxiety
K.
Depression
L.
Other areas of personal concern may also be
explored in counseling.
- Career Counseling can help a student plan and
organize their major and career decisions. A counselor
can listen, respond to ideas, give feedback, teach
strategies for making decisions,and help students
formulate their majors and career goals. Personality
and interest inventories (such as the Myers Briggs
and the Strong Interest Inventory) are often used
as a part of the career counseling process.
- Learning Strategies Program is available to
students who wish to improve their academic performance.
The Learning Strategies Program offers the Learning
and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), which
helps students identify potential areas of improvement.
These areas can range from study strategies, test-taking
skills, anxiety, time management, or several others.
Once these areas are identified, a counselor will
aid the student in creating an individualized
program that the student may use to help improve
his or her academic performance. The individualized
program may consist of specific study and learning
strategies, additional assessment, individual
counseling or referrals to other campus services.
- Relaxation Training, as a part of stress management,
is available to students who want instruction
and supervision in the use of these techniques.
- Couples
Counseling is available to currently enrolled
students. Issues that may be involved in couples
counseling are communication, problem solving,
parenting, or conflict resolution.
-
Referrals for alcohol/drug abuse, psychiatric
evaluations, and other community services are
available through the Student Counseling Center
when a student needs additional assistance.
-
Consulting/ Guidance is provided to assist students,
faculty, and staff who may be concerned about
a student with a personal problem or situation,
but are unsure how to help. Client confidentiality
prohibits counselors from providing information
about a student, even one whom has been referred,
without the student’s written consent.
- Classroom and Community Support is available
when unexpected crises occur (such as the death
of a student or faculty member). Faculty may wish
to invite counselors into their classroom or organization
to provide community support. Counselors can assist
in discussing the tragedy and its impact.
- Educational Workshops and Presentations are
available on such topics as stress management,
listening and communication skills, study and
test taking skills, substance abuse, depression,
anxiety, eating disorders, violence, or other
subjects relevant to students.
b.
What the Student Counseling Center Does Not Provide
- The Student Counseling Center does not provide
treatment for substance abuse or serious chronic
psychiatric disorders. Individuals requesting
such treatment will be referred to services available
in the community. Costs of these services will
be the responsibility of the client.
-
The Student Counseling Center does not provide
psychological, psychiatric, or disability evaluations.
Individuals needing evaluations, assessments for
legal purposes, or expert testimony in court should
employ the services of professionals in the community.
Sec.
9-302. Nature and Extent of Services Provided
a. Session Limit: The Student Counseling Center
does not have a predetermined limit for the number
of sessions a client may be seen for counseling.
This is determined by the individual counselor and
in accordance with ethical standards provided by
licensing boards. However, clients requiring long-term
intensive therapy will be referred to services available
in the community.
b.
Fees: All services are made available through the
use of student service fees. There is no additional
charge for services.
c.
Hours: The Student Counseling Center is open from
8:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday.
d. e-mail
policy: Since the University of Texas at Tyler reserves
the right to monitor e-mail usage, client privacy
of e-mails cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, the
staff of the Student Counseling Center are not able
to respond to concerns in a timely fashion via e-mail.
Staff does not maintain 24 hour access to their
e-mail accounts, and may only check their e-mail
once per day or less and not on weekends. For these
reasons, the Student Counseling Center maintains
the policy not to use e-mail for communication of
any kind with clients or potential clients. This
includes the use of e-mail to make appointments.
Subchapter
9-400. Appointment and Office Procedures
Sec.
9-401. Confidentiality
a. In order to maintain feelings of trust and safety,
visits to the Student Counseling Center are considered
confidential.
b.
Each client is asked to sign a copy of the Client
Information and Consent form that includes the confidentiality
policy.
c.
No one outside the center is given any information
regarding what is revealed in counseling or even
that a student has made an appointment to see a
counselor unless there is written permission to
do so, or unless required by law. This includes,
but is not limited to:
- family
-
spouse
-
romantic partners
-
friends
-
co-workers
-
employers
-
professors
-
university officials outside the Student Counseling
Center, even if the student was referred by this
person.
No
information becomes part of a student’s academic
record.
A.
Files are never left out in view of any visitor
to the office.Files and appointment books are
kept in locked files when the office is closed.
B. Client names are not used in any area where
other individuals may be. Public discussion of
client problems is prohibited by clerical and
counseling staff.
C.
When it is necessary to leave a telephone message,
the name and phone number of the person making
the call should be the only information provided.
The Student Counseling Center name should not
be used.
D.
In order to provide the best possible service
to meet a student’s needs, professional counselors
in the Student Counseling Center may consult with
each other. These consultations are for professional
purposes only and are aimed at providing the best
possible care for all clients. The consultant
is, of course, also legally bound to keep the
information confidential.
d.
There are some situations in which counselors are
legally required to take action to protect others
from harm, even though that requires revealing some
information about a client's treatment. Limits to
confidentiality include:
- When
there is the risk of imminent harm to the client
or another person, therapists have a legal and
ethical duty to do whatever is necessary to protect
life.
-
When a court of law orders a therapist to release
information, the therapist is bound by law to
comply with such an order.
- When
any individual has reason to believe that a child
or mentally disabled person or an elderly person
is in danger of or is being physically, emotionally,
or sexually abused, that individual is obligated
by law to report such abuse to the proper authorities.
-
Because confidentiality does not extend to criminal
proceedings in Texas, if a client becomes involved
in criminal prosecution, that client’s file
may be open for court inspection.
- Therapists
are required by law to report incidences of sexual
misconduct on the part of other therapists.
- These
situations rarely arise. Should such a situation
occur, counselors should make take measures to
fully discuss it with their client before taking
any action.
Sec.
9-402. Appointment Procedures
a. Currently enrolled students at the University
of Texas at Tyler may call or come by The Student
Counseling Center during office hours to schedule
an appointment. Efforts will be made to schedule
an appointment at the earliest time available and
at the student’s convenience. Students may
visit the office with or without an appointment,
but an appointment is recommended.
b.
Scheduling Initial Appointments:
- When a student requests an initial appointment,
their name is placed in the appointment book with
a telephone or pager number where he/she can be
contacted. If for any reason the counselor is
unable to keep the appointment time, measures
will be taken to contact the individual for rescheduling.
If another counselor is available for that time,
the student will be given the option of an appointment
with that counselor.
-
For appointments made in person, an appointment
card is provided with the name of the counselor
and the date and time of the appointment.Clients
are asked to call 24 hours prior to the scheduled
appointment time if they are unable to keep their
appointment.
-
All appointments are scheduled as 50-minute sessions
unless otherwise noted by the counselor.
- First Session: It is recommended that first-time
visitors to the counseling center arrive approximately
15 minutes in advance of their appointment time
to complete paperwork. Students who prefer to
pick up initial paperwork to complete at home
and bring to their first session may do so
c.
Return Appointments:
- Return appointments (if needed) will be made
by the counselor at the end of each session, and
the client’s name placed in the appointment
book. Clients who do not schedule an appointment
at that time, or need to reschedule their next
appointment may call or come by The Student Counseling
Center during office hours to schedule an appointment.
- Clerical
staff must be sensitive to client confidentiality
when scheduling appointments by refraining
from verbalizing client information in front of
individuals who are not that client’s
counselor.
Sec.
9-403. Emergency Procedures
a.
For clients in crisis during office hours:
- Clerical staff should consult with a staff
counselor anytime they believe a client might
be in crisis and require immediate assistance.
- The following are considered to be emergency
situations:
A.
expression of suicidal thoughts
B.
expression of homicidal thoughts
C.
severe loss of emotional control
D.
gross impairment in thinking ability
E.
impaired speech or disjointed thoughts
F.
bizarre behavior.
- If a counselor is not reachable, and danger
appears imminent, clerical staff should call 911
for emergency assistance.
b.
For Clients in Crisis After Office Hours
- If a faculty or staff member comes in contact
with a student who is in an emergency situation
(see emergency situations above), and the danger
appears imminent, they should call 911.
-
If there is doubt about the severity of the situation,
the person should call The Andrew’s Center
hotline at 597-1351.
Sec.
9-404. Appointment Book
a.
Individual appointment books are kept for each counselor.
The appointment books are stored in a locked file
cabinet at night.
b.
Only the secretary for the Student Counseling Center
or the counselors themselves may make appointments
for counseling. Appointment books are not to be
viewed by anyone else, including student workers.
c.
Cancellations less than 24 hours in advance and
no-shows should be noted in the appointment book,
but not erased so that this information may be used
for statistical purposes.
Sec.
9-405. Counselor Schedules
a. Counselors should check their appointment books
regularly to be aware of any appointments that have
been made.
b.
If a counselor will be unavailable for counseling
during the day, this should be noted in the appointment
book by drawing a line across those times.
c.
Clerical staff should be notified as soon as possible
in an event that the counselor is unable to make
a scheduled appointment so that measures can be
made to reschedule.
Sec.
9-406. Information to Referring Persons
a. If a student is referred to The Student Counseling
Center and the counselor is told of the referral,
the counselor will ask the student if they wish
to have the referral source informed that contact
with the Counseling Center has been made.
b.
Particulars of a student’s situation or even
the fact that counseling is being received is never
discussed without the student’s written consent.
c.
Any referring person who contacts the Student Counseling
Center about a student that they have referred should
be told that the Counseling Center cannot release
any information about who is or is not in counseling
without the client’s permission. They should
be encouraged to speak directly with the referred
student.
d.
When a client does agree to let the referring person
know about his/her contact with the Student Counseling
Center, a Release of Information form should be
signed and made part of the client’s file.
Sec.
9-407. Information Regarding Prior Counseling
a. Clients who have received counseling in the past
may wish to make these records available to their
counselor in The Student Counseling Center.
b.
A Release of Information form must be signed by
the client before these records may be obtained
from a prior counselor.
Sec.
9-408. Referrals
a. Referral for services will depend on individual
client needs.
b.
For situations where one counselor in The Student
Counseling Center is unable to see a client for
ethical reasons (ex: dual relationship) that client
may be referred to another counselor in the center.
c.
Referrals to various other offices on campus may
be made according to client need.
d.
Students who request services for substance abuse
or serious chronic psychiatric disorders; students
requesting psychological, psychiatric, or disability
evaluations; or individuals needing evaluations,
assessments for legal purposes, or expert testimony
in court will be referred to professionals in the
community who provide those services.
Sec.
9-409. Evaluation of Client Services
a.
Students attending their first counseling session
will receive from the secretary a Satisfaction Survey
with their packet of initial paperwork for counseling.
After the session, the Satisfaction Survey may be
completed and dropped off in the Student Counseling
Center or mailed (no postage required). Satisfaction
Surveys are also given to on-going clients by the
secretary at a time specified by the counselor and
are made available in the counseling reception area
for anyone utilizing services offered by the Student
Counseling Center.
b.
Student Counseling Center counselors meet for client
consultation and feedback at least every two weeks
and consult as needed on a case by case basis in
order to provide the best services possible to students.
c.
Counselors elicit verbal feedback from student clients
in the process of counseling.
d.
Information from the surveys, consultations, and
evaluations will be used to update, expand, and
or improve the services offered through the Student
Counseling Center.
Subchapter
9-500. Record Maintenance
Sec.
9-501. General Guidelines
a.
A file is maintained in the Student Counseling Center
for each client that is seen for counseling.
b.
All current client files are maintained in locked
file cabinets in the counselor’s office. Retired
files are maintained in locked file cabinets in
a separate storage area. Files should not be left
unattended in places where anyone other than the
counselor may have access to them, this includes
desk tops and unlocked drawers. All files should
be returned to the locked file cabinets at the end
of the day.
c.
Only the staff of the Student Counseling Center
has access to client files unless a client makes
a written request for the release of information.
A Release of Information form that is specific to
the individual situation must be obtained each time
client information is requested.
d.
Records of clients are to be kept for seven years
for an adult and seven years beyond the age of 18
for a child in accordance with the ethical standards
of the Texas State Board of Professional Counselors.
Records dated prior to this time are destroyed.
Sec.
9-502. Contents of Files
a. Prior to the first session with a counselor,
a client must complete a Client Information Sheet
and read and sign the Client Information and Consent
form. These documents are maintained in all client
files.
b.
Files will also contain a Counselor’s Intake
Summary after the first session, as well as after
each successive session.
Sec.
9-503. Use of Diagnosis
a.
Counselors may write about counselor’s impressions
rather than psychiatric diagnosis in counseling
progress notes and summaries.
b.
A counselor who is concerned about the presence
of a major psychiatric disorder should refer the
client to professional resources available in the
community.
Subchapter
9-600. Staff Responsibilities
Sec.
9-601. Counseling Staff
a. Check their appointment books regularly to be
aware of any appointments that have been made.
b.
Keep clerical staff up to date on times that are
not available for counseling.
c.
Update notes and files after each client session.
d.
Attend consultation meetings with other Student
Counseling Center counselors at least every two
weeks and consult as needed on a case by case basis.
e.
Participate with all staff regarding client confidentiality.
f.
Stay informed about referral possibilities.
g.
Inform clients of community referrals for needs
that are after hours and/or beyond the scope of
the Student Counseling Center.
h.
Maintain knowledge/ skill base and license(s) by
completing appropriate continuing education
annually.
i.
Balance counseling with duties related to other
assigned programs and responsibilities (ex: budget,
disability, seminars, drug/alcohol education, etc.).
j.
Supervise student workers in the areas of Counseling
and Enrichment Services.
k.
Maintain annual and semester (spring and fall) statistics
regarding counseling center services.
Sec.
9-602. Clerical Staff
a. Manage telephone calls, set appointments, provide
reception, and maintain budget duties.
b.
Be aware of issues concerning the confidentiality
of clients, including protecting the identity of
clients, present or not, when others are in the
waiting room or counselor’s office.
c.
Maintain a balance of friendliness and professionalism
in the office, making clients feel welcome, while
limiting their public self-disclosures.
d.
Consult with the staff counselors if any client
attempts to have extended personal conversations
either in or out of the office, or any time a situation
arises that causes clerical staff to feel uncomfortable
in dealing with a client.
revised January 2004
