In order to ensure that all students are getting the level of care that they need to succeed, students may be referred to community resources
Referral to Community Resources
The Counseling Center's brief therapy treatment approach is time-limited due to the natural limits of resources. In order to best serve the needs of our students, those who require long-term and/or intensive support will generally be referred to community resources for ongoing treatment. Similarly, students whose needs require a particular type of expertise that is not available in the Counseling Center are also referred to community resources.
In cases where a student's ongoing needs warrant a referral to community resources, the Counseling Center may provide some interim support to the students as they are connecting to the appropriate community resources. We may provide referrals during or after the initial assessment meeting, or as these factors become more apparent during the course of services.
Referral to off-campus providers may occur due to the following reasons:
- A need for intensive, long-term, or open-ended therapy. Possible indicators for longer term or more intensive therapy include:
- Recent or multiple psychiatric hospitalizations
- Chronic thoughts of suicide, frequent self-injury behaviors, or history of repeated suicide attempts
- Evidence or risk of progressive deterioration in mental or emotional functioning that requires intensive intervention
- A need for specialized services not available through the Counseling Center, including but not limited to:
- Presence of significant drug or alcohol problems such as substance dependence and/or past failed treatments
- Need for drug testing
- Presence of severe or long-standing eating disorder symptoms
- Request for formal psychological assessment (ADHD, Autism, etc.)
- Request for psychological evaluation for the purpose of employment clearance or other non-academic purpose
- Request for services to fulfill students' court-mandated assessment or treatment requirements
The general guidelines listed above are only intended to serve as a guide to assist treatment decisions. The nature and complexity of presenting concerns and the broader context are considered in making the appropriate treatment recommendations(s). Students are evaluated individually and the professional judgment of the mental health providers(s) will determine the treatment recommendation in a particular case.