Supporting Mental Health

By Mindi Barta, clinic manager and instructor, CHMC

Proud to be a Beacon

NCU’s Mental Health Clinic helps distinguish our Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) graduate program apart from other similar programs. Not only does the Clinic provide mental health services to students and community members, the Clinic also provides our CMHC students field experience before entering the field. As many of our students intern in our community, we are told by community partners how well prepared our students are in direct comparison to other graduate student interns. 

Over the course of the 2019 academic year, 40 responses from off-site supervisors were collected with the following summary of results.

Off-site supervisors responded that

• 84% of CMHC NCU students met or exceeded expectations in the area of Professional Counseling Skills.
• 89% of CMHC NCU students met or exceeded expectations in the areas of Professional Dispositions.
• 92% of CMHC students met or exceeded expectations in the areas of Professional Behaviors.

A recent employer survey found:

• The majority of employers (93%) felt the NCU CMHC program prepared them to work in their respective settings.
• 100% of employers indicated they are likely to more likely to hire an NCU graduate!

As COVID-19 (Coronavirus) became part of our everyday dialogue in the Clinic, classroom, and faculty meetings the Mental Health Clinic adjusted to meet all recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). When the Governor’s order to shelter in place went into effect, CMHC students were able to continue care by offering all clients Telehealth counseling services. Our clinic remains open to our fellow students and community members. From March 12 – April 12 the clinic held 324 Telehealth appointments.

A leading trauma expert, Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, refers to the psychological toll and stress the Corona catastrophe is putting on our communities. To counter this pre-traumatic state, CMHC students offer trauma-informed care to assist individuals in resiliency development. Counseling services continue to support clients’ wellness which supports the wellness of our collective community.

NCU’s CMHC combined faculty expertise, teamwork and commitment to students, moved a traditional on-campus Mental Health Clinic to a Clinic that is solely using Telehealth. CMHC students met the challenge with a willingness to serve, flexibility and grace.

Unprecedented. Historic. Beacon Proud.