Since fall 2018, at times some University of Idaho students have had to wait up to three or four weeks to be seen at the Counseling and Testing Center. But director Greg Lambeth said wait times are at two weeks currently, and they should decrease by the time students return in fall 2019.
UI Junior BreAnne Cook said when she called the counseling center around the first week of February, the first appointment available was three weeks out. While Cook said she wished she could have been seen sooner, it was worth waiting because it is free and on campus.
“If it had been more severe, they have the same-day counseling available, and I absolutely would have used that if it was more severe,” Cook said.
Though it took three weeks to be seen, Cook said her experience with the center has been very positive and that the staff is accommodating and communicates well with her.
Greg Lambeth | Courtesy
Lambeth said the wait time at the counseling center is due to both very high utilization and staffing vacancies.
The counseling center is currently conducting searches to fill open positions, but they are down two or three psychologist lines, Lambeth said.
In addition to these vacancies, the WSU practicum training program has closed, so the counseling center does not have graduate students available to provide services. In the past, the center has had eight or nine practicum students, which accounted for about 11 percent of the center’s direct service, Lambeth said.
Considering all vacancies, the counseling center is down about 30 to 35 percent of their direct service, Lambeth said. And in the past 9 years, there has been a 72 percent increase in the number of students the counseling center provides services to, he said.
The increase in students seeking mental health services at UI is consistent with national trends. Time Magazine reported in 2018 record numbers of college students are seeking treatment for depression and anxiety.
“It’s untenable,” Lambeth said. “You can’t be that far down and have that kind of increase in utilization. It doesn’t work out.”
Lambeth said when the counseling center is fully staffed, they are at the recommended ratio of clinicians to students for college counseling centers. But right now positions are open, and searches take a while.
Although wait times have been up to three or four weeks long at times, Lambeth said currently the wait time is just about two weeks, which is normal for college counseling centers. Plus, the center is always accessible immediately through emergency appointments, Lambeth said.
Blaine Eckles | Courtesy
“Anyone that needs to see someone today, all they need to say is ‘I need to talk to someone today,” said Blaine Eckles, Dean of Students.
To address the absence of practicum students, Lambeth proposed an increase in student fees for the next school year. The increase in fees would provide permanent funding for a full-time postdoctoral student and a half-time clinical social worker.
“It’s on us to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to minimize the impact on our students and put the resources in place or find the resources so that we can help offset what that looks like,” Eckles said. “Ultimately, we want to make sure our students are successful here on campus, and appropriate mental health support is one of those things that helps many of our students be successful.”
In addition to requesting an increase in student fees, Lambeth said the counseling center is focusing on revising their scope of service.
“You’re not going to staff your way out of these issues,” Lambeth said. “So, you’re going to have to be creative. My goal is to know that we provide accessible, effective service for as many students as possible.
The counseling center recently changed initial appointments from 30 minutes to one hour, Lambeth said, and they have increased the number of initial appointments that all staff are providing. The counseling center has also broadened their services by providing a groups program for students, he said.
Lambeth said ideally next semester students will be able to call and schedule a first-time appointment within one or two weeks.
“We need a mental health system that’s responsive,” Lambeth said.
Jordan Willson can be reached at [email protected]