The University of Idaho Counseling and Testing Center’s psychiatric nurse practitioner resigned, with her last day March 8. But recent UI retiree and board-certified psychiatrist William Cone returned March 18 with a contract to provide psychiatric services on campus.
He will work two days a week through the end of August 2019, said Greg Lambeth, counseling center director. The psychiatric nurse practitioner who resigned, Jennifer Wilkinson, worked at UI for less than one year.
“We will have enough coverage to meet all psychiatric service needs that we have through the start of the fall semester,” Lambeth said. “He was here two days a week during the summer for the last 16 years, and he’ll be here two days a week this summer.”
Dean of Students Blaine Eckles said when looking to see what the university could do as a temporary fix for Wilkinson’s departure, Cone was “very open” to providing additional assistance.
“(Cone) is very committed to the university, very committed to our student body,” Eckles said. “Some individuals may worry that lack of full-time means lack of support and service, but that is not the case.”
Lambeth and Eckles said the counseling center is also working closely with Gritman Medical Center and Moscow Family Medicine, so there is no gap in service. Lambeth said they have been working on Wilkinson’s transition out, so Cone does not need to take over her entire case load.
“We feel really confident we are going to be able to continue on without missing much of a beat for our students going forward,” Eckles said.
The search for a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner is ongoing, Lambeth said, and Cone stepping in gives the counseling center time to be optimistic about being successful in the search.
“Given the challenges, it’s a great place for us to have landed,” Lambeth said. “It’s the best outcome for our interim plan that I could’ve asked for. It’s not just a viable plan, it is an ideal interim plan to give us time to run a search.”
Lambeth said he is optimistic, confident and thankful for the outcome of the transition.
“Dr. Cone is amazing, and we couldn’t be any luckier that he agreed to come back and help us,” Lambeth said. “Because it’s Dr. Cone, he has worked with students on this campus for 16 years. He can step in and from day one it’ll be seamless, and it provides 100 percent of the coverage that we need for right now.”
Jordan Willson can be reached at [email protected]