MU Counseling Center understaffed

Because the center is understaffed, students may have to wait to receive help.

By Andrea Kszystyniak

Published Oct. 30, 2008

Students are finding it harder to get counseling services during times of need. The MU Counseling Center is at only half of the number of nationally required counselors recommended by the International Association of Counseling Services.

According to the IASC Web site, every effort should be made to maintain minimum staffing ratios in the range of one professional staff member (excluding trainees) to every 1,000 to 1,500 students.

With an influx of  freshmen, the Counseling Center's staff of 11 and Student Health Center psychiatry and psychology staff of seven, MU remains below the required ratio. School population rests at nearly 30,000 students, making the student-to-counselor ratio roughly one counselor for every 3,750 students.

David Wallace, the director of the Counseling Center, said services would improve with an increase in staff.

"The stronger ratios we have of staff to students, the better we can serve students," he said.

Wallace said very few universities have these ideal ratios.

Deborah Wright, psychologist and mental health coordinator for the Student Health Center, said this is not something specifically affecting MU.

"If you look at trends across the country in terms of mental health needs in colleges and universities, you'll see more and more students present for services sometimes with more pressing needs," Wright said.

Wright went on to say though there is a shortage, the health center offers a variety of options to students trying to cope with stress.

"Our outreach area really tries to focus on stress prevention." Wright said. "That's something that students can control if they can figure out stressors. That's certainly a wise way to cope instead of waiting for things to become more problematic."

Wright said the outreach center offers services like yoga and classes on stress prevention, which help to de-stress students and make them more able to learn.

Susan Even, the director of the Student Health Center, said during more stressful times in the school year, there is a delay in counseling services.

"In an environment where every week is important and the semesters go by very quickly, your success in school is characterized by your ability to function during the weeks of the semester," Even said. "If you're having difficulty and under stress and the stress is affecting your ability to function in class or study and perform on an examination, a week or two delay in getting help may have a serious affect on your academic success."

Wallace said students are being served as soon as possible.

"Right now we are trying our very best to get people in for an initial assessment, look at what kind of problems are going on and seeing how we can help," Wallace said. "Even at the most busy time of the year, we are looking at a week and a half before they can see someone."

Wallace said the Counseling Center always has someone on call in case of a crisis.

"It's a gradual process, it something that we continually work on." Wallace said. "Right now, we've approached the student fee committee and asked for a modest increase of 44 cents per student per semester on the average. It will increase our staffing abilities slightly. We will use that money to hire full and part time staff."

Wallace said this would not increase student activities fees because other areas are not increasing fees.