International
Association of Counseling
Services, Inc
PRINT VERSION 
ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
FOR
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE COUNSELING CENTERS
Revised April, 2000
Accrediting Board Members: Vivian Boyd, Ph.D.,
Chairperson; Edward Hattauer, Ph.D., Vice Chair;
James
Spivack, Ph.D.; Spencer Deakin, Ph.D.; George Hurley, Ph.D.; Nancy Buckles,
M.S.W.;
Charlene
Erskine, Ph.D.; Geraldine Piorkowski, Ph.D.; Irvin W. Brandel, Ph.D.; R.B.
Simono, Ph.D.;
Linda L.
Locher, Ph.D.; Catherine M. Steel, Ph.D.; Charles Davidshofer, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION
A. RELATIONSHIP
OF THE COUNSELING CENTER TO THE
UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE COMMUNITY
B. COUNSELING
SERVICES ROLES AND FUNCTION
1. Individual and Group
Counseling/Psychotherapy
2. Crisis
Intervention and Emergency Services
3. Outreach
Intervention
4. Consultation
Intervention
5. Referral
Resources
6.
Research
7. Program Evaluation
8. Training
C. ETHICAL STANDARDS
1. Training
2. Release of
Information
3. Clear and Imminent
Danger
4. Testing
5. Research
6. Case Records
7. Disposition of
Records
8. Access to Records
9. Staff Knowledge
10. Technology
D. COUNSELING SERVICE
PERSONNEL
1. Director
2. Professional Staff
3. Other Center
Administrative Staff
4. Trainees
5. Support Staff
E. RELATED GUIDELINES
1. Professional
Development
2. Staffing Practices
3. Size of Staff
4. Workload
5. Compensation - Salary
6. Physical Facilities
7. Multiple Counseling
Centers
F. SPECIAL CONCERNS
INTRODUCTION
University
and college counseling services1 have
played a vital role in higher education for many years. In the last three
decades there has been a dramatic increase in the number of campus counseling
services and the multiplicity of functions that are performed. Guidelines for
university and college counseling services were first developed in 1970 by a
task force of counseling center directors chaired by Barbara Kirk (Kirk et al.,
1971). Its work originated from an earlier draft developed by a committee of
the Canadian University Counselling Association chaired by Robert I. Hudson.
Guidelines were extensively revised in 1981 by a committee of the University
and College Counseling Centers Board of Accreditation of the International
Association of Counseling Services Inc. chaired by Kenneth F. Garni (Garni et
al., 1982). The 1981 revision reflected the evolving role, functions, and
changes in the professional practices of university and college counseling
services in the preceding decade. The revision of 1991 (Kiracofe et al., 1991)
marked a change from providing accreditation guidelines to the establishment of
standards for accreditation. It also updated professional practice changes that
have occurred in counseling centers in recent years. This present revision of
2000 amends the Standards to include: (1) a provision on counseling services
merged with other campus units such as career services and health services,
etc., (2) a provision on the ethical use of more recent technology in
counseling services, and (3) further specification, elaboration and
clarification of the standards.
1 For the purposes of this document, the terms "services"
and "centers" are interchangeable
A.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE COUNSELING CENTER
TO THE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE COMMUNITY
Counseling
services are an integral part of the educational mission of the institution and
support the mission in a variety of ways, such as consultation, teaching,
preventive and developmental interventions, and treatment. They provide
clinical and counseling services to clients who are experiencing stress due to
academic, career or personal problems which may interfere with their ability to
take full advantage of the educational opportunities before them. Counselors
are also involved in consultation with faculty and staff, student needs
advocacy, program development, teaching, outreach programming, retention
activities, and research and evaluation that support the efforts of faculty and
staff in enhancing the university environment.
While
the relationship of the counseling service to other units within the
institution will vary according to organizational structure and individual
campus needs, it is critically important that the service be administratively
neutral. Centers may provide mandatory assessment and other consultations to campus
units, but must not make admissions, disciplinary, curricular or other
administrative decisions involving students.2
2
The Standard on Mandatory Assessment was Amended on October 25, 2005
Typically,
counseling services are administratively housed in the student affairs unit of
the institution and are acknowledged as a valuable component of the overall
student services effort. To achieve this recognition counselors must develop an
extensive network of institutional and community relationships. Close linkages
should be forged with academic units, campus student service offices, and
sources of referral and consultation. Solid working relationships must be
maintained with campus and community medical services and with community mental
health services in order to accommodate clients who have medical problems or
who require hospitalization. Counseling service professionals should work with
faculty and administrators to promote the goal of psychological and emotional
development in the many aspects of campus life.
Finally,
it is essential that the counseling service work closely with the chief student
affairs officer and other key administrators to ensure the accomplishment of
institutional goals and objectives. The chief student affairs officer, as well
as other senior administrative staff, should be fully aware of and
appropriately supportive of the complex role of the counseling service.
While
the counseling service works in a cooperative manner with members of the campus
community, it is important to emphasize the unique role that it plays within
the institution. Specifically, it provides services such as crisis
intervention, individual and group psychotherapy, career development, and
consultation with the campus community about student characteristics and
development. In addition, counseling professionals often provide a needed
perspective for campus administrators in maintaining an appropriate balance
between an administrative and a humanistic approach in managing distressed
students.
B. COUNSELING
SERVICES ROLES AND FUNCTIONS
The
counseling service should play three essential roles in serving the university
and college community. The most prominent is providing counseling and/or
therapy to students experiencing personal adjustment, vocational, developmental
and/or psychological problems that require professional attention. Second is the preventive role of assisting students in
identifying and learning skills which will assist them in effectively meeting
their educational and life goals. The third role involves supporting and
enhancing the healthy growth and development of students through consultation
and outreach to the campus community.
A
counseling service must include an appropriate range of activities to be
eligible for accreditation. Agencies whose services are limited to the
following areas are not eligible to be accredited: academic advising, placement
services, tutorial programs, academic skills training, (i.e., developmental
reading services, learning centers, etc.) and drug and alcohol programs. It
should be noted, however, that many accredited counseling services include some
or all of the above activities in their programs.
To be
eligible for accreditation a counseling service must provide the following
program functions:
1. Individual and Group
Counseling /Psychotherapy
Counseling
services must provide individual and group counseling and therapy services that
are responsive to the diverse population of students experiencing ongoing or
situational psychological or behavioral difficulties.
These
direct service activities should meet the following criteria:
a)
Individual and/or group counseling and psychotherapy should be provided for
educational, career, personal, developmental, and relationship issues.
b)
Psychological tests and other assessment techniques should be used as needed,
to foster client self-understanding and decision-making and to determine the
most effective intervention strategies possible within the limits of available
resources.
c) Staff
should have the necessary training to meet the diverse needs of students.
d)
Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the services must be conducted.
e) All
staff must adhere to the ethical principles of their disciplines.
f)
Services provided by interns, practicum students, and paraprofessionals must
receive close supervision by qualified personnel and be in compliance with
professional training standards and state or provincial statutes.
2.
Crisis Intervention and Emergency Services
Counseling
services must provide crisis intervention and emergency coverage either
directly or through cooperative arrangements with other resources on campus and
in the surrounding area.
Psychiatric
resources must be available to the service either on campus or in the
community.
Counseling
services should provide emergency services for students who are experiencing
acute emotional distress, are a danger to self or others, or are in need of
immediate hospitalization. Such services may be provided by other agencies on
campus or in the surrounding community. In such cases, counseling service staff
need to work closely with other service providers to ensure that the resources
are adequate and effectively used.
3.
Outreach Interventions
Counseling
services must provide programming focused on the developmental needs of
students that maximizes their potential to benefit from an academic experience.
The counseling service must offer preventive and developmental interventions
for students. Programs should be developed and provided that help students
acquire new knowledge, skills and behaviors, encourage positive and realistic
self-appraisal, foster personal, academic and career choices, enhance the
ability to relate mutually and meaningfully with others, and increase the
capacity to engage in a personally satisfying and effective style of living.
These programs should be designed to meet the needs of students, responsive to
sexual orientation, racial, cultural, disability and ethnic diversity among
students, and reach students who are less likely to make use of traditional
counseling services.
4. Consultation
Interventions
Counseling
services must provide consultative services to members of the university
community that make the environment as beneficial to the intellectual,
emotional, and physical development of students as possible. The counseling
service must play an active role in interpreting and, when appropriate,
advocating for the needs of students to administrators, faculty, and staff of
the institution. The service should also identify and address issues and
problems in the environment that may impede the progress of students.
Consultation
services provided by the center should meet the following guidelines:
a)
Consultation regarding individual students should be provided as needed to
faculty and other appropriate campus personnel within the bounds of the
confidential counseling relationship.
b)
Consultation may be provided to parents, spouses, and other agencies that are
involved with students as long as confidentiality requirements are met.
A
counseling service should not be solely responsible for administrative
decisions about students.
5.
Referral Resources
Counseling
services must provide referral resources within the insitution and the local
community to meet the needs of students whose problems are outside the scope of
services of the counseling center.
6.
Research
An
integral responsibility of the counseling service is to conduct ongoing
evaluation and accountability research, to determine the effectiveness of its
services, and to improve the quality of services.
Services
must adhere to the following:
a) Counseling
services must abide by professional ethical standards as well as expectations
developed by university groups responsible for overseeing research. Ultimate
responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of accepted ethical
practices shall reside with the individual researcher and the Director of the
counseling service.
b) The
counseling service should contribute to studies of student characteristics and
follow-up studies of student progress in various programs.
c)
Counseling services should be involved with students and faculty who wish to
conduct individual research on student characteristics or on the influence of
specific student development programs. Such activities must be in compliance
with appropriate professional ethical standards as well as institutional
research board requirements.
d) The
counseling service should make every effort to contribute to the fields of
counseling, psychology, and other relevant professions (e.g., student personnel
services, social work, etc.) through research and other scholarly endeavors.
7.
Program Evaluation
There
must be a regular review of the counseling service based on data from center
evaluation efforts. When possible it is desirable to include comparative data
from other institutions in the evaluation process.
8.
Training
Counseling
centers must provide training, professional development and continuing
education experiences for staff and trainees. Training
and supervision of others (paraprofessionals, practicum students, pre-doctoral
interns, post-doctoral psychology resident/fellows, etc.) are appropriate and
desirable responsibilities of counseling services. While training and
supervision are legitimate functions, they should not supersede the primary
service role of the agency.
The
following guidelines pertain to training:
a)
Graduate student trainees and paraprofessionals should be selected carefully
and supervised closely by experienced, qualified personnel in a manner
consistent with professional training standards and state and provincial
statutes.
b) Cases
assigned to trainees must be related to their present level of training and
competency to ensure quality services to students.
c) All
staff members are to be afforded regular opportunities to upgrade their skills.
Such training may occur through case conferences, workshops sponsored by the
center, and/or the provision of time and/or resources for staff members to
attend workshops and conferences.
C.
ETHICAL STANDARDS
Professional
ethical practice forms the cornerstone of the counseling service. Maintaining
ethical standards and abiding by related laws in the administration of a
counseling center is a very complex and important task. Clear definitions of
ethical and legal questions are not universally applicable, so an understanding
of ethical codes and relevant case and statute law is essential. Counseling
center staff should have access to legal counsel when necessary and should be
well informed regarding legal issues. Staff members must maintain strict
adherence to the ethical principles, standards, and guidelines of the American
Psychological Association, the American College Personnel Association, the
American Counseling Association, the Canadian Psychological Association, the
National Association of Social Workers, etc. Agency operating procedures should
be congruent with these standards and in no way abridge or contravene an
individual staff member's ethical obligations and privileges. [See reference
section on ethical statements and professional guidelines.]
1.
Support and other staff must be selected carefully and trained thoroughly
regarding appropriate agency policies and procedures.
2. The
confidential nature of the counseling relationship must be consistent with
professional ethical standards and with local, state, provincial and federal
guidelines and state statutes. Information should be released only at the
request or concurrence of a client who has full and informed knowledge of the
nature of the information that is being released. Appropriate information is
then to be released selectively and only to qualified recipients. Instances of
statutory limits to confidentiality and other appropriate restrictions (e.g.
policies related to observation, audio and video taping) need to be clearly
articulated and implemented only after careful professional consideration.
3. When
the condition of the client is indicative of clear and imminent danger to self
or others, counseling service professionals must take reasonable personal
action that may involve informing responsible authorities and, when possible
and appropriate, consulting with other professionals. In such cases, counseling
service professionals must be cognizant of existing ethical principles,
relevant statutes, and local mental health guidelines that may stipulate the
limits of confidentiality, ordinarily including but not limited to the
following: statutes that require the reporting of child abuse and other forms
of abuse; statutes and/or case law that stipulate making appropriate
notification when clients and/or others are at risk.
4.
Procedures regarding the preparation, use, and distribution of psychological
tests must be consistent with professional standards. [See reference section on
ethical statements and professional guidelines.]
5.
Standards regarding research with human subjects must be maintained. Review procedures
for proposed research should be established to insure that research efforts do
not interfere with service delivery responsibilities of the counseling service.
[See reference section on ethical statements and professional guidelines.]
6.
Systematic case records must be maintained as required by professional
standards and applicable statutes. The record must include all pertinent
clinical documentation such as intake and assessment information, case notes, a
termination summary, results of any tests or inventories, etc. If records are
computerized, or if computerized billing is used in the center, confidentiality
of data files must be insured. Confidentiality and appropriate handling of information
and records must be reflected in the collection, classification and maintenance
of the data, administrative security, and in dissemination of information
regarding clients. Records must be secure and should be kept in a central area.
Hard copy records must be stored in a secure area,
typically in locked file cabinets. In the case of computerized records,
password protection and other physical safeguards must be in place to ensure
the confidentiality of stored material. Regardless of the case record form used
by the center, all case records are the property of the counseling service.
7. Procedures
for the disposition of client and agency records should be consistent with
professional standards, college and university guidelines, and relevant
statutes. The complete record should be maintained for a minimum of 7 years
from the last date of service.
8.
Access to counseling records must be limited to counseling center personnel. An
informed, signed release of information must be obtained from the client before
records or other counseling information can be shared with any other
individual, office or department.
9. Staff
members must be knowledgeable about and function in a manner consistent with
relevant civil and criminal laws. They should be aware of the obligations and
limitations imposed on the institution by national, regional, and local
constitutional, statutory, regulatory, and institutional policy.
10.
Technology
Counseling
centers must demonstrate a basic understanding of technology prior to adopting
any new technology for use. It is recognized that counseling centers may need
to rely upon non-psychologists to provide technical assistance. Professionals
providing technical assistance should be given training concerning issues
regarding confidentiality.
a)
Computerized client data and case records must be secured in such a way to
prevent unauthorized access. Clients must be informed that confidential
information about their treatment is stored on the Center's computer.
b)
Electronic mail (e-mail) is not a safe means to transmit confidential
information. If e-mail is used to communicate with a client or transmit
information, an informed consent must be used which explains the inherent
technology risks to confidentiality.
c)
Counseling centers that use fax machines to transmit confidential information
must develop a system to secure the faxed material from unauthorized access. If
a fax machine is used to transmit confidential information, an informed consent
must be used.
d)
Cordless and cellular telephones should not be used to communicate confidential
information.
D. COUNSELING
SERVICE PERSONNEL
Counseling
and psychotherapy functions are performed by professionals with at least a
master's degree from disciplines such as counseling psychology, clinical psychology,
counselor education, psychiatry, and social work.
Both
professional staff members and trainees should have access to necessary
consultation resources. Assistance should be available in areas such as
psychopharmacology, psychological assessment, case management, and program
development. Specialists in psychiatry, learning disabilities, law,
occupational information, and substance abuse are important resource
professionals for the counseling staff as well.
It is
expected that professional staff members be accorded rights and privileges
consistent with university or college faculty. This may include tenure (or its
equivalent) and the opportunity for representation on university governing
bodies. Sabbatical, educational, or professional leaves should also be
available wherever possible.
1.
Director
a)
Qualifications and Competencies
1) The
Director should have an earned doctorate from a regionally accredited university
in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor education, or other
closely related discipline.
2) The
Director must have had an internship or equivalent in which she/he received
supervision for counseling and psychotherapy activities, preferably with a
diverse college student population.
3)
Before being named Director, a person should have a minimum of 3 years experience
as a staff member in a clinical and/or counseling setting, at least one of
which should be in a clinical and/or administrative supervisory capacity.
4) The
Director should have abilities and attributes that enable effective
representation of mental health issues in the university or college community;
the Director should have personal qualities and skills that enable effective
interaction with, and the ability to gain the respect of, counseling staff,
colleagues, administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
5) The
Director should hold appropriate state or provincial licensure, registration,
or certification within a two-year period of her/his appointment.
b)
Equivalency Criteria: Non doctorate Directors
For a
doctoral equivalency waiver to be considered by the IACS University and College
Counseling Centers' Board of Accreditation, nondoctoral directors must meet the
following criteria.
1) Hold
a master's degree in an appropriate field.
2) Have
completed a supervised field placement as part of the requirement for the
master's degree that provided ongoing counseling and psychotherapy experiences,
preferably with a college population.
3) Have
had graduate level academic training in clinical and professional functioning
such as diagnosis and assessment, psychotherapy and counseling practice,
ethical and professional issues, supervision, diversity, and research.
4) Have
had a minimum of 5 years experience as a staff member in a clinical and/or
counseling setting, at least two of which should be in a clinical and/or
administrative supervisory capacity.
5) Be
able to provide evidence of involvement and commitment to educational and
professional development.
6) Have
a licensed, registered or certified professional in the counseling service who
has a doctorate in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, counselor
education, or related discipline and who is directly involved in the delivery
of counseling services and responsible for the supervision of the clinical
activities of the agency.
c)
Duties
1)
Overall administration and coordination of the resources and activities of the
center including strategic planning and goal setting, identification and
attainment of service objectives, resource allocation, program and/or services
evaluation and research, counseling, psychotherapy, outreach, consultation, and
preventive mental health activities. With the staff the director develops and
implements philosophy, policies, and procedures for counseling service
operations.
2)
Coordination, recruitment, training, supervision, development, and evaluation
of professional, nonprofessional, and support staff.
3) Preparation
and administration of counseling center budget, the development of annual
reports, and other reports and documents representing and advocating for the
needs of the counseling center and the psychological and developmental needs of
the university community.
4)
Responsibility for providing crisis intervention, counseling and/or therapy,
clinical supervision, outreach, and consultation services to the university
community, as defined by administrative policies and procedures.
5)
Participation in university or college policy formation and program
development; providing consultation and education to the university community
regarding psychological and developmental issues.
6) Serve
on college or university committees.
7)
Administration of procedures that monitor the quality of counseling and/or
clinical services rendered by the center.
8) Takes
leadership in representing the center to other campus units.
2.
Professional Staff
a)
Qualifications and Competencies
1) Professional
staff members should have a terminal degree.The minimum qualification for a
staff member is a master's degree in a relevant discipline from a regionally
accredited institution of higher education.
2)
Documentation of supervised experience at the graduate level in the counseling
of college-aged students must be provided.
3)
Professional staff must have had appropriate course work at the graduate level
and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in psychological assessment,
theories of personality, abnormal psychology or psychopathology, human
development, learning theory, counseling theory, and/or other appropriate subjects.
4)
Professional staff must have had a supervised internship, clinical field
placement or practicum experience with diverse populations as part of the
degree requirement.
5)
Doctoral level staff must have a degree in counseling psychology, clinical
psychology, counselor education or other closely related discipline and should
be licensed/certified to practice within their specialty. Nondoctoral staff
should be appropriately licensed/certified or registered according to their
level of education, training, and professional experience as determined by
state regulations.
6)
Professional staff must demonstrate knowledge of principles of program
development, consultation, outreach, developmental theories of the adolescent
and adult, and be able to understand the person in the context of a diverse
social and cultural milieu.
7)
Professional staff should have personal attributes that enable them to
facilitate effective interpersonal relationships and to communicate with a wide
range of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
8) When
a staff member has the responsibility for the clinical supervision of other
professional staff members or of graduate student trainees, the staff member
must hold the doctorate or have an appropriate master's degree and experience
in the training of other professionals.
9) In
those instances where a staff member does not meet the above minimum
qualifications, the Board of Accreditation will examine, on a case by case
basis, any appeal to justify this individual's commensurate qualifications.
b)
Duties
1)
Provide individual and group counseling and/or psychotherapy, assessment, and
crisis intervention services.
2)
Design and conduct developmental and outreach program activities.
3)
Provide consultation services, as requested, to student groups, faculty, and
staff within the university.
4)
Participate in research and service evaluation activities.
5)
Provide necessary training and supervision to paraprofessionals, graduate
trainees and post-doctoral fellows/residents.
6)
Perform other assigned functions that contribute to the service offerings of
the center and the academic mission of the institution (e.g., teaching,
committee work, liaison with academic or administrative units, participation in
university program development, etc.).
3. Other
Center Administrative Staff
Centers
develop administrative structures based on size and need. Individuals appointed
to fill positions such as Associate or Assistant Director, or Training
Director, should have relevant experience and expertise to fulfill the duties
assigned to these roles.
4.
Trainees
When
graduate level trainees ( pre-doctoral interns, externs, practicum students,
field placements) are used in the delivery of counseling center services and
programs, their work must be closely supervised in accordance with the
trainee's professional specialty and state, regional, provincial and/or national
standards and statutes. Responsibility for the placement, the supervision of
the trainee's work, assignment of clinical and/or counseling responsibilities,
and quality assurance of the program lies with the trainee's supervisor(s), the
Training Director of the counseling center (if available), and ultimately the
Director of the counseling center.
a) Types
of Trainees
1)
Pre-Doctoral Interns:
The term
Intern is reserved for those individuals completing either a full- time (40
hours per week for one year) or half-time (20 hours per week for two years)
Pre-Doctoral Internship that is an established and integral part of the agency
mission, that is sequential and cumulative in nature and builds on the
experience obtained at the agency, and is both an intensive and extensive
learning experience. Supervision of Pre-Doctoral Interns should be regularly
scheduled; at a minimum, a full-time Intern should receive 4 hours of
supervision per week, at least 2 of which should be face-to-face individual
supervision (half-time Interns pro-rated accordingly).
2)
Practicum Students, Externs, Supervised Field Placements, etc:
These
terms apply to those trainees who are obtaining training and supervision,
either as part of an academic practicum, or on a voluntary basis to obtain
additional clinical/counseling experience. The center should provide an
appropriate range of training, supervision, and learning experiences. These may
be at the Masters, Specialists or Doctoral level and occur prior to the
Pre-Doctoral Internship.
3)
Post-Doctoral Residents/Fellows:
Post-doctoral
Residents/Fellows need to have an opportunity to obtain advanced training and
education beyond the doctoral degree in preparation for practice in counseling,
therapy, or specialization in a practice area. Their training needs to be
integrally connected to the counseling center and consistent with the mission
of the center and institution. Residencies are typically one full year or two
half-years and buildupon prior learning. As a result of this training,
Residents should demonstrate advanced proficiency and skill in such areas as assessment/diagnosis,
treatment, outreach and consultation, program development and implementation
and evaluation, supervision, teaching, research, and administration. Regularly
scheduled supervision should be integral to the training experience.
b)
Duties: Trainees and Paraprofessionals
Professional
trainees, such as interns and practicum students, as well as professional personnel,
perform various functions in the counseling service appropriate to their
training and experience.
1)
Trainees
Materials
describing professional (graduate student) trainees should include: (1) number
of trainees at various levels of training; (2) amount and content of training;
(3) supervisor(s) and amount of supervision: (a) number of hours per week in
direct supervision, (b) type of supervision (e.g., individual, group), and (c)
qualifications of the supervisors; (4) scope of service functions performed,
and (5) criteria used for selection of trainees.
2)
Paraprofessional Staff
A
description of any paraprofessional program shall include the following: (1)
number of paraprofessionals; (2) amount and content of their training; (3)
supervisor(s) and amount of supervision; (4) service functions performed, and
(5) criteria used for selection.
5.
Support Staff
a) Clerical
employees who deal directly with students should be selected carefully since
they play an important role in the students' impressions of the counseling
service and often must follow decision-making protocols about student
disposition.
b)
Graduate assistants working at the center should have controlled access to
clinical files or records. For example, trainees and graduate assistants should
have access only to client records of students they see as clients and are
appropriate to their duties. Graduate research assistants may have access to
files if identifiable information is coded.
c)
Students employed in the center should be selected carefully and trained
sufficiently in confidentiality and privacy issues. They should be assigned
tasks limited to their training that do not compromise the confidentiality of
clients. Student-workers must not have access to client files, confidential
office records, and should not do client scheduling.
d) There
should be an adequate number of trained support staff and effective use of
technology to meet the center's service load. Work tasks include receptionist
duties, scheduling, data analysis, word processing, handling of any
psychological tests or inventories, and billing. The use of student workers as
office support workers should be minimized.
e) All
support staff, including student workers, should be given training concerning:
(1) the operation and function of the counseling service; (2) the limits of
their functioning within the counseling service; and (3) issues regarding
confidentiality.
E.
RELATED GUIDELINES
1.
Professional Development
a)
On-going professional development activities are an essential aspect of an
effective counseling program. Both release time and budget resources should be
made available to assist staff in these endeavors.
b) Staff
members should hold membership in and participate in appropriate professional
organizations.
c) Staff
members should attend relevant campus colloquia and seminars and local,
regional, provincial and national professional meetings.
d) Staff
members should be encouraged and supported in accepting leadership
responsibilities within their respective local and national organizations.
e) The
counseling service should maintain a continuous in-service training program,
the chief feature of which is supervision and consultation. Junior staff
members should have the opportunity for continuing supervision and consultation
from more highly trained and experienced staff members. It is highly desirable
that additional in-service training be provided for all staff members,
including activities such as case presentations, research reports, discussion
of issues, etc.
f) It is
important that staff members be encouraged to participate in community
activities related to their profession.
2.
Staffing Practices
Staff members
should be free of prejudice with respect to race, religion, age, gender, sexual
orientation or physical challenge. The counseling service should demonstrate
hiring practices that are consistent with the goals of equal
opportunity/affirmative action.
3. Size
of Staff
The
human resources necessary for the effective operation of a counseling service depend,
to a large degree, on the size and nature of the institution and the extent to
which other mental health and student support resources are available in the
area. The complexity of the service offerings and training programs also
influences staffing needs. It is recommended that staff levels be continually
monitored with regard to student enrollment, service demands, and staff
diversity to insure that program objectives are being met.
a) Every
effort should be made to maintain minimum staffing ratios in the range of one
F.T.E. professional staff member (excluding trainees) to every 1,000 to 1,500
students, depending on services offered and other campus mental health
agencies.
b)
Support staff must be adequate to assume responsibility for all receptionist
and secretarial duties necessary for the effective functioning of the
counseling service.
c)
Application from counseling services with fewer than two full-time equivalent
professional staff members shall not be approved as this would essentially
place the Board of Accreditation in the position of granting individual certification
rather than agency accreditation.
4.
Workload
Staff
members should have a balanced workload that affords time for all aspects of
their professional functioning. Direct service responsibilities such as intake,
individual and group counseling, and crisis intervention should not exceed 65%
of the workload on a continuing basis.
5.
Compensation - Salary
Salaries
should be established in relation to credentials, experience, responsibilities,
and quality of performance of duties. Salaries, benefits, and career
advancement opportunities should be commensurate with those of others in the
institution with similar qualifications and responsibilities and comparable
professionals in other institutions of higher education in the region.
6.
Physical Facilities
It is
desirable that counseling centers be centrally located and readily accessible
to all students, including those who are physically challenged. Counseling
centers should be physically separate from administrative offices, campus
police, and judicial offices.
a)
Individual sound-proofed offices should be provided for each professional staff
member and intern. Each office should have a telephone, access to audio and/or
video recording equipment, files, bookcase, furniture that creates a relaxing
environment for students, and computer access.
b)
Counseling service staff (including interns) should have access to computers
and technology support for scheduling, record keeping, data storage/file
management, research, and publication activities.
c) There
should be a reception area that provides a comfortable and private waiting area
for students.
d) There
should be a central area where all client records are kept in secure, locked
files.
e) The
counseling service should have library resources that include professional
journals, books and other technical materials.
f) A
resource center of occupational and career information should be made available
by centers that provide career counseling services.
g) An
area suitable for individual and group testing should be available.
h) The
counseling service should maintain (or have ready access to) space suitable for
group counseling sessions and staff meetings.
i) For
counseling services with training components, it is strongly recommended that
they have adequate audio-visual recording facilities and, where possible,
direct observation facilities.
7.
Multiple Counseling Centers
The accreditation
requirement for multiple counseling services is based upon the organizational
structure of the agency. A multiple counseling agency is operationally defined
as consisting of one or more subagencies, each with a separate director and
staff having no daily physical interaction (e.g., a state college system
consisting of branch campuses each with a separate counseling service). In such
a case each unit would be accredited separately. Counseling services which have
subunits at different locations, supervised by a single Director, would be
accredited as a single unit (e.g., a large university with satellite counseling
centers). All subunits must meet requirements for the agency to be accredited.
F.
SPECIAL CONCERNS
Issues
Affecting Counseling Center Mergers
When
mergers occur that bring together counseling centers and other campus agencies
(i.e., health center, career planning units, advising offices, etc.), the newly
formed entity must meet the standards for accreditation established by the
International Association of Counseling Services, Inc. (IACS) in order to maintain
accreditation. In as much as merged entities may also be accredited by other
professional bodies (e.g., Council for the Advancement of Standards, Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, Accreditation Association for
Ambulatory Health Care, etc.) counseling services are not the focus of such
accreditations. Merged centers or centers anticipating mergers must maintain
IACS standards.
While
not all of the standards have been reviewed here, the following interpretations
of the standards are offered. You will notice that the specific standards
referred to below are numbered consistent with the accreditation standards for
easy reference.
A.
Relationship to University or College Community
Center
Independence/Neutrality (Para. 2)
When a
counseling center is merged with some other campus agency, the center's ability
to continue to maintain functional independence and neutrality must not be
compromised. For example, if the counseling center and health center were
merged, the newly formed entity will need to permit the counseling center's
efforts to continue to be an integral part of the institution's educational
mission; rather than be seen as primarily an ancillary clinical operation
housed in a hospital or clinical environment.
Relationship
with Supervisor/Chief Student Affairs Officer (Para. 4)
Following
a merger, the Director of the counseling center should continue to have a
direct line of communication to a Vice Chancellor or a Vice President of
Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, or some other related college or university
division. This is necessary both to ensure that counseling centers are
intimately involved in accomplishing institutional goals and objectives and to
inform these key administrators of the unique role that counseling centers play
on campus.
B.
Counseling Services Roles and Functions
3.
Outreach Interventions & 4. Consultation Interventions
Mergers should
not eliminate or de-emphasize the preventative, developmental, outreach,
consultative, and psychoeducational activities of counseling centers.
Additionally, to be accredited, merged centers must ensure that the staff
delivering these preventative and developmental services are appropriately
trained and competent to provide them. Such services are integral to the
mission of counseling centers, a part of the historical roots of centers, and
essential for IACS accreditation.
C.
Ethical Standards
6. Case
Records
Counseling
center records must be kept separate from records of any other merged entity
(e.g., medical records, advisement notes, placement credentials, etc.). Access
to counseling records must be limited to counseling center personnel only.
Informed permission to release records must be obtained from clients before any
records can be viewed or released to anyone outside the center.
D.
Counseling Services Personnel
Duties: Director
(see D. 1.c)
Mergers
must not substantially alter or diminish the autonomy of the Director in
managing the center. This includes the following: (1) overall administration
and coordination of the resources and activities of the center including
counseling, psychotherapy, outreach, consultation, research, and preventive
mental health activities; (2) coordination, recruitment, retention, training,
supervision, development, and evaluation of professional, nonprofessional, and
support staff; (3) preparation and management of the budget; and (4)
involvement in university policy formation and program development.
Summary
Although
mergers involving structural changes do not necessarily prevent centers from
qualifying for or maintaining accreditation, care must be taken to ensure that
counseling centers in merged entities are in compliance with all IACS
accreditation standards.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The
University & College Counseling Centers' Board of Accreditation wishes to
acknowledge the efforts of Dr. Richard D. Grosz, Past Accrediting Board Chair,
for laying the groundwork for revising this document. Appreciation is also
extended to Dr. Jaquie Resnick, President of the Association, and Dr. Don Sanz,
Ms. Judy Mack, Dr. Norman Kiracofe, and Dr. Dennis Heitzmann, all Past
Presidents of the Association, who critiqued the document and provided
constructive feedback.
ETHICAL
STATEMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES
American
Association for Counseling and Development. (1988). Ethical standards of the
American Association for Counseling and Development. Alexandria, VA: Author.
American
College Personnel Association. (1988). A statement of ethical principles and
practices (revised 1989). Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and
Development.
American
Educational Research Association. (1985). Standards for educational and
psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association and
National Council on Measurement in Education.
American
Psychological Association. (1982). Ethical principles in the conduct of
research with human participants. Washington, D.C.: Author.
American
Psychological Association. (1981). Ethical principles of psychologists (amended
1989). Washington, DC: Author.
American
Psychological Association. (1978). Principles concerning the counseling-
therapy of women. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Canadian
Psychological Association. (1986). Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists
(revised 1991). Old Chelsea, Quebec: Author.
Joint
Committee on Testing Practices. (1988). Code of fair testing practices in
education. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Specialty
guidelines for the delivery of services. (1981). Reprinted from the American
Psychologist (June 1981), 36(6), 640-681.
National
Association of Social Workers. (1979). Code of ethics (revised 1990). Silver
Spring, MD: Author.Stomberg, C.; Haggarty, D.; Leibenluft, R.; McMilliamm,
M.;Mishkin, B.; Rubin. B.; & Trilling, H. (1988). Psychologist's Legal
Handbook. Washington D.C.: Council for the National Register of Health Service
Providers in Psychology.
REFERENCES
Kiracofe,
N.; Donn, P.; Grant, C.; Podolnick, E; Bingham, R.; Bolland, H.; Carney, C.;
Clementson, J.; Gallagher, R.; Grosz, R.; Handy, L.; Hansche, J.; Mack, J.;
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and College Counseling Centers. Journal of Counseling & Development, 73
(1), 38-43.
Garni,
K.; Prosser-Gelwick, B; Lamb, D.; McKinley, D.; Schoenberg, B.M.; Simono, R.B.;
Smith, J.; Wierson, P.; & Wrenn, R. (1982). Accreditation Guidelines for
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61(2), 116-121.
Kirk,
B.; Free, J.; Johnson, R.; Michel, J; Redfield, J.; Roston, R.; & Warman,
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