Counseling Center

Anything discussed with a counselor will be held in strict confidence. No information concerning a student or their treatment will be released to any persons outside the Counseling Center unless the student signs a Release of Counseling Information form, it is sought through an appropriate court order, or the release of information is required by law.

Applicable law may require us to release confidential information without your consent:

1. When there is imminent danger to yourself or others
2. When we learn of abuse or neglect of a child, disabled adult, or elderly person
3. When we are ordered to release information according to a court order; and
4. In some limited cases, if you are a minor (under 18), your parents or legal guardian may be able to access your records.

2.0 Overview

All services provided at College of Eastern Idaho through the Counseling Center are free to current eligible students. This procedure outlines the standards and limits to mental health services provided through the college.

2.1 Eligibility for services

Students who are enrolled in at least 1 credit hour of classes at CEI in the current semester/block are eligible to receive services through the Counseling Center.

2.2 Availability of services

CEI does not currently have a waiting list for services, and services can be generally obtained within the week they are requested. These services are available either in person, or via zoom

2.3 Session limits

Students are eligible to attend up to 12 counseling sessions per academic year through the Counseling Center. The 12-session limit resets every July.

Dependent on current demand and utilization of services through the Counseling Center, additional sessions beyond the 12-session limit may be available to students at the discretion of the Counseling Director, on a case by case basis.

2.4 Frequency of services

Students may be seen for therapy every week, every other week, monthly, or on an as needed/upon student request basis. Every other week appointments may be enforced if a waitlist forms. We are unable to accommodate appointments more often than once weekly.

2.5 Services we provide

The CEI Counseling Center provides free, individual counseling services and supportive case management to current students of the college who request this service. These services are short term, solution focused, person centered, and overall eclectic and individual to each clinician or professional providing the service, as well as to each student participating in the services.

2.6 Services that we do not provide

We are unable to provide the following services:

• Letters for emotional support animals-Verification of disability for letters of accommodation
• Family or marriage counseling
• Direct funding or purchase of any items for students (We recommend that students with needs of this nature to contact the Center for New Directions or dial 2-1-1 to connect with Navigations with Health and Welfare. There is no guarantee of funding availability from either of these sources)
• Evening sessions
• Emergency sessions

2.7 Termination of services

Services received through the CEI Counseling Center are strictly short term. Termination of services is standard at the end of each semester, with the option to request services again if session limits have not been reached previously.

Any student who poses an imminent safety risk to campus or to their counselor will be immediately terminated from counseling services and will be given a referral to a community mental health provider.

We recognize that extenuating circumstances exist. A student who is currently receiving counseling services at CEI and has the need to unexpectedly withdraw part way through the semester are eligible for services for one month after their separation from the college, at the frequency of every other week.

3.0 Overview

Occasionally, Title IX concerns arise on campus. Under Title IX, in two party disputes, both the complainant and the respondent have the right to access all services available on campus, including therapy services. This document outlines the procedure that will be followed in the event that there is a two-party dispute in which both parties are seeking counseling services.

3.1 Provision of services

Occasionally, Title IX concerns arise on campus. Under Title IX, in two party disputes, both the complainant and the respondent have the right to access all services available on campus, including therapy services. This document outlines the procedure that will be followed in the event that there is a two-party dispute in which both parties are seeking counseling services.

Efforts will be made to provide services in a timely manner, in keeping with standard Counseling Center practices.

3.2 Clinician assignment

The Counseling Director, clinicians employed with the Counseling Center, interns completing hours with the Counseling Center, and other trained professionals on campus are all options for students who fall under this procedure.

3.3 Conflict of interest

Conflicts of interest are sometimes a factor when arranging therapy services for a student. A conflict of interest in this context is defined as one of the following:

• Clinician is meeting with the opposing party if it is a two-party dispute
• Pre-existing relationship between the student and the clinician.
• Complaint filed by the student against the clinician

3.4 Interns

Dependent on various factors, interns may be utilized in Title IX cases to provide therapy. This is on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the Counseling Director, with input from the Dean of Students.

3.5 Additional trained professionals

Occasionally, licensed clinicians employed by the College in staff or faculty roles, but not presently employed in Counseling Services as Counselors, may be used on a case-by-case basis in emergency situations if authorized in advance by both the Director of Counseling Services and the Dean of Students. These professionals will be licensed by the State of Idaho and would only be used in the exceptional cases as previously stated in section 1.3.

3.6 Lawsuits

It is an unequivocal conflict of interest for a therapist employed with the college to begin meeting with a student who has indicated legal action against the college. This is to not only protect the therapist, but to also ensure the student is able to obtain unbiased and fair services

In these cases, the student will be referred out to a therapist in the community, and CEI would reimburse the agency directly for the reminder of the 12 sessions the student is qualified to receive. Payment for additional sessions beyond the 12 would be the student’s financial responsibility.

4.0 Overview

Communications and collaborations between the Director of the Counseling Center and the Dean of Student Affairs occur for various reasons, always with the purpose of the safety of CEI’s campus at and the student body at large in mind. This procedure outlines these communications and collaborations to protect all parties involved.

4.1 Provision of services

Confidentiality is a central tenant in providing ethical counseling services, and is a priority in the CEI Counseling Center. The only instance in which this can be breached are when immediate and imminent harm to self or others is indicated. In these cases, the Dean of Student Affairs will be informed of the risk. There are no other cases in which it is appropriate for the Dean of Student Affairs to request or access confidential student information.

More details on confidentiality can be found in CEI Counseling Center Procedure #1, Confidentiality.

4.2 General referrals

Just like all members of the falcon family, the Dean of Student Affairs has the option to refer current students to therapy. This aspect is not any different in this role than any other position, and can be completed either through directly walking over to the Counseling Center, showing the students how to schedule online, or providing the student with the contact information of the Counseling Center.

4.3 Conduct concerns

Occasionally, students are referred to the Counseling Center from the Dean’s Office for conduct concerns. For therapy to be mandated as part of a conduct plan, a consult must first occur with the Counseling Director to determine appropriateness of this intervention, as well as specific desired outcomes. These referrals must always be made with the intent of providing additional specific support to the student, and not as a punitive measure.

The Dean of Student Affairs will be notified by the clinician completing these therapy sessions of the status of the student’s completion of this requirement. This communication will occur one of two ways:

• either through a letter written by the clinician that the student has been seen for therapy, given directly to the student.
• an email sent by the clinician, to the Dean of Student Affairs, written and sent in the presence of the student, with the student cc’d on the email.

This communication will be included in the student’s file in Titanium by the clinician completing the session(s) for record keeping purposes.

4.4 Consult

As stated above, when the Dean of Student Affairs would like to refer a student to the Counseling Center for mandated conduct related meetings, a consult must first occur with the Counseling Director. This is to determine appropriateness of this intervention, as well as desired outcomes. This can be in the form of a phone call or an in-person meeting.

For a student to be mandated to attend conduct related sessions, both the Counseling Director and the Dean of Student Affairs must both give approval.

4.5 General discretion

Both the Counseling Director and the Dean of Student Affairs have the authority to bar students from receiving therapy services through the CEI Counseling Center.

Both the Counseling Director and the Dean of Student Affairs have the authority to bar students from receiving therapy services through the CEI Counseling Center.

In these cases, if the student is seeking services they will be provided with a list of providers in the community by either the Dean of Student Affairs or the Counseling Director.

4.6 Scope of practice

Scope of practice of the Counseling Center must to be considered when referring students for any type of services. Full details regarding the Counseling Center’s scope of practice can be found in the “Provision of Services” procedure.

5.0 Overview

The CEI Counseling Center is committed to providing accessible and free services to our students, practicing responsible allocation of the resources provided to the department, and providing a reasonable and sustainable workload for our employees.

5.1 General requirements

Consistent with other institutions of Higher Education in the State of Idaho, it is expected that full time employees will complete a median amount of 25 direct student hours per week.

Additional responsibilities will affect this number, clinicians with additional responsibilities will have adjusted caseloads. More details can be found in section 1.3.

5.2 Scheduling

Clinicians employed with the Counseling Center have the latitude to schedule their own appointments, including setting their own placeholders for online scheduling through the Titanium Web Component.

Availability for full time employees is expected to be throughout the work week, at varying times of day. Schedules and availability will be set on a case by case basis for part time employees.

It is expected that clinicians will take a lunch break each full day of work, as well as utilize allotted breaks. Reasonable time can be blocked off at the end of the work day/start of the following day to complete documentation.

5.3 Additional responsibilities

Clinicians with additional responsibilities will have adjusted caseloads. These responsibilities include (but are not limited to) leadership responsibilities, software oversight, walk-in meetings/questions, providing clinical supervision, campus committees, community partnerships, and presentations/workshops.

Caseloads will be adjusted on an individual basis, dependent on the time commitment of the specific responsibilities assigned. Caseloads are determined by the Counseling Director. Clinicians are encouraged to address any concerns with their caseload and subsequent adjustments with the Counseling Director.

5.4 Schedule Deviations

Schedule deviations occur for various reasons both institutional and personal. Weekly clinical capacity will be adjusted to reflect time out of the Counseling Center. It is not necessary or expected to “make up” hours spent away from direct student care.