Counseling Center Staffing and Operational Issues

Transcription

1 Counseling Center Staffing and Operational Issues TABLE OF CONTENTS RESEARCH ASSOCIATE Anne Lewandowski RESEARCH ANALYST Keely Bielat RESEARCH DIRECTOR Jennifer Yarrish I. Research Methodology II. Executive Summary III. Overview of Counseling Center Structure IV. Counseling Center Staffing and Salary V. Other Considerations Networking Contacts

2 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Project Challenge: Leadership at a private master s university in the Northeast approached the Council with the following questions: What is the reporting structure of counseling centers at other universities? Are counselors at other institutions university employees with full benefits? How many of the year do counselors work? Who purchases malpractice insurance for university counselors? How do other institutions structure counselor salaries, and what are typical pay ranges for university counselors? Project Sources: Advisory Board s internal and online ( research libraries The Chronicle of Higher Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education (6 th Edition) Research Parameters: Per the requesting member s guidelines, the Council targeted its outreach to peer institutions of the requesting member. Outreach also extended to other similarly-sized master s and research universities. In general, research contacts were directors of institutional counseling centers. Contacts were generally counseling center directors The Advisory Board Company 2

3 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY University University A University B University C University D University E University F University G A Guide to Universities Profiled in this Brief Location Mid-Atlantic City: Large Northeast City: Midsize Northeast City: Small Mid-Atlantic Town: Remote Mid-Atlantic Suburb: Small Midwest Town: Distant Southeast Suburb: Small Enrollment (Total / Undergraduate) 7,800/5,300 Classification Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs) 4,500/3,200 Doctoral/Research Universities 5,700/4,300 3,100/2,600 4,800/4,100 2,300/2,300 5,600/5,000 Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs) Research Universities (high research activity) Master's Colleges and Universities (medium programs) Baccalaureate Colleges Arts & Sciences Master's Colleges and Universities (smaller programs) Source: National Center for Education Statistics 2009 The Advisory Board Company 3

4 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Key Observations: No contacted institutions outsource the counseling function. Contacts note that having counselors that are university employees ensures that counseling is well integrated into the universities overall wellness mission. Directors of counseling centers tend to work eleven or twelve of the year, while other counseling center staff members tend to work ten or the length of the academic year. The primary factors that influence counselor salaries include level of degree held, licensure, professional experience, geographical location, and experience working in a university setting. Only one contact institution strictly bars counselors from referring patients to their own private practices. Many contacts report that while this procedure is discouraged, a formalized ban of such referrals has not proven necessary because treatment for students is considered on an individualized basis. In more suburban or rural areas, institutions occasionally supplement university counselors with professional mental health providers from the local community. In cases where the university does not have a psychiatrist on staff, this arrangement allows students to access psychiatric services conveniently The Advisory Board Company 4

5 III. OVERVIEW OF COUNSELING CENTER STRUCTURE University University A University B University C University D University E University F University G Overview of Counseling Center Structure at Contact Institutions Reporting Structure Associate vice president for student affairs Dean of students (reports to vice president for student affairs) Vice president for student affairs Associate dean of student affairs (reports to vice president for student affairs) Vice president for student affairs Vice president of student life/dean of students Assistant vice president of student life/dean of students Staffing Director: 12 Assistant director: 12 Three counselors: 12 Two part-time counselors: 10 Intern: 10 All full time employees: 11 Part- time clinician: when school is in session Director: 12 Associate director Two full time counselors: 10 Interns: when school is in session Director: 11 Two full time counselors: per diem clinician: 9 Director: 12 Most other staff work 10, but some psychologists recently began to work 11 Director: 11 One counselor: 11 One counselor: 10 Intern: 10 Hourly psychiatrist: 10 Director: 12 Six counselors: 10 Students per Counselor* Typical Degree for Entry-Level Counselors Starting Counselor Salary 1,200 Doctorate $55,000-$60, Master s 1,000 Doctorate $45,000 (prorated to 11 ) Benchmarked to salaries for university counselors in the surrounding area 900 Master s $35,000-$45,000 1,600 Doctorate $45,000-$50,000 (prorated to 10 ) 600 Master s $36,000-$40, Master s $35,000-$40,000 *To calculate students per counselor, interns and part-time staff count for 0.5 counselors. Between Council interviews and the completion of this report, some counseling centers at contact institutions have changed staffing levels. The ratio reflects the most recent information available on counseling center Web sites The Advisory Board Company 5

6 IV. COUNSELING CENTER STAFFING AND SALARY Counseling Center Staffing Counselors at all contact institutions are university employees. With the exception of some parttime staff members and graduate student interns, counselors receive the same benefits as other university employees. The graph below shows the number of counselors at each contact institution. Number of Staff Counselors* University A University B University C University D University E University F University G *The above graph does not include interns in the number of staff counselors. Part-time psychiatrists who are paid by the university to serve students on campus are included in the number of staff counselors. Counseling Center Partnerships with Local Specialists Some contact institutions augment counseling center offerings through arrangements with local psychiatrists and psychologists who allocate time to serving students. Examples include the following: University A s counseling center pays a local psychiatrist to spend six to eight hours on campus per week; however, the psychiatrist is not considered a university employee. The psychiatrist s caseload fills up quickly, so the university restricts access (i.e., students cannot see the psychiatrist for medication management only) and continues to refer students to off-campus psychiatrists as necessary. University G provides space on campus for a psychiatrist and psychologist to treat students. Students may use their own health insurance or pay out of pocket for services. University B has an arrangement with a local psychiatrist who agrees to see referred students in a timely fashion. Since the psychiatrist s office is located a ten-minute drive away from campus, the counseling center provides taxi fare for students who do not have access to a car. With outsourcing, you can take care of the clinical side of things, but you miss what s becoming ever more important on the side of student development outreach and prevention programming The community connection is an important part of what we do here. It really helps in terms of breaking down stigma and tapping into the community so you can get at some of the at-risk students more readily. - Council Interview 2009 The Advisory Board Company 6

7 IV. COUNSELING CENTER STAFFING AND SALARY Counselor Salary Structure While starting salaries for entry-level counselors vary widely among institutions, most contacts report that salaries are benchmarked to national salary data and tend to be competitive for university counselors in their region. Entry-Level Counselor Starting Salary* University A University B University D University E University F University G * Contacts at University C did not provide a specific starting salary for entry-level counselors. However, contacts shared that counselors are all within the same university-defined pay grade, but salaries within this pay grade span $40,000. * Note: University A and University E hire entry-level counselors with doctorates, which contributes to their higher salary grades. Contacts report that counselor salaries are determined by a combination of factors, which can vary in importance depending on an individual counseling center s need. Factors determining salary include: Degree held Licensure Years of counseling experience Experience working in a university setting Geographic location Of the institutions profiled in the graph above, University A and the University E, which offer the two highest starting salaries reported, hire doctoral-level counselors; the other institutions depicted hire masters-level counselors. An institution s geographic location also affects the salaries that counseling centers must offer to compete for candidates The Advisory Board Company 7

8 IV. COUNSELING CENTER STAFFING AND SALARY Differing Models in Malpractice Coverage Contact institutions vary widely in how they provide malpractice coverage for university counselors. While University A, University C, and University F provide complete malpractice coverage for all university counselors, other contact institutions do not offer comprehensive malpractice insurance to all counselors, or counseling centers must purchase their own insurance plans separately from university policies. Those institutions that do not offer full malpractice policies to counselors are as follows: University B: While the counseling center budget provides some coverage for all counselors, counselors are expected to supplement university coverage with their own policies. University D: Counselors are covered by the university malpractice policy, but the counseling center purchases liability coverage for every employee. University E: Provides indemnity coverage to counselors, but individual counselors must pay for their own malpractice insurance. University G: Provides malpractice coverage for counselors who do not have their own private practices. If a counselor has a private practice, the university will pay 50 percent of that counselor s insurance costs. Tailoring Referral Policies to Student Need Most universities have not articulated a formal policy governing the ability of counselors to refer students to their private practices because treatment is based on the individual needs of the patient. University C is the only contact institution with a strict university policy barring referrals to a counselor s private practice. The university only grants exceptions to this policy when it is to ensure continuity of care for graduating students. Despite the lack of formal policies, several contacts explained that their counseling center has an informal procedure for referring patients to counselors private practices: Contacts at University E report that counselors are expected to consult with their colleagues before making referrals and to provide students with the names of several practitioners. Contacts at University B report that there is a clearly enunciated expectation that referrals will be discussed with the center director before they are given to the student. Several contacts report that when university counseling centers do not have strict session limits, counselors have little reason to refer students to their own private practices, making formal university policies barring referrals unnecessary. Contacts at University F note that at rural campuses, university counselors may be the only practitioners within a reasonable distance of the campus, so barring counselors from referring students to their own private practices could deprive students of access to counseling services The Advisory Board Company 8

9 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NOTE The Advisory Board has worked to ensure the accuracy of the information it provides to its members. This project relies on data obtained from many sources, however, and The Advisory Board cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or its analysis in all cases. Further, The Advisory Board is not engaged in rendering clinical, legal, accounting, or other professional services. Its projects should not be construed as professional advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. Members are advised to consult with their staff and senior management, or other appropriate professionals, prior to implementing any changes based on this project. Neither The Advisory Board Company nor its programs are responsible for any claims or losses that may arise from any errors or omissions in their projects, whether caused by the Advisory Board Company or its sources The Advisory Board Company, 2445 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the Advisory Board Company. This prohibition extends to sharing this publication with clients and/or affiliate companies. All rights reserved.