ANNUAL REPORT FY 2014 Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program
Contents To Our Stakeholders 2 Program Recruitment, Faculty, and Administration 2 Courses 4 Financial Statements 6 Program Evaluation 8 Programmatic Changes 9 Contact and Program Information 10
To Our Stakeholders INTRODUCTION The Annual Report adheres to the BUSM Division of Graduate Medical Sciences template for our yearly programmatic review and budget meeting. MISSION The mission of the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine (MHCBM) Master s Degree Program at Boston University School of Medicine is to provide exceptional academic and clinical fieldwork experience that emphasizes the core competencies of clinical mental health counseling with complementary training in behavioral medicine and neuroscience. Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the MHCBM Program places great value on excellence, diversity, integrity, social justice, advocacy, collegiality, equality of opportunity, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our Program offers theoretical, experiential, clinical, and research- supported activities related to clinical mental health counseling with adults, adolescents, and children on the medical campus as well as in community settings. We accept and educate a broad range of outstanding students who seek careers as clinical mental health counselors. Graduates of the MHCBM Program generally become independently licensed and are trained to work in settings where traditional mental health interventions can be informed by evidence- based practice, an understanding of neuroscience, and strategies to address physical illness and health promotion. Program Objectives At the completion of the MHCBM Program, students are able to: Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that uniquely embody clinical mental health counselors Apply theories and methods derived from the mental health counseling field to the assessment, prevention, and treatment of mental health and conditions Integrate multicultural and diversity competence into their counseling practice Articulate how a behavioral medicine framework and neuroscience evidence can inform mental health counseling Establish that they possess the requisite knowledge to become licensed to practice as mental health counselors within the behavioral healthcare workforce Stephen M. Brady, Ph.D., Program Director August 7, 2014 Page 2
Program Recruitment, Faculty, & Administration PROGRAM RECRUITMENT Year # Applicants Qualifications Mutual Accepts 2013-2014 2014-2015 61 Accepted 59 Accepted Mean GPA=3.45 Mean GRE- Verbal=67% Mean GPA=3.45 Mean GRE- Verbal= 60% 31 Matriculated 27 Matriculated There are several changes in the MHCBM that will continue to enhance our Program. First and foremost the Program has been awarded accreditation by the Council on Accreditation in Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) for an 8- year period beginning July 2014. CACREP. Very few Programs in the New England have achieved this distinction that greatly enhances career opportunities for graduates. We also have worked on improving our website and online presence and continue to attend graduate fairs at institutions that have yielded applicants in the past. We continue to target educational institutions with significant numbers of ethnic, racial minority students and 1 st - generation university and college students. Some new initiatives we have begun this year include: 1) increased focus on BU undergraduate programs; 2) increasing the number of core faculty academic and scholarly talks to undergraduates at promising institutions; and 3) increasing use of communication technology such as periodic webinars targeted to students interested in Counseling. FACULTY & ADMINISTRATION MHCBM Core Faculty & Staff Brady, Stephen M. 1.0 FTE; Functional Title: Program Chair Cost Centers (CC): MHCBM & HIV grant Teaching: Techniques, Career and Internship Supervision Berger- Greenstein, Jori 1.0 FTE; Functional Title: Director of Curricula CC: MHCBM & HIV grant Teaching: Techniques, Ethics, Behavioral Medicine, Internship Supervision Levy- Bell, Rachel 1.0 FTE; Functional Title: Director of Clinical Training CC: MHCBM & HIV grant Teaching: Introduction to Professional Counseling & Internship Supervision Navalta, Carryl P..80 FTE; Functional Title: Core Faculty CC: MHCBM Teaching: Child & Adolescent Counseling, Theory, and 2 Internship Supervision classes Mark, Bernice 1.0 FTE; Staff: Program Coordinator CC: MHCBM Page 3
BU Affiliate Faculty Chassler, Deborah (School of Social Work) (Social and Cultural Foundations) Devine, Eric (Division of Psychiatry)(Addictions) Furlong, Janice (School of Social Work) (Internship Supervision) Hearon, Bridget (Division of Psychiatry) (Behavioral Medicine and Applied Health Psychology) Joseph, Robert ( Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology) (Neuroscience for Mental Health Professionals, Human Growth and Development) MHCBM Adjuncts Freeburg, Melissa (Basic Mental Health Assessment; Research and Evaluation) Kates, Todd (Marriage and Family Counseling; Human Sexuality) Kornell, Tasha (Practicum Supervision, Psychopathology) Kurson, Colleen (Internship Supervision) Reid, Kathleen (Internship Supervision) Sivashanker, Karthik (Psychopharmacology) Spitz, Kaitlin (Internship Supervision) Suvak, Jaime (Group Dynamics and Process) Faculty Administrative Changes In academic year 2015, we will recruit a 1.0 FTE core faculty. Page 4
Courses Fall 2014 GMS MH 701 Counseling Theory - Navalta GMS MH 703 Counseling Techniques Berger- Greenstein/Brady (2 sections) GMS MH 704 Group Work Dynamics and Process Suvak (2 sections, both Suvak) GMS MH 705 Psychopathology - Kornell (previously Furlong) GMS MH 708 Human Growth and Development Joseph GMS MH 710 Basic Mental Health - Freeburg GMS MH 712 Marriage and Family Counseling (was titled Child and Family Therapy) Kates GMS MH 714 Behavioral Medicine and Applied Health Psychology Berger- Greenstein/Hearon (added another section for this year, taught by Hearon. Last year had only one section, taught by Akcakaya) GMS MH 812 Addictions Devine GMS MH 814 Clinical Field Research Seminar (had 3 sections last year, will now have only 2) GMS MH 901 Orientation to Professional Counseling Levy- Bell GMS MH 921 Internship Supervision (still 4 sections: now Kurson/Navalta/Spitz/Furlong; last year was Navalta/Brady/Reid/Berger- Greenstein Spring 2015 GMS MH 702 Professional Orientation and Ethics Berger- Greenstein GMS MH 706 Social and Cultural Foundations Chassler (last year was taught by Ray) GMS MH 707 Research and Evaluation - Freeburg GMS MH 709 Neuroscience for Mental Health Professionals Joseph GMS MH 713 Human Sexuality Kates GMS MH 716 Career and Vocational Counseling - Brady GMS MH 717 Theory and Practice of Child and Adolescent Counseling - Navalta GMS MH 810 Psychopharmacology Sivashanker (last year was Azzam) GMS MH 814 Clinical Field Research Seminar (had 3 sections last year, will now have between 1 and 4) GMS MH 902 Practicum Supervision (will still have 2 sections, but instructors not yet solidified, last year was Furlong and Reid) GMS MH 922 Internship Supervision (Berger- Greenstein, Spitz, Levy- Bell, Navalta) Summer 2015 GMS MH 706 Social and Cultural Foundations Walsh (last year offered Research and Evaluation with Freeburg instead) GMS MH 812 Addictions GMS MH 902 Practicum Supervision (instructors not yet determined, last year was Kornell and Reid) Page 5
Financial Statement MHCBM PROGRAM 2014 FY BUDGET MHCBM Program Revenue: $2,920,070 Program Budget: $905,379 Revenue- Less Expenses: $2,014,691 In FY 2014 revenue increased 8.5% and program expenses increased 6.6% or a net increase of 1.9% RESEARCH & TRAINING SUPPORT Current Support R01 MH084696-01A2 4/1/10-2/01/15 HIV/AIDS, Severe Mental Illness, and Homelessness The goal of this study is to investigate the efficacy of a motivational interviewing- skills building HIV risk reduction intervention for people with serious mental illness. (MHCBM Core Faculty Support: Brady (.30), Berger- Greenstein (.25) & Levy- Bell (.05)) Page 6
Alumni Survey As part of our programmatic assessments, an Alumni Questionnaire was sent to 205 graduates of the program in September 2013. Alumni were asked to rate their impressions of how well the MHCBM Program educated and trained them across the eight core CACREP counseling domains, six CACREP clinical mental health counseling areas, and the five overarching objectives of the program. The statistics below are based on 26 completed and returned questionnaires (12.7% return rate). Eight Core CACREP Counseling Domains The percentages reflect the extent to which alumni rated that the program prepared them across domains. Professional orientation & ethical practice Social and cultural diversity Human growth and development Career development Helping relationships Group work Assessment Research and program evaluation Very Much or Much = 100% Very Much or Much = 92% Somewhat = 8% Very Much or Much = 80% Somewhat = 20% Very Much or Much = 64% Somewhat = 24% Very Much or Much = 100% Very Much or Much = 96% Somewhat = 4% Very Much or Much = 88% Somewhat = 8% Very Much or Much = 76% Somewhat = 24% Six Core CACREP Clinical Mental Health Counseling Areas The percentages reflect the extent to which alumni rated that the program provided them with knowledge and skills/practices across areas. Foundations Counseling, prevention, and intervention Diversity and advocacy Assessment Research and evaluation Diagnosis Very Much or Much = 80% Somewhat = 20% Very Much or Much = 92% Somewhat = 8% Very Much or Much = 92% Somewhat = 8% Very Much or Much = 88% Somewhat = 12% Very Much or Much = 68% Somewhat = 32% Very Much or Much = 100% Page 7
Five MHCBM Program Objectives The percentages reflect the extent to which alumni rated that the program provided them with knowledge and skills/practices across objectives. Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, attitude and values that uniquely embody clinical mental health counselors. Apply theories and methods derived from the clinical mental health counseling field to the prevention and treatment of health and mental health conditions. Integrate multicultural and diversity competence into their counseling practice. Articulate how a behavioral medicine framework and neuroscience evidence can inform clinical mental health counseling interventions. Very Much or Much = 100% Very Much or Much = 92% Somewhat = 8% Very Much or Much = 88% Somewhat = 12% Very Much or Much = 92% Somewhat = 8% Establish that they possess the requisite knowledge to become licensed to practice as a clinical mental health counselor within the behavioral healthcare workforce. Very Much or Much = 100% Written Recommendations for Updating/Revising Program Objectives Greater emphasis on: Assessment (4 responses) Theory (1 response) Current issues/events (e.g., legislative issues, funding/grants, non- profits; 1 response) Supervision/management, policies/procedures, and state regulations/ managed care (1 response) Specific interventions and licensing (1 response) Private practice issues (1 response) Employer Survey During the Spring 2014 semester, employers/supervisors of our alumni were contacted to gather their impressions of the competencies of our graduates. A total of 15 employers completed the survey. These individuals rated our alumni at 100% as either Much or Very Much in regard to how clinically competent Page 8
they are across the eight core CACREP areas. Employers also rated their competence at 100% as either Much or Very Much across the following domains: professional and ethical practices; professionalism/excellence; integrity; respect for diversity; advocacy; collegiality; and interdisciplinary collaboration. Page 9
Programmatic Changes In response to data from student and course evaluations, our annual faculty retreat, and administrative meetings with BUSM, we are making the following changes. Faculty and Staff Responsiveness: We will recruit 1.0 FTE core faculty member in order to maintain advising capabilities, which students highly value, and reduce faculty burden so we can be more responsive. We will also recruit 0.5 FTE staff assistant to aid with clinical placements and office needs in an effort to enhance responsiveness regarding communication. Coursework: We have made a number of changes regarding adjunct teaching and have new instructors for a number of courses in part this reflects data from course evaluations as well as adjunct attrition. Clinical: We successfully implemented the online clinical tracking system Time2Track for documenting clinical training hours for all students. This past year all 2 nd year students were required to complete a capstone project which is an oral examination and written defense of their clinical skill development and competency. We will continue to utilize the capstone project to help measure student learning outcomes. This year the Program successfully recruited 7 new field placements and we will continue to expand our clinical training opportunities throughout the upcoming year. Faculty supervisors teaching the internship supervision courses will be increasing the frequency of contact with field supervisors to better monitor the growth and development of student interns. Other: For the first time, all 2 nd year students took the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) as a requirement for graduation. Notably, our students (n=33) average score was 12 points above the national average (n=392). Beginning in Fall 2014, all 2 nd year students will be required to take the CPCE and achieve a passing score of 60% or greater to graduate from the program. Page 10
Contact Information RACHEL J. LEVY- BELL, PSY.D. STEPHEN M. BRADY, PH.D. PROGRAM DIRECTOR JORI BERGER- GREENSTEIN, PH.D. DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL TRAINING DIRECTOR OF CURRICULA Tel: 617-638- 8689 Tel: 617-414- 2331 Tel: 617-414- 2330 Email: sbrady@bu.edu Email: rjlevy@bu.edu Fax: jberger@bu.edu CARRYL P. NAVALTA, PH.D. CORE FACULTY/CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAINING ADVISOR BERNICE R. MARK PROGRAM COORDINATOR Tel: 617-414- 2369 Tel: 617-414- 2320 Email: cnavalta@bu.edu Email: nicey@bu.edu Page 11
Program Information Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program Division of Graduate Medical Sciences Boston University School of Medicine Tel: 617-414- 2320 Fax: 617-414- 2323 Website: http://www.bumc.bu.edu/mhbm/ Page 12