CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATION REPORT
Planning and Review Committee
Consultant Recommendation
1.
Degree: M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Date of Review: 2013 - 2014
Program Director: Dr. John Klem
PRC Consultant(s): Dr. Amy Schlieve, Dr. Wei Zheng
Purpose of the Review: This review was conducted to assess the quality and status of the
M.S. mental health counseling.
Committee Findings: Recommend continuation of the program through the next program
review cycle (2020-2021).
Abstract: The M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepares skilled and
ethical counselors for service in the mental health counseling profession. The program is
nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education
Programs (CACREP) in July of 2012. The curriculum offer five areas of study: career
counseling, child and adolescent counseling, eating disorders, gerontological counseling,
and alcohol and other drug abuse counseling. The applied nature of the program and
dedicated faculty strongly contribute to the steady and increasing enrollment, and high
retention, graduation and graduate placement rates. Previous and current review details
follow.
2.
Process Followed for Current Review: The PRC Chair met with the dean, program
director and chair of the primary department to discuss the review process. The PRC
consultants also met with the program director to review the procedures and offer assistance.
Under the guidelines developed by the PRC, information regarding the program was
gathered from the placement office, institutional research, program director, key instructors,
program committee, students and one-year and three-year graduates. The consultants based
their findings on the above and the self-study authored by the program director. The
program director presented a summary of his report to the committee and had an opportunity
to express concerns. The Dean from the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
and Department Chair of Rehabilitation and Counseling were in attendance and available to
answer questions.
3.
Previous Review Year 2007-2008
Recommendations for the Program Director and the corresponding updates
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Recommendation1: It is recommended that the MS Mental Health Counseling program
continue the process to seek CACREP accreditation.
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Update1: Program was accredited by CACREP in July 2012.
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Recommendation 2: It is recommended that the Program Director seek and provide
more detailed information related to licensure for students. Students need more
direction on how to find this essential information.
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Update 2: Licensure information has been added to the courses: COUN-715, COUN793, COUN-794. Note that this issue was not mentioned by the students, program
advisory committee or key faculty. It is still mentioned in alumni surveys.
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Recommendation 3: It is recommended that the Program Director work with the
Department Chair to enhance and update the six concentration areas and course
materials throughout the program.
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Update3: In the program revision to meet accreditation requirements (2010-2011) one
concentration was deleted from the program and a number of courses where added or
deleted from the remaining five concentrations. From the program feedback it appears
that the gerontology concentration needs further refinement but the other four
concentrations seen to be meeting the needs of the students based on their feedback.
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Recommendation 4: It is recommended that the Program Director work with the
College of Human Development to access and provide more orientation, assistance, and
professional development opportunities for internship site supervisors. This will
enhance the quality of the student internship experience. A workshop on counselor
supervision could be hosted by UW-Stout for the Mental Health Counseling program
internship supervisors.
Update 4: The mental health counseling program has created an online supervision
course for internship supervisors. This is sent to all internship supervisors at the
beginning of the semester if they have not worked with UW Stout counseling students in
the past. The program faculty then meet individually with the supervisors to go over the
training and to answer any questions they may have about the training.
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Recommendations for the Department Chair and the corresponding updates
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Recommendation1: It is recommended that the MS Mental Health Counseling program
continue the process to seek CACREP accreditation and look at resources needed to
fulfill the additional practicum course required for accreditation. Funding for a faculty
position to instruct the practicum course is essential to the continued success of this
program.
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Update1: The program is now accredited by CACREP and a practicum course was
created during the 2010/2011 program revision. The practicum course has been offered
for the past three years.
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Recommendation 2: It is recommended that the Department Chair work with the
Program Director to plan the development and staffing of a practicum class as required
for CACREP accreditation. This practicum (limit of 5 students for each section) is
needed before the internship requirement.
Update 2: The program currently has adequate resources to staff the practicum course.
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Recommendations for the Dean and the corresponding updates
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Recommendation1: It is recommended that the MS Mental Health Counseling program
continue the process to seek CACREP accreditation and look at resources needed to
fulfill the additional practicum course required for accreditation. Providing funding for
a faculty position to instruct the practicum course required by CACREP accreditation is
essential to the continued success of this program.
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Update1: The program currently has adequate resources to meet accreditation
requirements and to staff the practicum course.
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Recommendation 2: It is recommended that the Dean work with and support the
Department Chair and Program Director in all above mentioned recommendations.
Update2: The Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences has been
very supportive of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
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4. Current Year Program Review
Program Strengths-Indicate Source:
1. Nationally accredited (July 2012) - Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education
Programs (CACREP) - (PD self-study, key faculty, student and advisory board surveys).
2. Steady and increasing enrollment particularly after CACREP accreditation (PD selfstudy, key faculty, student and advisory board surveys).
3. High retention, graduation, and graduate placement rates (PD self-study, key faculty,
student and advisory board surveys).
4. Applied focus (PD self-study, key faculty, student and advisory board surveys).
5. Competent and experienced faculty (PD self-study).
6. Valued support from Marriage and Family program, School Counseling program, and
School Psychology Programs especially for expertise outside of the core faculty (PD
self-study, key faculty, student and advisory board surveys).
7. Strong connection between students and faculty (PD self-study).
8. Strong outreach - nationally via CACREP and regionally (PD self-study).
9. Strong diversity component (PD self-study).
10. Strong internships (PD self-study).
11. One program license and one concentration license (PD self-study).
Issues of Concern-Indicate Source:
1. Counseling lab equipment is extremely problematic (PD report, key faculty, student and
advisory board surveys).
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2. Some alumni report repetition in course material (PD report, alumni surveys).
3. Need to grow the number of internship sites in order to increase the admission rate (PD
self-study).
Recommendations for the Program Director:
Continue to work with key faculty to review and possibly revise some courses to reduce
possible duplication.
Work with Dean and Department Chair to grow the number of internship sites.
Work with Dean and Department Chair to upgrade counseling center equipment.
Recommendations for the Department Chair:
1. Work with Program Director to grow the number of internship sites.
2. Work with Program Director to upgrade counseling center equipment.
Recommendations for the Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human
Sciences:
1. Work with Program Director to upgrade counseling center equipment.
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