STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING, SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
CEP 664 Process of Consultation - MHC
Credit Hours: 3 semester hours
Fall, 2013
Instructor: Kathleen (Kayte) Conroy, PhD, LMHC, CRC
Campus Phone: 716-645-1115
Cell: 716-553-6345 (preferred)
E-mail: kconroy@buffalo.edu
Office Hours: before/after class or by appointment
Day and time: Thursday 1:00 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Location: 415 Baldy Hall
Required Textbook:
Sears, Richard, Rudisill, John, & Mason-Sears, Carrie. (2006). Consultation Skills for Mental Health Professionals.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-70510-1
Course Format:
Class time will be conducted in a seminar format and will provide a forum for collaborative style weekly discussion.
Students are expected to participate actively and take some responsibility for determining the content and direction of the
class in order to learn and share collaboratively with one another. Classes will be a mixture of lecture, class discussion, and
student presentation. Knowledge will be additionally strengthened or acquired through readings and practice skills. In order
to be adequately prepared for class, students are required to read the scheduled assignments before class and to come with a
basic understanding of the terms and concepts within the readings. All students are expected to fully engage in discussions
about the material they read. The readings are chosen carefully to meet graduate level of comprehension and provide a
variety of topics. Each student is strongly encouraged to ask pertinent questions and to request that difficult points be
explained in more detail.
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide students with a balance of theoretical background, applied knowledge, and fundamental
skill training regarding the process of consultation, collaboration, prevention and intervention. Advocates believe
consultation and collaboration across disciplines can result in effective and resilient prevention and intervention programs
that benefit the therapeutic process for individuals, organizations and communities. Students will be exposed to a variety of
theoretical and service delivery models of consultation (including clinical, behavioral, program, community, and
organizational consultation through individual, small, and large system perspectives). Students will also have opportunities to
develop relevant skills (including problem-solving, communication/interpersonal skills, and group skills). In addition,
consultation issues will be reviewed within the context of cultural and ethical considerations. Taking on the roles of a
consultant, consultee and collaborator, students will have practical experiences designed to help prepare them for consultation
and collaboration in professional settings. Prevention and intervention topics will be chosen and presented by students in a
workshop format. Consultation through supervisory methods will also be infused throughout the course. It is expected that
all students will be enrolled in an Internship placement concurrently with this course.
Course Objectives:
1. To assist students in experiencing the utilization of a variety of consultation and collaboration skills and techniques
on an individual, organizational and community level
2. To develop a broader understanding of special issues and paradigm shifts involved in consulting with professionals
in disciplines outside of counseling
3. To examine personal resistances to changing roles involved in consultation and understanding individual perceptions
of self and others
4. To learn the similarities/differences between consultation, collaboration, and counseling issues
1
5.
To acquaint students with necessary tools to assume various roles within the prevention, intervention and
supervisory process as it relates to consultation and collaboration
6. To familiarize students with basic theoretical knowledge and practical application for an effective professional
consulting or collaborative experience
7. To understand effective ways to organize and present workshops for a variety of populations and topics
8. To familiarize students with the use of available and relevant resources and the use of technology to utilize books,
journal articles, and other materials related to course topics
9. To provide students with guidance and practice for appropriate interpersonal relationships within a professional
consultation situation
10. To facilitate students’ understanding of ethical and cultural considerations and standards related to the use of
consultation and collaborative techniques
11. To disseminate information regarding local community mental health resources, trainings, events, and general
information
Course Requirements: Course objectives will be integrated within the following assignments:
1. Weekly readings and reaction papers (30 points – max of 3 points per 8 reaction papers, plus 6 points as a collaborator)
To be prepared, students are expected to complete assigned readings prior to class. A reaction paper reflecting
thoughts about the readings will be discussed and submitted weekly. A minimum of 3 interesting or thought
provoking tidbits should be identified and submitted for each chapter. Page numbers should be listed for easy
reference while discussing. Also, briefly express an overall personal view of the chapter in a short paragraph. All
students are expected to bring a hard copy submission for participation in class discussion. Up to half credit may be
given if submitted after class before midnight on the day of class. Although there are 10 weekly assigned chapters,
only eight reaction papers* need to be submitted. One chapter will be facilitated in place of the paper. It is the
student’s choice as to which other reaction paper is eliminated. Engagement in discussion of all chapters is still
expected. If a student is absent, the reaction paper must be e-mailed to the instructor by midnight on the date due or
no credit will be given. Late papers will not be accepted and rescheduling of facilitation cannot be accommodated
unless given prior permission. Students will be randomly chosen to act as collaborators to co-facilitate discussion,
role play and/or practical application exercise of the chapter on selected dates for 20 – 25 minutes. No reaction paper
is due for the students co-facilitating. Each student may elect to take a final test worth 24 points in place of the
reaction papers, however, weekly readings, class discussion, and chapter collaboration/co-facilitation is still
required. Additional information regarding the optional test will be provided.
* If you attend a local, state, regional, or national professional organization meeting or conference/workshop during
the semester, you may also skip Chapter 16 reaction paper. (i.e. NYMHCA, ACA, APA, etc. ) Please verbally share
a brief description of your experience regarding your attendance during the class that follows it.
2. Attendance and class participation (48 points – up to 4 points per class session)
Students are expected to attend and fully participate in all scheduled classes in its entirety and engage in active
verbal participation in class discussions and presentations by asking pertinent questions, requesting difficult points
be explained in more detail, and being prepared for class. Points are earned for participation, not just attendance.
Students start each class with zero points and may earn up to three points throughout each class based on the
instructor’s observation of participation. This process is about earning, rather than being penalized so it is important
that students actively engage throughout the class discussion and activities to earn the points. Missed classes will
earn zero points regardless of the reason for absence. The lowest participation grade will be dropped.
3. Journal article review (14 points for presentation; 2 points for handouts; 1 point for timely posting = 17 points)
Each student will individually select one professional journal article for assigned topic area to verbally summarize
for the class. On assigned date, each student will deliver a 15 – 18 minute informal presentation/discussion with the
class that summarizes main points of the article and personal response to the material. Include 1-2 page hard copy
outline or general summary for classmates and instructor that includes the APA format citation and brief description
of the article. A hard copy of the article, pdf file, or web link, should be submitted to the instructor, but optional for
classmates. The article topic area will relate to the role of consultation as it relates to general consultation or
supervision issues, or to multicultural counseling or ethical issues. Topic area will be determined and based on
which group a student is assigned. All articles must be newer than seven years old. To avoid duplication, students
will post the citation of chosen article to the UBLearns Discussion Board at least one week prior to presentation.
(First come, first served.)
4. Consultation Experience and Report (30 points) - as a Consultee
At some point during the semester, it is expected that students will create an opportunity to consult with a professional
other than their supervisor regarding a client or situation at the internship or practicum placement site. This may be a
2
physician, psychiatrist, nutritionist, probation officer, referring clinician, teacher, family member, etc. Working with
your supervisor, develop and implement a plan for the consultation regarding your client.
Incorporate and label concepts and strategies referred to from the text (footnotes) and use professional language
throughout. Students will verbally share their experience for 15 – 18 minutes with classmates on assigned date. No
class handout required. Written report style does not need to conform to APA format, but proper citations should be
included for references other than the text, if used. Submit the written report on the date of your presentation.
Prepare and submit your 8 – 10 page report according to the following outline:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Describe the chosen consultant (1/4 to 1/2 page) 3 points
Explain the nature of the problem being addressed (1/2 page) 3 points
Explain the rationale for choosing your particular consultant (1/2 page) 3 points
Describe what happened during the process for each stage of consultation: (2 pages) 5 points
1. goal for each stage (review chapter 12)
2. roles each party took on
3. what transpired
4. positive aspects leading to the eventual outcome from the consultation experience
5. negative or challenging aspects leading to the eventual outcome from the consultation experience
Critique your performance in terms of using each of the following: (2 pages) 5 points
1. relationships skills
2. communication skills
3. professional behavior skills
4. skills in working with organizations
5. problem-solving skills
Describe what you might do differently, or expand upon, if you repeated the assignment (1/2 page) 3 points
Describe what you learned about consultation from this experience (1 page) 4 points
Describe what you learned about yourself from this experience. (1 page) 4 points
5. Prevention/Education Mini Workshop (50 points) as a Consultant
Each student, in the role of a consultant, will create and facilitate a 25 – 30 minute instructor-approved mini
workshop on a topic of their choice. The topic should be a mental health prevention/education, advocacy,
supervision or crisis intervention issue that might be offered at a seminar or conference, and should be an original
piece of work for the student. Topics may also include ethical and/or diversity issues. The mini workshop will be
presented to the class on assigned date. Development of a workshop appropriate for presenting at the internship site
is highly recommended (for clinician in-service, clients, family members, community, agency focus groups,
networking, etc.). Due to class size and time limitations, an abbreviated version of the mini workshop will be
presented on date assigned. Explain how you would expand the workshop if presented in its full version.
Submission should include: workshop proposal (5 pts.), 100 -125 word abstract (5 pts.), workshop outline (5 pts.),
list a minimum of 4 objectives (6 pts.), summary of mock marketing plan and materials (5 pts.), handouts for
participants (5 pts.), feedback sheet (5 pts.), additional reading list with a minimum of 4 resources (6 pts.), and any
other workshop-type materials related to the topic. Professional delivery and attire, as well as incorporation of
project objectives are expected for the particular audience being targeted (8 pts.). Power Point is required unless a
different format is approved. If students wish to work on a dual presentation, please discuss with the instructor.
Presentation date cannot be rescheduled once assigned, but trading with another group may be possible.
Attendance & Late Submission Policy: Attendance in this course is required in order to receive a passing grade. If an
assignment is due on the date of an absence, the student must contact the instructor within 24 hours of the missed class to
determine if assignment can be presented or submitted at another time. A grade of zero points will be given if timely
arrangements have not been made or are unable to be rescheduled. If a written assignment is not pre-approved for late
submission, two points per calendar day will be automatically deducted from grade. Late or rescheduled presentations, if
approved, are automatically reduced by one letter grade (10%). Submissions may be accepted by email and will be graded
according to date received. Time management and responsible adherence to deadlines are important and valued skills in the
field. Therefore, we will maintain similar expectations in this course.
Academic Integrity: All student work should reflect the efforts and thoughts of each individual student. Plagiarism and
unauthorized sharing of documents are considered serious violations of academic integrity. In addition, all work must be
authentic and unique to this class. Cheating is considered to be a serious offense that may lead to formal action, including
dismissal from the class or the program. Visit http://academicintegrity.buffalo.edu/ for additional information.
3
Students with Disabilities: if you have a disability that requires educationally related accommodation (such as note takers,
readers, extended time, etc.), please contact the Accessibility Resources Office, 25 Capen Hall, phone 716-645-2608. The
ARO will help you make the necessary arrangements with the instructor. Additionally, please contact the instructor early in
the semester and describe what can be done to help improve your learning experience.
Grades: Final semester grades will be assigned based on points earned. Students may earn a maximum of 200 points. This
is a required course for MHC students, so a grade of B or better must be earned.
Grading breakdown/points:
A = 168 – 175
A- = 161 – 167
B+ = 154 – 160
B = 147 – 153
B- = 140 – 146
C+ = 133 – 139
Readings and Reaction papers (30 points)
Attendance and Participation (48 points)
Journal Article Review (17 points)
C = 126 – 132
C- = 119 – 125
D = 112 – 118
F = Below 112
Consultation experience paper (30 points)
Prevention/Education Mini Workshop (50 points)
TOTAL 175 Possible Points
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UB Graduate School Standards for Course Load Expectations (they oversee all campus and
distance graduate programs – expectations stem from the NYS Education Department
requirements for all programs)
For course load planning - students should anticipate...
Based on a 15-week semester, expectations are:
Each "Credit Hour" should be 1 in-class contact hour per week PLUS 2-3 hours of outside work. So
expectations for a 3 credit hour course should be 3 hours in-class per week + 6 to 9 hours outside
of class for an approximate total of between 9-12 hours per week, per course.
For the total semester: 45 in-class hours + 90-135 out of class hours
Averaging: 9-12 hours per week, per 3 credit-course
When compressed to an 8-week semester, expectations are:
Each “Credit Hour should be 1.875 in-class contact hours per week PLUS 3.75 to 5.625 hours of
outside work. So, expectations for a 3 credit hour course should be 5.625 hours in-class per week
+ 11.25 to 16.875 hours outside of class for an approximate total of between 16.875 to 22.5 hours
per week.
For the semester: 45 in-class hours + 90-135 out of class hours
Averaging: 16.875-22.5 hours per week, per 3 credit-course
Time spent for online courses should be approximately equivalent.
4
Tentative Course Outline for CEP 664:
Week
1
8/29
2
9/5
3
9/12
4
9/19
5
9/26
6
10/3
7
10/10
8
10/17
9
10/24
10
10/31
11
11/7
12
11/14
13
11/21
14
11/28
15
12/5
Topic
Readings/Facilitators
From Rudisill text
Syllabus, course objectives and goals
None
NO CLASS
None
Introduction to Consultation & Collaboration
Discussion - Workshop proposal and materials for workshop
Preface and Chapter 1
Leadership, Management, and Supervision
Journal article presentation – General Topic (group 1)
Chapter 4
(Group 1 collaborators)
Organizational Intervention (consultant/consultee stages)
Journal article presentation – Ethics or Diversity (group 2)
Chapter 12
(Group 2 collaborators)
Training and Team Building (professional workshops)
Journal article presentation – Multicultural/Diversity (group 3)
Mini workshop proposal due
Chapter 8
(Group 3 collaborators)
Executive Coaching and Performance Enhancement
Working with Teams and Groups
Guest speaker – Nicole Newcomb (MHC grad)
Chapter 6 and 7 (student choice for tidbits; read
both chapters)
The Nature of Organizations
Assessment of Organizations
Mini workshop research and preparation
Chapter 10 and 11 (student choice for tidbits)
Diversity Issues in Consultation
Consultation experience presentation/paper due (Group #1)
Chapter 9
(Group 4 collaborators)
Practice Management (Ethical and Legal Considerations)
Consultation experience presentation/paper due (Group #2)
Mini Workshops (Group #1)
Chapter 13
(Group 5 collaborators)
Clinical Consultation
Consultation experience presentation/paper due (Group #3)
Mini Workshops (Group #2)
Chapter 14
(Group 6 collaborators)
Crisis Consultation
Consultation experience presentation/paper due (Group #4)
Mini Workshops (Group #3)
Chapter 16
(Skip tidbits if attended professional organization
meeting or conference/workshop this semester.)**
Consultation experience presentation/paper due (Group #5)
Mini workshops (Group #4); evaluations
None
THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS
None
Mini Workshops (Group #5); Wrap up, Optional final test
None
**Note: Local NYMHCA chapter meetings are held on the first Saturday of each month. All are invited to the October
meeting, which is scheduled as a Speaker Meeting. Check website www.nymhca.org Buffalo-Niagara Chapter, for more
information.
5