To: University of Central Florida Counseling Center, Professor Barbara Kyle

From: Ashley Conway

Date: April 27, 2015
Re: Feasibility Report on Improving University of Central Floridas Counseling Center
I am please to submit the attached copy of the feasibility report to improve the University of
Central Floridas Counseling Center. The report will describe possible improvements that the
center could implement.
In the report I will describe why counseling for college students is important. Research shows
that mental health disorders among college students are extremely prevalent and many students
are having trouble finding viable treatment options. In a poll I conducted, the majority of the
students surveyed at UCF want to see improvements in the counseling center as they feel it is not
functioning well enough to meet their needs.
Im ready to begin working with you on these task as soon as I get the ok to do so. Please let me
know if you have any questions.
Encl: Report

MEMORANDUM
FROM:

Ashley Conway

TO:

University of Central Florida Counseling Center

DATE:

April 20, 2015

SUBJECT: FEASABILITY OF IMPROVING THE COUNSELING

CENTER

Introduction
Universities providing counseling for their students is crucial to ensuring their overall wellbeing.
Students in college are faced with immense stress that can bring out mental disorders. Some of
the most prevalent among college students are depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and
substance abuse, according to the Journal for College Counseling. This report will address the
current procedures that the Counseling center offers to students and will the examine faults that
are not entirely effective in treating students. Then, it will propose several alternatives to
improve the counseling center. There is always room for improvement when it comes to mental
health and a counseling center should be constantly evolving to meet changing social conditions.

Qualifications
I am currently a student at the University of Central Florida. I am majoring in Writing and
Rhetoric and minoring in Psychology. My background in psychology allows me to have a wide
understanding on the importance of mental health treatment. I have studied the psychology of
students and have learned that the stress of school can bring out underlying mental disorders. I
decided to propose a change at the Counseling Center because I have visited it myself and wasnt
satisfied with my experience.

The Need for Improvement

The purpose of finding alternatives for the counseling center came from several students
personal experiences as well as my own. Myself, and other students who I have talked with
found that the counseling center was not as helpful as we thought it could be. To protect the
anonymity of the students who visited the center, I will not reveal the names. However, after an
initial discussion with the students and their dissatisfaction, I created a questionnaire that
assessed the overall effectiveness of the counseling center. Three students completed the survey
and although that is not a high number, the findings are significant enough to propose a change.
The questionnaire included the nine following questions:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Did you find the counseling center to be helpful?

Did you feel comfortable with your counselor?
Did you feel pressured to consent to the videotape/recording?
Did you have a problem with the 3 visit maximum?
Did the three visit maximum make you withhold information?
Would you have preferred to pay a small amount rather than be capped at 3 appointments?
Did you feel that the referral was helpful?
Do you think the counseling center could be improved?
Would you recommend the counseling center?

The results from the three students were as follows:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

2 No, 1 Yes
1 No, 2 Yes
2 No, 1 Yes
3 Yes
1 No, 2 Yes
3 Yes
2 No, 1 Yes
3 Yes
2 No, 1 Yes

The results revealed that the majority of the students surveyed were not satisfied with their
experience at the Counseling Center. I believe that this dissatisfaction comes from the current
protocols. Currently when a student contacts the Counseling Center they are given an initial
assessment. In that initial assessment they are asked a series of question that assesses the state of
their mental health. After the initial assessment, the counselor will refer them to the care that they
think is appropriate (continued counseling, psychiatric care, group counseling, etc.). A problem
with this procedure is that a student might be withholding crucial information pertaining to the
state of their mental health because they are not entirely comfortable with their counselor yet. In
the survey, one student was not comfortable with their counselor. This was also true in my case.
For me, I didnt have a particular problem with my counselor but I needed more than one session
before revealing the type of information the questions were asking.
In a hypothetical situation, a student goes into the Counseling Center and is already nervous
about talking about the problems they are facing. When they meet with their counselor, who is
still a stranger, they are asked a series of very personal questions. One of the questions is, Have
you ever had suicidal thoughts? The student might feel too embarrassed or uncomfortable with
answering this question honestly after first meeting someone. While this is not the case with
everyone who goes into the counseling center, it should be considered. If the student does in fact
have suicidal thoughts and doesnt tell their counselor then they could be referred to the wrong
form of treatment that will ultimately not help them.
The next problem I want to address is the three visit maximum to the counseling center. After the
initial assessment, the student is given two more appointments with their counselor. After the
sessions have ended the counselor will refer the student to outside care. The problem in this is
that they are breaking the bond that may or may not have formed between the student and the
counselor. If a student does need other counseling, they have to go through the whole process

again. A student might become frustrated with the entire process and give up. All of the students
surveyed had a problem with the three visit maximum.

Proposed Alternatives
The majority of the alternatives proposed will be cost free or cost very little to the Counseling
Center.
The first alternative would be to improve the first initial assessment. The Counseling Center
currently allows students to have three sessions with their counselor. The assessment and referral
process should be done on the last appointment instead of the first. This allows time for the
student to become comfortable with their counselor before answering the questions.
The second would be to offer students a reduced fee, no limit counseling sessions. Meaning that
students would be allowed to visit their counselor more than three times if they could pay a small
fee. Usually, many students are uninsured and going to a therapist can be a costly experience.
The University could offer a reduced fee plan for the students, for example, $10 for a 45-minute
session. This would encourage students to continue counseling after the first three appointments.
The Counseling Center could implement an online discussion board for students seeking help.
This discussion board could be regulated by an intern or faculty member to make sure the
content being posted is appropriate (helpful, not discouraging). Some students might not feel
comfortable enough going into the center immediately and by providing students with an online
outlet, they could increase the amount of students who will decide to seek treatment.
Another viable option would be to create a Student Organization that supported students in
mental health crisis. The Student Organization would hold meetings and support groups at the
Counseling Center. The organization could sponsor activities that contributed to mental health
wellness. For example, open talks, outdoor activities, and mentorship programs.It would be a
safe place for students to talk to their peers judgement free and it would also be an organization
that gave them a sense of community. The organization could also throw fundraisers that would
help offset some of the cost from the second alternative, the reduced fee plan.

Conclusion
I am excited about the proposed alternatives for the Counseling Center. Students at the
University of Central Florida deserve a counseling center that gives them effective treatment.
The alternatives are minor steps that could impact the center in a positive way. By having a
strong Counseling system, the student will in turn also be stronger. Also, other Universities might
use UCF as an example for how they want to treat their students in mental health distress if the
program is successful. Having our university as a model school would be a great

accomplishment. The current system has positively impacted several students lives but there is
always room for improvement when it comes to mental health.

Sources
Nordberg, Samuel S.1,2, et al. "Treatment Utilization On College Campuses: Who
Seeks Help For What?." Journal Of College Counseling 16.3 (2013): 258-274.
Education Full Text

(H.W. Wilson). Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Conway, Ashley. Your Experience with UCFs Counseling Center. Survey. 12 April
2015.