Florida International University
College of Education
Fall 2005

Course Title: MHS 6411 Counseling and Consultation in Community Settings
Credits: Three (3)
Instructor: Maureen Kenny, Ph.D.
Office: EB 238B
Office Hours: Wed 3:00-6:00, Sat. 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. & other times by appointment.

Phone: (305)348-3506
E mail: kennym@fiu.edu

Texts:

Gladding, S. & Newsome, D. (2004). Community and Agency Counseling (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Goals
This course is an advanced counseling and consultation cours. This course will be taught in a seminar format with the expectation that reading assignments will be completed before class and that students will be prepared to actively participate in the discussion. The general principles of community counseling, including, but not limited to, prevention, intervention, education, outreach, advocacy, consultation, crisis intervention, and service delivery, will be discussed. Students will learn about the various settings in which counseling and consultation can be preformed (i.e., community settings, hospitals, agencies, private practice, etc.).

Competencies
The students will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Understand the historical and professionl foundations of community counseling.
• Consult with family, teachers, and other school or agency personnel to facilitate positive behavior change in individual clients and positive learning and mental health environments at home and work.
• Conduct an intake interview and assessment with a client and prepare a written document including the client's history and presenting problem.
• Conduct several psychotherapy sessions with a client and prepare progress notes for each session.
• Critically evaluate own's counseling skills and be able to recognize strengths and weaknesses.
• Be familiar with the ACA code of ethics as well as other comparable ethical principles for other organizations.
• Understand the role of the National Board of Certified Counselors and the accompanying Code of Ethics.
• Gain an understanding of the influence of managed care on the practice of counseling.
• Emphasize the role of wellness in counseling
• Recognize the various settings and roles of community counselors and gain familiarity with local community resources
• Become familiar with multicultural counseling and the needs of diverse populations including group work and marital and family therapy.

The following competencies of the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) will be met in this course:

Standard 1: Professional Identity

Standard 2: Social and Cultural Diversity

Standard 3: Human Growth and Development

Standard 5: Helping Relationships

Standard 6: Group Work

Standard 7: Assessment

Standard 8: Research and Program Evaluation

Methods of Instructional Delivery:

The professor will lecture on information contained in the text, but will also incorporate information that is supplemental. Students are expected to read assigned readings so that class discussion can be facilitated and feedback can be given by the professor. A video entitled, Interviewing in Action, will be shown in this course. This video demonstrates the use of counseling skills in a variety of settings.

Requirements
The student will find a volunteer client with whom they will work on Assignments 1. The client will not be a family member or close friend and must sign a consent form which will be provided. It is important that the volunteer have a real or imagined problem with which they need assistance.

1. Interventions - Mastery of Advanced Counseling skills

A. Intake Interview . Each student will conduct an intake interview with the pseudo client. The student will fill in the form an then prepare a typed intake. The typed intake will present the material in a narrative form with headings. In addition, an audio or video tape will accompany the written intake. A transcprit of the session (10 minutes) will also be included for review.

B. Three Psychotherapy Sessions. The student will conduct three thirty minute psychotherapy sessions with the volunteer client. The student must submit case notes/progress notes from all three of the sesssions. However, only one full session will be turned in for grading. For this session, the student will submit an audio tape of the session, as well as typed, ten minute transcript. The transcript can be any ten minutes of the session. During this session, students will demonstrate their active listening and attending skills. For this session as well. students will provide a one page summary of the strenghts and weaknesses of thier skills as demonstrated in this session. Students should ensure that client confidentialtiy will be maintained (i.e., use of psuedonyms, deletion of specific identifying information, etc.).

2. Community Resources . Each student will complete an Agency Profile form (attached) on a community counseling or related services center. Students must inform the professor in advance as to which agency they will report on, so as to avoid duplication. Information can be obtained through a phone interview or visit to the site. Each student will make a brief (5-10 minutes) presentation to the class on his/her agency and provide copies of the profile form for everyone. Stuedents will be assigned a classtime to present. Students will make a copy of the agency profile to be distributed to every student in the course. The information gathered on the agency should not be limited to the space provided. Students are urged to gather as much information as possible.

3. Review/Read ACA's newsletter at: http://www.counseling.org.Content/NavigationMenu/PUBLICATIONS/COUNSELING TODAYONLINE/CT_Online.htm or read Counseling Today. Lead a presentation in class about a current professional issue identified by the ACA for approximately 15 minutes. Be prepared with discussion questions and the pros/cons of the issue, if appropriate. You may also present a topic related to community counseling including a broad range of counseling settings (i.e., EAP, private practice, internet counseling, outreach, intensive outpatient, older adult, sex offenders). You must be able to engage your fellow classmates in a lively discussion of the topic, as well as present your view. You may identify a topic from a past (not current) newsletter or newspaper, as long as the topic is still timely.

5. Reaction Paper. This paper should be a reflection of the video, Interviewing in Action. You should present which counseling setting you preferred and would like to work in or which one comes closest to the type of setting you prefer. The paper should be at least two typed pages and present your view on why you want to work in such a setting, what type of clientele you see yourself working with, and what preferred methods of treatment you plan to use.

5. Exam. This exam will be cummulative and based on all the material covered in this course.

Grading

Each assignment is worth a certain percentage of the final grade. The grading for the class is as follows:

94-100 pts = A

90-93 = A-

86-89 = B+

83-85 = B

80-82 = B-

76-79 = C+

73-75 = C

70-72 = C-

Below 70 = D

Assignment ____________________% of Total Grade

Intake 25

Three Sesssion Notes and Critique 25

Reaction Paper 10

Class Presentation 10

Community Agency Profile Presentation 10

Exam 20

General Information for Students:

Academic Dishonesty: Be assured and forewarned that cheating will not be tolerated in this course. All cases of suspected cheating will be referred to the University's Committee on Academic Misconduct. This action is required by all instructors. Regarding the consequences of being found guilty of dishonest academice practice, the instructor shall make an academic judgement about the student's grade on that work and in that couse and shall report such incidents to the Primary Administrative Officer.

Office of Disability Services for Students: If you have a disability and need assistance, please notify me and/or contact the Office of Disability Services for Students (348-3532). Upon contact, the Office of Disability Services for Students will review your request and contact your professors or other appropriate personnel to make arrangements for appropriate modification and/or assistance.

Code of Decorum: The Department of Educational and Psychological Studies has developed a Professional Code of Decorum. It can be found at the department's web site at http://www.fiu.edu/~edpsy/code.htm. All students taking courses in this department are expected to meet the expectations outlined in this Code.

Class Attendance: It is expected that all students will be in attendace for all class sessions. Lecture material will supplement and explain text chapters and will be subject to examination . If you miss a class YOU are responsible for any material given or changes made during the class period.

Calendar of Assignments