Enhancing Student Referral Process in College Counseling Centers

Exploring strategies to improve the referral process from college counseling centers to community providers for more effective student support. Topics include challenges of off-campus referrals, referral coordination programs, assessment models, and best practices. The program involves 30-minute sessions addressing various aspects of referrals, such as insurance calls and provider selection. National trends show an increasing demand for services, leading to more students being referred out. Evaluation focuses on tracking student connections and surveying their referral experiences.

• Student Referral
• Counseling Centers
• Community Providers
• Referral Coordination
• Best Practices

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1. TIGHTENING UP THE REFERRAL PROCESS METHODS USED TO MORE EFFECTIVELY CONNECT AND TRACK STUDENTS REFERRED TO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS FROM THE COUNSELING CENTER. Amy Leach, LCSW and Elizabeth McIntyre, LCSW UNC Counseling and Psychological Services Chapel Hill, NC

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify the challenges of off-campus referrals Understand our referral coordination program Understand one model of assessing a referral coordination program Share ideas about best practices

3. OUR PROGRAM 30-minute sessions Ideally 3-7 days following triage appointment Can also be scheduled by psychiatry Provided by two staff social workers, post-MSW fellows and MSW interns Often include: Calling insurance How to talk family about going to therapy How to chose a provider Calling providers in session to schedule

4. ELEMENTS OF APPOINTMENT History of treatment Goals for therapy Preference for provider Obstacles Motivation level Follow-up plan

5. NATIONAL TRENDS The number of students seeking services at college counseling centers is increasing every year (CCMH). As a way to address the needs, many centers only offer brief therapy. Students getting referred to off-campus providers often experience barriers including time, transportation, and cost. 42% of students were unsuccessful in connecting with an off campus provider when referred by counseling center staff (Owen, Devdas and Rodolfa).

6. INCREASED DEMANDS AT UNC Number students referred out increased as number of students coming to CAPS increased. Articles in student newspaper Feedback from student groups

7. EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT What we wanted to know: How many students get connected? What do students see as obstacles to getting connected? What are students experiences with referral coordination? Do students who receive referral support connect at a higher rate? What we did: Tracking connection in Titanium for referred students Survey all students referred out

8. WHAT WE LEARNED Telling a family member or friend positively correlated with connecting to therapy While most students reported similar obstacles, students who connected reported higher motivation. Most common obstacles

9. WHAT WE LEARNED (CONT.) Based on Titanium tracking of students seen for Referral Coordination, 49% of students connected. 34% of students seen in Referral Coordination did not reply to follow ups and their connection is unknown. Based on survey response: 2015-2016 school year 52% of respondents connected 2016-2017 fall semester, 58% of respondents connected Students who attended Referral Coordination were 2.5 times more likely to connect.

10. FEEDBACK FROM STUDENT SURVEY They broke the process down into understandable and simple steps Having someone help me with the ins and outs of my insurance They followed up afterwards to make sure I liked who I was with Just having a constant during such a difficult time was helpful, and having someone there as I contacted therapists They could have followed up with me more frequently Least helpful was just that many of the places were not incredibly close to campus. That makes it harder to go often when you spend lots of time in a bus or spend money on an uber Take out providers from the list that aren't accepting patients or that aren't providing services anymore I think it would have been helpful if they gave out resources to help people find therapists on their own as well, rather than just the list of therapists to start out

11. UPDATES TO OUR PROGRAM Offer to all students referred and provide information on service to those who declined Weekly supervision with trainees offering referral coordination Opt-in for providers (more updated info) Template for Titanium Pilot same-day referral coordination More hands on approach Continued program evaluation CAPSreferrals@email.unc.edu

12. QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION What % of your students connect? How do you track this? What have you found works best with referrals? What out-of-the-box ideas do you have?