Continuing accreditation for Counseling Center
Officials in Mississippi State's Division of Student Affairs are congratulating members of the Student Counseling Center staff for successfully completing a detailed re-accreditation process.
The International Association of Counseling Services recently notified the university that the counseling center continues to hold its official stamp of approval. Endorsement by the Alexandria, Virginia-based organization is based on demonstrated excellence in counseling performances, as well as evidence of continuing professional development by center staff members.
Established in 1972, IACS works to encourage and aid counseling agencies in meeting high professional standards through peer evaluations. Re-accreditations must be completed annually, though the organization only makes site visits every seven years.
Led by veteran campus administrator Leigh Jensen and working from offices in Hathorn Hall, the center's nine full-time clinicians include psychologists, counselors and social workers. With them are four part-time licensed staff members, three doctoral interns, a master's degree practicum student and two support team members.
Bill Broyles, the division's interim vice president, said the re-accreditation "is an affirmation of the tremendous work being done by our Student Counseling Center.
"Even more, we are thankful for the devoted staff led by Dr. Jensen and for what they do every day for Mississippi State University," he added.
Jensen said the center's goal is -- and always has been -- "to provide the best professional services with highly qualified, multi-disciplinary staff for the students of MSU."
She said the accreditation process "helps us achieve this by holding us accountable to the best practices for college counseling centers nationwide."
According to Jensen, individuals "seek counseling for a variety of reasons, ranging from mild, situational issues to more serious and complex problems. All currently enrolled MSU students are eligible to use our services and most are free for those attending full time."
In addition to direct clinical services, center staff members provide suicide prevention training, as well lead workshops on coping with depression and anxiety, healthy relationships and various other related topics.
Whomever the client, "All of our services remain confidential and do not become a part of academic records," she emphasized.
The center also is home to the Sexual Assault Response Team that provides several areas of assistance for reports of sexual assaults. For more, visit www.health.msstate.edu/scs.
MSU is online at www.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate.
Sammy McDavid | Public Affairs
