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Several academic departments at Southern Illinois University use the Clinical
Center as a clinic site for graduate students training to become mental
health practitioners. These programs are Clinical
Psychology, (including child, adolescent, adult, and couples), Educational
Psychology & Special Education (including school, community,
and marriage and family counseling), and Rehabilitation
Counseling. A variety of services are provided under the major
categories of evaluation and treatment.
Evaluation Services
Clinical Center staff and graduate students under supervision are available
to provide assessments of children and adults. These assessments are directed
toward general psychological functioning, learning disabilities, attention-deficit
disorders, neuropsychological functioning, and behavior disorders.
Evaluations related to mental retardation, child custody
or other cases where court testimony is anticipated are NOT provided.
Court evaluations are provided that address the question of need of psychological
services.
Treatment Services
Counseling services are available for individuals (both child and adult),
couples, and families. Group counseling services are planned according
to faculty expertise, clinician availability, and community interests. A general
description of each counseling service is provided below. More specific
information regarding group openings and group activities can be obtained
by contacting the Clinical Center receptionist (618-453-2361).
1) Individual Counseling: Individual counseling services are available for adults and children and vary widely according to the presenting needs of the clients. Clients are assigned to counselors based on client needs and counselor expertise and availability. The faculty from several departments supervise clinicians.
2) Couple and Family Counseling: This approach to counseling emphasizes working together with couples and families to achieve their common goals and aspirations. The couple and family counseling program is coordinated by Dr. Tracy Stinchfield, Psychologist.
3) Parenting Services: Parenting interventions focus on building parenting skills, especially for parents with a difficult to manage child.
4) Crisis Counseling: Services are available from Clinical Center
personnel while the Clinical Center is open by calling the receptionist
(618-453-2361) who will contact the on-call worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take to get a clinician assigned to me?
Each person who requests counseling services is first scheduled
for an intake assessment. This assessment includes an interview focusing on client history, presenting
concerns, and computerized testing. The computerized testing includes several psychological questionnaires to help identify treatment areas. The assessment helps the Coordinator of Psychological Services
match clients to appropriate counselors. Once this initial assessment has
been completed and the report written, clients are assigned to available
counselors on a first-come, first-serve basis. If an appropriate counselor
for your concerns is available, the time between your initial call and
the assignment can be as little as two weeks. If, however, an
appropriate counselor is not available or if the University is between
semesters, the process will take longer.
All requests for evaluations must begin with the receptionist
who will schedule a telephone screening, which takes about 30 minutes.
This screening provides the information needed to determine whether the
Clinical Center has the resources to meet the evaluation request. Additional
information, such as reports of previous evaluations and school records,
may be requested at that time. Once the requested records are received,
a letter is sent stating whether the request has been approved. Evaluations are scheduled
on a first-come, first-served basis. Because of the number of requests
received and the limited number of available clinicians, it may take a long time till an evaluation can be completed.
Can I request a specific counselor or certain type of counselor?
Yes, you can request a specific counselor, such as a Clinical Center staff
member or a certain type of counselor. All special requests will be reviewed
by the Psychological Services Coordinator for appropriateness and for counselor
availability. Please be aware that adding this stipulation will likely
increase the length of time before you can be seen.
What are the counselor's qualifications?
Staff and faculty who see clients or supervise student clinicians at the Clinical Center in the Psychological
Services Department have Master's or doctoral degrees in their academic specialty.
Many have a license(s) from the Illinois
Department of Professional Regulation or certification from a national
professional organizations or both. Students are counselors-in-training
who have had sufficient coursework and preclinical experiences to prepare
them for working with client populations. All students are supervised by
Clinical Center staff or departmental faculty.
What does it mean when my counselor says they are "supervised"?
Each student who provides clinical services at the Clinical Center is supervised
by either Clinical Center staff or by faculty from the respective academic
department. The exact form the supervision takes depends both on the skill
level of the student and the orientation of the supervisor. All students
are required to either audio or DVD record each session they conduct. This
requirement protects the public and provides the supervisor important information
about the clinician's skill development. The recordings are kept
at the Clinical Center in a secure location and are erased/destroyed after supervisory review. These tapes are never part of a client's permanent Clinical
Center record. Any other use of the tapes (for example, research studies)
requires written permission from all clients involved.
Who has access to my records?
All information we collect from you is kept in confidence. Information
we collect can only be disclosed to someone else when you provide us with
specific written permission to do so or as stipiulated by the Illinois
Mental Health and Developmental disabilities Confidentiality Act, Illinois
Department of Human Services. Examples of legal disclosure without
consent are when we: (a) suspect a child has been abused or negleted or
both, (b) suspect elder abuse (c) determine that you are are a danger to
yourself or others, or (d) are ordered by a court to disclose information.
How much does counseling cost?
There is a schedule of fees for service that will be mailed to you at the
time you request service. The Clinical Center's income-based sliding fee
scale does offer individuals the opportunity to apply for reduced fees.
Individuals receiving service are personally responsible for all charges
incurred. The Clinical Center does not bill Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance companies. We do not accept payment from Medicare or Medicaid. However, clinic staff will
provide itemized bills that can be submitted with a claim to a private insurance company. Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for our services. If you have
questions concerning Clinical Center billing policies and procedures, call
(618) 453-2361.
Am I limited to the number of sessions I can have?
No. The number of sessions a client has is a clinical decision made by
the counselor (and their supervisor) based on a number of factors such
as therapeutic progress and client attendance and promptness for sessions.
Who can I talk to if I have further questions?
For further questions contact Dr. Brenda Gilbert, Psychological Services
Coordinator, at (618) 453-2361.
Clinical
Center Home Page
Revised October 1, 2007
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