COUN 5301:

Community-Based Counseling

Fall 2006

Instructor: Sample

Phone: ________                                                           Office: ______________

E-mail: ___________                                                    Office hours: __________

Course Description:

Community-Based Counseling is presented as a basis for counselors who intend on working in community counseling agencies. This course includes theoretical and applied information based on a variety of settings, as well as a variety of intervention strategies, presented via didactic and experiential coursework.

Course Objectives:

This course will prepare students to work in community settings (agency and otherwise), private practice settings, as well as governmental agencies. Students will understand how various institutions interact to impact the welfare of a client and that client's environment. By taking this course, the student will gain a greater understanding of the counseling profession, as well as how to impact not only individual clients, but communities as a whole.

• The student will recognize historical antecedents of Community Based Counseling; (CACREP IIK: 1a; CC: A1, B1)
• The student will become familiar with various professional organizations and issues in mental health, including recognition, reimbursement and right to practice; (CACREP IIK: 1d; CC: A1, A2, A3, A4, B2, B4)
• The student will be able to identify and integrate the varied roles and functions of mental health professionals in the community setting; (CACREP IIK: 1b; CC: A2, A4, B1)
• The student will understand state licensure, national credentialing and accreditation practices, and the effects of public policy on these issues; (CACREP IIK: 1e; CC: A2, A3, A4)
• The student will understand the organization, administration and funding for community mental health centers (CACREP CC: A3, A4, B2);
• The student will demonstrate an understanding and implement an example of the Community Based Counseling Model (CACREP CC: A3, A4, B4, C1, C2, C7);
• The student will recognize the need, process and ramifications of crisis/emergency evaluation/intervention, chemical dependency treatment and other specialized focus areas of community based services (e.g., support groups, parent education) (CACREP CC: B3, B4, C2, C7);
• The student will list other areas of mental health treatment and develop an understanding of other mental health professionals’ training and skills within the community mental health setting;
• The student will discuss the process and potential benefits of networking with other mental health professionals in and around the community mental health setting (CACREP CC: B2);
• The student will demonstrate an understanding and recognition of diverse community populations; (CACREP IIK: 2a; CC: A1, A5, B3, C1)
• The student will develop and implement the mental status examination and the intake interview (CACREP CC: C4);
• The student will identify relevant mental health needs of individuals and communities, as well as necessary steps for program development and implementation, application of needs assessment for program evaluation and implementing findings for program modification; (CACREP IIK: 8d; CC: A5, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3)
• The student will define and demonstrate client advocacy and social justice; (CACREP IIK: 1g; 1f; 2d; CC: B4, C3, C6)
• The student will discuss and define consultation from a Community Counseling perspective (CACREP IIK: 5e; CC: B4)
• The student will understand community strategies for working with diverse populations (CACREP IIK: 2c)
• The student will identify and implement computer and technological skills in a community counseling setting. (CACREP IIK: 1c)

Methods of Instruction:

Lectures via multiple multimedia formats (e.g., class discussions, powerpoint, handouts, etc.), outside activities, small group role plays, and experiential exercises.

Required Texts:

Kottler, J. A. (2000). Doing good: Passion and commitment for helping others. Philadelphia, PA:

Brunner-Routledge.

MacCluskie, K. C. & Ingersoll, R. E. (2001). Becoming a 21 st century agency counselor: Personal and

Professional Explorations. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Course Requirements:

• All students are expected to attend each class. Participation is also strongly encouraged. Your lack of attendance will influence your final grade. Sharing with the class will benefit you and your cohorts.
• Course examinations will be of an essay type, given at Mid-term and End-term. The examinations will cover lecture material, as well as readings from texts and articles.
• Supplemental activity will require the student to visit a community counseling (CC) agency of her/his choice. At least 8 hours of visitation time must be documented and verified (signed). Documentation can be done in any format, as long as such documentation is co-signed by student and CC agency representative of student’s choice. Furthermore, this project will require completion of the following:

                Six (6) page review paper (excluding cover page) describing CC agency visited, job description of an employed counselor at the agency, major services provided by the counselor AND agency, activities incorporated to provide services, target population(s) and relevant issues of such population(s), as well as hypothetical budget for center, staffing configuration and policy and procedures of CC program. Use the final page to discuss your personal experience during the visit, including areas of possible improvement within the agency.

• Class Presentation: (Preventive Education) Identify a specific area/issue directly related to community needs in terms of prevention/education. Conduct a library search to identify at least five (5) journal articles that address the selected area/issue. Acting as though the class is actually   a community group/organization/etc., the student will present this educational program to the class. That is, pretend that the class is a community group to which you are "selling" your preventive education approach, not the group that’s the focus of the educational program. Furthermore, approach the class as a group who will benefit from the knowledge, skills, etc. that you have to offer via the presentation. Please use media/instructional aids in your presentation to the class. The presentation can be no longer than 15 minutes and must by accompanied by handouts. You will be graded on content, speaking skills (eye contact) and knowledge of area.
• Failure to interact with peers, facilitators, clients, or faculty in a manner consistent with the performance expectations of a professional counselor may result in a failing grade in the course and a referral to a faculty review committee.

Grading:

                                Grades will be calculated according to the following:

Tentative Class Schedule:

Date                                         Topic                                                                                                       Readings                        .

8-23                          Introductions/Syllabus                                                                        Overview Corliss & Corliss                

                                Professional Orientation                                                                      Ch. 1 (Corliss)

8-30                          Practice Issues in Human Service Agencies                    Ch. 1 –cont. (Corliss)

                                * Professional Identity                                                                        

                                * Historical Influences & Training Models of MH fields              

                                * Comparing Registration, Certification, and Licensing                

                                * Professional Organizations, introduction    

9-6                            Ethical & Legal issues in Advanced Practice                   Ch. 7 (Corliss)

                                * Professional Organizations, function                                             Handouts….

9-13                          Guest Lecturer:   Anna Lesinski-Sandberg, Ph.D.

                                from the California Dept. of Child and Family Services

                                (comparable to Texas’ Child Protective Services)

9-20                          Key Elements & Challenges of Practice                                            Ch. 2 (Corliss)

                                * Life as a CC (Community Counseling) Counselor       

                                * Self-Awareness                                                                 

                                * The Effective Counselor                                                  

9-27                          Micro-Level Practice:   Working w/ Individuals                               Ch. 3 (Corliss)

                                * Why Have a Theory of Counseling?                                            

                                * The Counseling Process                                                 

10-4                          Mezzo Level Practice:   Working w/ Families & Groups Ch. 4 (Corliss)       

                                * Family Systems Theories exploration                                            

10-11                        Macro Level Practice:   Working w/ Organizations         Ch. 5 (Corliss)

                                                & Communities                                                                     

                                * Counseling Persons at Risk

                                * Crisis Prevention and Intervention                                                                

10-18                        Diversity:   Working w/ Diverse Populations                    Ch. 6 (Corliss)       

                                * Age, Culture, Gender, Religion                                        Appendix I            

• Developing/Managing CC Agency  

                                *   How would you go about developing your own agency?  

                                Class discussion re: this process of developing an agency from “scratch.”           

                                Review for mid-term

11-1                          Mid-Term &

                                Review Papers Due

11-8                          Begin Preventive Education Presentations                    

11-15                        Preventive Education Presentations (con’t)

• (No Class = Thanksgiving Break)

• Preventive Education Presentations (con’t)

                                Summary and/or Questions…

12-6                                          (No Class =   Supplemental Activity, Review   Paper, &  

                                Preventive Education Presentation replace the final exam)

Several guests may come to class throughout the semester and present information about their community counseling sites….

Texas State University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.