Reading Between the Lines: Strategies to Meet Student Needs in a Climate of Uncertainty

Date: Wednesday, October 28^th at 3 pm ET, 2 pm CT, 1 pm MT and 12 pm PT

1.0 CE for NASW

Cost:
Members - $30
Non-Members - $40

Title: Reading Between the Lines: Strategies to Meet Student Needs in a Climate of Uncertainty

Presenters: Carrie Finkill, MA, NCC, LCPC and Ven Palmieri, PhD.

Abstract:

University counseling center outreach professionals are navigating a rapidly shifting landscape while addressing persisten barriers to student mental health care. Students often face stigma, uneven access to resources, fear of repercussions, and institutional distrust that can delay help-seeking. Concurrently, outreach professionals are encountering evolving external pressures - including legal and policy changes, heightened scrutiny, and increased risk aversion - that complicate engagement efforts, requiring both students and outreach professionals to "read between the lines" as we engage with one another. These challenges are not experienced uniformly. Students from different backgrounds, as well as professionals working in more restrictive institutional or regional contexts, may encounter amplified barrier requiring nuanced, context-sensitive approaches.

This presentation offers a focused overview of findings from the latest AUCCCO survey, highlighting emerging trends, shared challenges, and innovation responses from counseling centers nationwide. Building on these insights, we will explore how outreach professionals are adapting practices to sustain meaninful engagement within complex constraints.

The session will emphasize actionable solutions, showcasing proven strategies that institutions are using to maintain responsive and effective outreach. Attendees will leave with practical tools and adaptbale frameworks to support their campus work. Ample time will be provided for discussion, reflection, and peer exchange, creating space for participants to share experiences and collaboratively consider paths forward.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key barriers impacting student help-seeking and outreach efforts, including how these challenges vary across student populations and institutional contexts.
• Summarize major findings from the latest AUCCCO survey and their implications for counseling center outreach practice.
• Apply adaptable, evidence-informed strategies to strengthen outreach effectiveness while nagivating evolving external constraints.

References:

Bvunzawabaya, B., & Rampe, R. (2024). Meeting the university counseling centers demand with outreach competencies. Journal of College Student Mental Health, 38(4), 897-923. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/28367138.2024.2343487

Gorman, K. S., Walden, D., Braun, L., & Hotaling, M. (2024) Navigating a path forward for mental health services in higher education. Journal of College Student Mental Health, 38(4), 749-767. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/28367138.2023.2298647

Mitchell, S. L. (2023). The work of college counseling centers in the early 21st century. American Psychologist, 78(9), 1125-1136. 

https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001249