IUPUC’s master’s in mental health degree program started in 2012 because of the demand for more mental health counselors. That was a great and important addition to the university’s degree offerings because it added another advanced degree that people regionally could obtain from the school, and met a workforce need.
The program has been solidly in place, with 34 graduates since its inception and 20 students currently in the program and six on track to graduate this year.
The program is making strides, and now is taking an important step forward thanks to a significant donation from Tom and Barbara Schoellkopf that has made possible a mental health training clinic at IUPUC. The clinic will bear the name of the gracious and generous donors.
This is important because the clinic will allow students in the master’s program to have additional training resources and an opportunity to counsel actual clients while under the supervision of the faculty.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
The clinic will have 1,102 square feet, a reception area, a family and couples room that’s also equipped for counseling children, a group space for counseling multiple individuals and a room for individual counseling. It is expected to be finished by the spring of 2020 and ready for use for that fall semester.
When ready, the clinic will be the only student-run, faculty supervised mental health clinic at an Indiana University satellite campus. That’s quite a coup for IUPUC.
It’s a tremendous addition for the community and region, too.
The need for mental health counseling services is great these days, meaning colleges and universities play an important role in meeting a workforce need. Having a mental health training clinic as a resource should be appealing for both for students seeking the counseling degree and area residents seeking help.
