Buffalo State Counseling Center Scope of Practice Statement
At The Counseling Center, we dedicate ourselves to providing students with support, education, and advocacy for their personal and academic success through a variety of services. Our services are designed to help students achieve their goals. Progress is evaluated at regular intervals to ensure that students are progressing toward their goals and are receiving appropriate services for their concerns. Many students are seen four to five times over the semester and are able to meet their goals. In cases where students have not met their goals, we will make every effort to link them with alternative treatment options.
Clinical services include:
- Screening, triage, assessment, and referrals
- Individual counseling
- Group counseling
- Crisis intervention and emergency risk assessments
- Collaboration with off-campus providers
Additional Counseling Center Services:
- Consultation to staff, faculty, and family members
- Educational workshops open to all students such as Beat Stress for Academic Stress and Mindfulness and Health
- Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Trainings open to faculty, staff, and students
- Safe Zone LGBTQ Ally Training
- Alcohol and Marijuana Educational Workshops
Common concerns addressed at The Counseling Center:
- Crisis support
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Adjustment to college life, homesickness
- Academic performance, motivation, anxiety related to public speaking
- Relationship difficulties, conflicts with friends or family
- Grief and loss
- Identity development related to culture, spirituality, sexual orientation, gender identity
- Building strengths & coping skills
- Mild/moderate eating behaviors & body image
- Mild/moderate alcohol/substance use concerns
- Stress management
- Discrimination
Students may be referred to specialized treatment off-campus when:
- Students are in need of psychiatric services
- Students need weekly or more frequent, long-term, or specialized treatment
- An emergency assessment is needed due to risk of harm to self or others
- More severe diagnoses requiring a higher level of care: multiple psychiatric hospitalizations, severe substance abuse/addiction, severe eating disorder, active symptoms of psychosis at risk for progressive deterioration
- Diagnosis requires medications not prescribed at The Counseling Center
- Services at The Counseling Center have been tried and shown to be ineffective
- Counseling center services would be detrimental or inadequate to address concerns
- Frequent use of crisis intervention services indicates that more intensive treatment is needed
- Frequent missed or rescheduled appointments
- Assessments for learning disabilities, ADHD, neuropsychological testing
- Treatment is mandated by court/legal system or employers, forensic assessment, security clearance
- Abusive behavior toward clinical or support staff
- Seeking a counseling experience to fulfill academic requirements
What to Expect at your Initial Screening Appointment:
The Counseling Center invites students who are currently registered for classes at Buffalo State to make a confidential initial screening appointment with one of our counselors to discuss their concerns. This conversation between the counselor and the student generally involves a discussion of the student’s current difficulties, a review of treatment options, and recommendations to assist the student in obtaining the appropriate services. After the initial screening appointment, your counselor may recommend:
- An emergency risk assessment
- A more comprehensive assessment to be scheduled at The Counseling Center at a later date
- Referral to an on-campus resources such as Weigel Health Center, Disability Services, Career Development Center, or Academic Skills Center, and other departments
- Referral to an off-campus treatment provider
