torimontano.weebly.com€¦ · Web viewcompany overview The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) is the leading mental health organization on the James Madison campus

TASK CommunicationsShelby AllardAriel Bojeun

Tori MontanoKatie McClure

Counseling & Student Development Center

Company Profile and Situational Analysis

20 March, 2013

CSDC TASK Communications

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Company Overview.................................................................................................3

Key Publics...............................................................................................................3

SWOT Analysis........................................................................................................4

Problem Statement………………………………………………………………11

Appendix A.............................................................................................................14

Appendix B……………………………………...………………………………..15

Survey Findings…………………………………………...……………………..16

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COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) is the leading mental health organization on the James Madison campus. The center’s free services and accessible location create a unique scenario, both within the university setting as well as in relation to mental health. Normal barriers that may have provided obstacles, such as insurance or access, are now eliminated so that the organization is accessible to key publics.

JMU’s CSDC has experienced steadily increasing clientele, vastly surpassing the growth in enrollment. These increases have continued for years past and have placed stress on the small, stretched staff. Analysis of the CDC’s organizational situation is vital in order to improve future functioning in alignment with their mission:

“To Provide a safe, supportive, trusting, and confidential environment which empowers students to develop the awareness, values, and skills they will need to

meet future challenges and lead vital, meaningful lives.”

Office location Varner House

Phone 540-568-6552

Web address http://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr/index.shtml

KEY PUBLICS

Key publics are comprised of all student body members, staff and professors, and any potential organization that could play a role in campus mental health advocacy. In regards to the key public of focus for this campaign, the age group of college students, 18-24, is referred to as “emerging adulthood.” This transitional age “requires developing skills for maintaining the independence and self-sufficiency an individual gains through adolescence, and for managing new tasks with regard to developing and maintaining intimate relationships” (Mahmoud, 2012, p. 149). Yet, while this is apparent, it is also of concern that “more than half of adults with mental disorders in the United States do not receive any treatment for their conditions” (Eisenberg, Golberstein, & Gollust, 2007).

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SWOT ANALYSIS

Favorable Unfavorable

Internal

Strengths Niche: only organization that offers

free mental health services Strong organizational culture Utilizing Word of Mouth strategies

Weaknesses

Lack of online resources for JMU students to access

Low budget Small staff Resources not readily

available to key publics Visibility: students unable

to identify what CSDC stands for—brand confusion

External

Opportunities Reputation: very good feedback from

students who have visited the center Supporters: several organizations on

campus have some similar interest as CSDC—could be used in partnership to put on programs, etc.

Moving to larger location that will allow for all staff to be on the same floor

Unpaid interns

Threats Stigma of mental health

may make some uncomfortable utilizing CSDC’s services

Strengths

Niche

The only competition the CSDC has includes other doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and counseling professionals in the Harrisonburg, VA area. Just in the area surrounding Harrisonburg, there are over twenty organizations for psychologists, psychiatrists, counseling centers and similar centers. Some examples of these organizations are the National Counseling Croup, Inc., ADHD and Clinical Counseling. While there are an abundant number of organizations in the area around JMU, these organizations are not in direct competition with the

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CSDC. The CSDC has its own niche at JMU, as the center is the only on-campus organization to offer free mental health services to students. If students want to seek help outside the CSDC, they would have to pay a fee through their insurance and find a ride to a similar off-campus organization. Furthermore, the staff also has emphasized that they do not see other similar organizations in the area as “competition,” because they are all working towards the same goals and in the students’ best interest of serving students’ mental health needs.

Strong organization culture

The staff of the CSDC is recognized for their hard-work and multi-tasking abilities. As seen in Appendix A, they rarely get in any down time during their busy schedules. Dr. Onestak explained how when he’s hiring new candidates they must understand the fast-pace of the office, be great communicators and bring no drama to the environment. He relies on his staff to tackle any problem immediately when it comes up and not let it affect efficiency in the building.

The CSDC has a very strong mission statement that aligns with the overall culture of the organization. The mission statement inspires the staff and provides them with the focus and direction for their work. The staff of the CSDC works to create a safe, supportive, trusting and confidential environment for all students who come into the center for services. In order to create this, it must be mimicked by the internal structure of the organization. Dr. Onestak said that in order to do this, they have to maintain great internal communication and constantly strive to be more efficient. As well as, having the staff constantly document everything that goes on within the center; every staff meeting, initial intake, and client session, to continue improving.

An important aspect of the center’s culture revolves around the value placed on ethics and confidentiality. The staff takes their ethical and moral obligation to their clients extremely seriously. All services performed at the center are under a cloak of confidentiality and all members of the staff are sworn to uphold this unless the person is threatening him/herself or someone else. Since Dr. David Onestak has been in charge of the center, he does not recall one instance where these values have been compromised—or even close to compromised. This confidentiality is to protect the students; however, it makes it especially difficult for the center to promote any of the lifesaving work that they do inside the building. Although the center plays a critical role on JMU’s campus, they must remain very understated and cannot disclose the tragedies that have been averted because of their help.

Utilizing word of mouth strategies

Currently, the center’s communication strategy relies heavily on word-of-mouth from clients who have used the services. The center also relies on Resident Advisors as well as Student Ambassadors giving tours to make the center known on campus. In addition to this, the staff spends time during orientation to talk to the freshmen and their parents about the services provided at the center. The center also has a small excerpt in the One Book, which is given to every student explaining the organizations and resources on campus. The idea here is that freshmen will then know where the center is and will remember that during their four-year-stay. The CSDC also uses its staff and out-sourced staff members to create liaisons in certain parts of campus. These liaisons are used to develop relationships with key groups of students such as

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international, non-traditional, LBGT, and first generation. It is clear that relying on word of mouth has been extremely successful for the center. This is not surprising; as word of mouth has been attributed to being the most influential form of communication in influencing consumers and attracting clientele (Yang, Hu, Winer, Assael, & Chen, 2012). Since the 2000’s, the CSDC has seen a 120% increase in the number of clients and a 160% increase in the number of sessions over this same time-period. This means that without any formal promotion, the center has continually grown. Utilizing word of mouth is an extremely effective strategy.

Weaknesses

Lack of online resources for JMU students to access

The center has a webpage available for students to access, but our survey revealed 78.8% of respondents have never accessed online material provided by the CSDC. The survey also revealed 84.9% of respondents said they would access online resources as an alternative to counseling when needed, if these resources were provided. These survey results reveal the opportunity to create online resources for all JMU students to access on their webpage as an alternative to scheduling individual appointments at the CSDC.

Additionally, after reviewing the center’s webpage in comparison to other university counseling web pages, several findings are noted. The findings reveal CSDC lacks in overall information regarding the service of group therapy, the specific group sessions the center offers and student reluctance. If the CSDC took ideas from the other universities, their web page could improve drastically and help them to fulfill their primary mission of serving the entire student population.

Developing online resources could alleviate the stress of too many students requesting individual appointments, and direct some students in the right direction for help, especially if they do not necessarily need an individual appointment. The primary mission of the center is to help serve the entire population at JMU, and while not all JMU students are in need of individual therapy sessions, some may want to seek help that can be provided easily in the form of online resources.

Low budget

A major internal weakness that the center faces is its lack of resources and low budget. This makes things extremely difficult internally for the CSDC in terms of campaigning, out reach, and increasing staff size. The center does not have any of the resources available to create a campaign which would require funds, or any outside resources for that matter. Dr. Onestak stressed to our team the importance of understanding that any campaign proposal for the center must revolve around utilizing zero monetary funds and zero extra time from the small staff. The low budget affects the size of the staff that the CSDC can employ. Without a budget increase from JMU, the CSDC cannot spend money on increasing their staff size.

Small staff

The center’s internal structure is made up of 13 senior staff members, 2 pre-doctoral interns, 1 post-doctoral intern and a handful of trainees and undergraduate interns. All the interns and the

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trainees report directly to the senior staff members who report to the director of the CSDC, Dr. Onestak. Due to the nature of counseling centers, only certified doctorate staff members are allowed to see and give guidance to student and staff clientele. As the number of clients utilizing the services of the center has steadily increased over the last ten years, the schedules of the counselors have become extremely overwhelmed. With such a small staff, this leaves the counselors with a full schedule (see Appendix A). Dr. Onestak explained that his employees often do not have any allotted time in their schedule to physically leave the building. Because of this, a few years ago, the center had to completely change its internal strategies and Dr. Onestak does not believe that the center can run any more efficiently with its current resources. Resources not readily available to key publics

The only way to acquire more information about the center is by visiting the Varner House itself or the website; however, these are rarely promoted. Because of this, there is a large unaware public on JMU’s campus that is uninformed of the services that are available to them. Results from our survey indicate that 50.1% of participants could not correctly identify what the CSDC stands for. The lack of promotion and communication revolves around the fact that the center can never turn a student away. This creates a complex situation because; although Dr. Onestak wants to help every student he physically cannot because he does not have the allocated resources available.

Visibility: students unable to define what CSDC stands for—brand confusion

Our survey revealed that 50.1% of JMU students could not identify what the acronym “CSDC” stands for, and 34.7% of these individuals admitted to having never heard of CSDC at JMU at all. While the CSDC does not want to increase the number of students who seek their help, these statistics do not align with their mission of helping the entire student population. If the student population is unable to recognize who they are, how can students seek their services? This lack of organizational identity is an extremely large threat to the CSDC, especially since the center is moving from Varner House to Montpelier Hall next year.

At this time, many students refer to the CSDC by their current location, “Varner House.” The inability to recognize CSDC by their actual name will create brand-recognition issues when the CSDC makes the move to Montpelier Hall next year. With students unable to recognize the acronym, CSDC, students will not be able to seek the CSDC services they may need.

Opportunities

Reputation: very good feedback from students who have visited the center

Many of the students who have visited the CSDC have given the center positive feedback in regards to their appointment. The CSDC website section labeled, “Student Feedback,” indicates the following:

• 96% indicated that they were able to schedule an initial appointment in a reasonable period of time

• 94% reported that their counselor understood their concerns

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• 95% indicated that their counselor seemed skilled and competent• 97% reported that they felt that their information would be kept

completely confidential• 60% reported that counseling helped them to be more successful in school

(24% answered "N/A")

Positive feedback indicates that the staff is successful in maintaining relationships with their student clients. Even though the center is operating with a lack of staff members, lack of funding from the university and an increasing student interest in the organization (see Appendix B), staff members are still able to manage successful organizational performance.

Supporters: several organizations on campus have some similar interest as CSDC—could be used in partnership to put on programs, etc.

Currently the CSDC does not have as many relationships with JMU organizations and clubs as the center could potentially acquire. JMU currently has over 350 organizations on-campus for the CSDC to forge relationships with. Staff members should consider forming alliances with groups on-campus that have similar values and concerns.

A great organization for CSDC to team-up with is Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). According to their JMU webpage, CAPS “offers affordable outpatient mental health services to the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community while providing students in the Department of Graduate Psychology experience in assessment and treatment of psychological problems. CAPS is equipped to provide individual, couple, and family therapy as well as to conduct intellectual and psychological assessments across the lifespan.”

In addition to CAPS, the CSDC could team up with organizations and their specific philanthropies. The sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma, takes part in Leslie George Eating Disorder Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for the CSDC to foster a relationship, so perhaps in the future Sigma Sigma Sigma could help the CSDC put on programs dealing with Eating Disorders and awareness. This could be a way for the CSDC to gain some extra help when other organizations’ goals and philanthropies align with the centers.

Developing relationships with other organizations on-campus is extremely important and could help the CSDC reach more people and break through barriers with their key publics. When two organizations team up for a common mission, the energy of both organizations offers the opportunity for strategic communication initiatives.

Moving to larger location that will allow for all staff to be on the same floor

Moving to the new building opens up many opportunities and advantages for the CSDC. The large space allows all of the staff members to be on the same floor, something they have never experienced before. It also allows the CSDC to have a more formal waiting room for clients and private sections for those clients who do not want to be seen by anyone else. The new move will also conveniently locate them near similar departments. Currently, Montpellier is home to the health center, CAPS and other student wellness services. This gives the CSDC great

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opportunities to start partnerships and alliances with these other health organizations, particularly CAPS because they will be sharing the floor together.

Unpaid Interns

While the lack of budget from the university and the lack of staff members is something the CSDC cannot control internally, it leaves the center with the opportunity for unpaid interns. Students from the psychology department and other relevant departments could have the chance to gain an internship experience, while helping alleviate some of the stress from the CSDC staff members.

Although these interns cannot perform the counseling tasks the CSDC staff members perform, they could help develop webpage material and other tasks staff members otherwise would not be able to perform without the help from theses individuals. For the CSDC, unpaid interns will yield extra hands to develop the programs already in place, continue the website’s development, and run a social media campaign.

Although an internship is not a “degree requirement” for students in the psychology major at JMU, internships are encouraged and help students gain real-world experience to work toward careers in the future. According to the University of Vermont Career Services Blog article titled, “3 Reasons Why Internships are Important for Today’s College Student,” many employers look for students who have had internship and co-op experience because they know the value these experiences bring. Internships not only provide students with an edge over other students when applying for jobs, they also help the organization. According to the Huffington Post article titled, “How Can Interns Help Your Company,” interns are a win-win situation for both the intern and for the business, and provide businesses with “free help.”

Threats

Stigma of mental health may make some uncomfortable utilizing CSDC’s services

A factor for the center to be aware of is opposition groups on-and-off campus. Specific groups that could oppose CSDC services would be individuals, or families, who are under the impression or not aware that mental health is not a real health issue. Students seeking the CSDC services may hesitate to make an appointment and get the help they need out of embarrassment and fear that they will be made fun of, seen as a “crazy person,” or looked at differently, due to the stigma of mental health.

The article titled, “Attitudes Toward Career Counseling: The Role of Public and Self-Stigma,” states, “public views tend to be negative toward those seeking counseling and that people may avoid counseling to avoid this negative societal label... if friends or family have a positive view of counseling, we may be more likely to actually pursue counseling” (Vogel, Wade, & Hackler, 2007, p. 2). This means students who may need to seek the services of the CSDC, may not be inclined to seek help if their friends or family have a negative view towards counseling.

Although mental health is becoming increasingly widely recognized, there are still individuals

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who do not know, agree, or are aware of the seriousness of mental health. These types of opponents may be the individuals who need the help themselves, or they may influence others to not seek the help they need. These opposition groups have been effective in the past, but are predicted to decrease in effectiveness as mental health becomes accepted and recognized on a global scale.

In a study titled, “Help-Seeking and Access to Mental Health Care in a University Student Population,” the most commonly reported reason [students in the study did not receive services provided by the university] included lack of a perceived need, the belief that stress is normal in school, and a lack of time” (Eisenburg, Goldberstein, & Gollust, 2007, p. 600). Students may not seek help because they think what they are feeling is “normal.”

It is also important for the CSDC to be aware of the threat that an individual’s lack of knowledge concerning mental health can have on their services. Our survey revealed that 81.8% respondents did not choose the correct answer when asked what is recommended when assisting an individual in distress. It is important for JMU Students to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of an individual in stress, for the sake of that individual and for the CSDC to be able to help him or her. The CSDC needs to educate the JMU student population of the signs and symptoms of a distressed individual so students can identify those in need, and so they can get them the help they need.

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

The lack of available resources, specifically in online form, is creating a disconnect between the CSDC’s mission statement and their identity. Furthermore, the low visibility and knowledge of the CSDC’s brand could potentially cause an obstacle for those students seeking help.

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References

Eisenberg, D., Golberstein, E., & Gollust, S. (2007). Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population. Medical Care, 45(7), 594-601.

James Madison University CSDC Services. (2013). Group counseling. Retrieved from http://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr/services/group-counseling.shtml

James Madison University. (2011-2012). Feedback from CSDC 2011-2012 Client Evaluations. Retrieved from http://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr/about/feedback.shtml

Kadison, R. K., & DiGeronimo, T. F. (2004). College of the overwhelmed: The campus mental health crisis and what to do about it. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kurtz, R. (2011, August 15). How can interns help your company. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/18/how-can-interns-help-your-company_n_918983.html

Mahmoud, J. S. R., Staten, R., Hall, L. A., & Lennie, T. A. (2012). The relationship among young adult college students' depression, anxiety, stress, demographics, life satisfaction, and coping styler. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33, 149-156.

Onestak, D. (2013, February 8). Interview by VM Montano [Personal Interview].

University of Delaware Center for Counseling and Student Development. (2013). Group counseling. Retrieved from http://www.udel.edu/Counseling/groupcounseling.html

University of Maryland University Counseling Center. (2013). Available counseling/ psychotherapy services. Retrieved fromhttp://www.counseling.umd.edu/Services/csservices.htm

University of Richmond Counseling and Psychological Services. Groups and workshops. Retrieved from http://caps.richmond.edu/services/groups-and- workshops.html

UVA Department of Student Health. (2013). Counseling and psychological services: Group psychotherapy at CAPS. Retrieved from http://www.virginia.edu/studenthealth/caps.html

Villanova University Counseling Center. (2013). Group counseling. Retrieved fromhttp://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/studentlife/counselingcenter/services/group.html

Vogel, D., Wade, N., & Hackler, A. (2007). Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The mediating roles of self-stigma and attitudes towards counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54(1), 40-50.

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Yang, S., Mantian Hu, Winer, R. S., Assael, H., & Chen, X. (2012). An empirical of word-of-mouth generation and consumption. Marketing Science, 31(6), 952-963. Retrieved from Ebscohost.

(2011, October, 18). 3 Reasons why internships are important for today’s college student. [Blog]. Retrieved from http://www.uvm.edu/~career/blog/?p=595

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APPENDIX A

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APPENDIX B

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SURVEY FINDINGS

Internal Interview:2011-2012 school year: 71% female, 29% maleDr. Onestak did mention that the amount of male clients is steadily increasing.

82% of clients are Caucasian, 5% are African American, 4% Asian American and 10% is made up of various ethnicities.

The average age of client is 18.2, freshmen making up 24.3%, sophomores 23.8%, juniors 23.5% and seniors 23.2%.

Due to this even distribution they are not targeting any grade at this time.

External Survey:How many years completed?12.1% less than one (Freshman)15.2% one (Sophomore)15.2% two (Junior)30.3% three (Senior)27.3% four (Super Senior)

Average results find that 72.8% have been at JMU 2+ years

Key Public Responses:50.1% of respondents could not identify what CSDC stands for. Furthermore, the results showed that 34.7% of respondents have never even heard of CSDC at JMU 78.8% respondents have never accessed online material provided by the CSDC84.9% respondents said they would access online resources as an alternative to counseling when needed81.8% respondents did not choose the correct answer when asked what is recommended when assisting an individual in distress

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torimontano.weebly.com€¦ · Web viewcompany overview The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) is the leading mental health organization on the James Madison campus