Q&A

What services are offered?

The Student Counseling program aims to maximize the wellbeing of students in order to help them achieve their professional and personal goals. Students commonly seek help for a variety of concerns, including depression and anxiety, stress and time management issues, difficulties in interpersonal relationships and struggles with adjustment to the pressures of the academic environment. Through the Student Counseling program, students can receive free individual counseling, couples counseling, and psychiatric medication.

Who offers the services?

The Student Counseling service is directed by Holly Vanderhoff, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the Department of Psychiatry faculty. Dr. Vanderhoff generally meets with students for an initial consultation and then makes recommendations for further services after that consultation. Dr. Vanderhoff provides most of the short-term counseling for students. Counseling services also are provided by Assistant Director Jill Thomas, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the Department of Psychiatry faculty. Students also may see advanced doctoral interns in clinical psychology or advanced residents in psychiatry for therapy. Students with their own health insurance may prefer to be referred to private therapists/psychiatrists in the Syracuse community. Dr. Vanderhoff can provide referrals if desired.

Who is eligible for services?

Services are available to all full- and part-time matriculated students at Upstate Medical University. Residents, as employees of the University, are advised to contact the Employee Assistance Program (464-5760) for services/referrals.

Where are the services offered?

The main office for Student Counseling is located in room 311 of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences building (PBS) at the corner of Almond and Harrison Street (713 Harrison St.). All interns and residents work out of the PBS building.

When are the services offered?

Student Counseling is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Most counseling begins on a once-weekly basis. Meetings can be scheduled more frequently during times of crisis and less frequently if desired. Students can reserve a fixed time each week or can schedule on a week-by-week basis. There is no formal 24-hour emergency service for Student Counseling. Each counselor makes individual arrangements with students for crisis coverage.

How do I make appointments?

Initial appointments are made with Dr. Vanderhoff (vanderhh@upstate.edu, 315 464-3120 ext: 4). Typically initial appointments occur within five to seven business days of the call. Once counseling has begun, appointments are scheduled between the student and counselor.

How long do appointments last?

Initial consultation appointments last for about an hour. Counseling appointments begin promptly on the hour and last about 45 minutes. If you arrive late to an appointment your counseling session may be shortened.

Are there limitations to services?

Unlike many counseling centers, the Student Counseling service does not limit the number of visits students can have during a year. Nevertheless, Student Counseling generally works from a short-term model of intervention and cannot provide long-term treatment for specialized needs or severe mental illnesses. If you need long-term assistance for emotional problems, please contact Dr. Vanderhoff and she will assist you with a referral. When a student has significant emotional health problems, it is his/her responsibility to secure insurance coverage needed for treatment. A limited number of sliding-scale fee mental health clinics are available in the Syracuse area; contact Dr. Vanderhoff for more information. Students are not seen in Student Counseling if they are receiving mental health services outside of Upstate Medical University. Further, Student Counseling generally does not provide services to students during formal leaves of absence from the University. If a leave becomes necessary, your counselor and/or Dr. Vanderhoff will provide referrals for ongoing care as needed.

What about confidentiality?

Every aspect of your counseling is treated as confidential. Information cannot be disclosed to a faculty member, dean, family member or friend without your written permission. There are several exceptions to this rule in New York State, however. If a counselor judges that you present an imminent threat of harm to yourself or someone else, s/he must disclose this to the appropriate authorities. If counselors become aware of child abuse, they are legally required to file a report. Counselors also must release confidential information when ordered to do so by a court of law.

Because Student Counseling is a health care service, information may be shared between Student Health and Student Counseling when medically necessary. Student Health is bound to the same rules of confidentiality as Student Counseling and never shares student medical information with academic personnel without the student's written permission.

Are records kept in Student Counseling?

Professional ethics and prudent health care practice dictate that all services be documented. Student Counseling records are brief and are kept only as long as New York State Law dictates and then are destroyed. The records are kept maintained securely in Student Counseling and are not accessible to faculty, administration or other students.

The record consists of the following:

• Service and Authorization form which indicates student authorization for the initial interview
• Initial Assessment Data sheet containing demographic information and reasons for treatment seeking
• Initial Summary, outlining the presenting problems and relevant history
• Progress Notes from each meeting
• Termination Summary
• Copies of written correspondence with Counseling staff

What if I am not happy with my counselor?

It is important that the person you meet with be someone who is sensitive to your needs and situation. The Student Counseling program is committed to treating all students with dignity and respect, in accordance with the highest professional standards of ethics. If you are not pleased with the help you are getting, please discuss this openly with your counselor. If you feel that the counselor is not addressing your concerns even after you have raised the relevant issues, you may pursue a change of counselor through Dr. Vanderhoff. Should you feel that your counselor has behaved unethically, please contact Dr. Vanderhoff or the Dean's office immediately.

Are there any fees for services?

All face-to-face and telephone contacts with the Student Counseling program staff are free of charge to students. Parents and insurers are never billed for these services. Should a student require psychiatric medications, however, he/she is responsible for the cost of the medication.

Does counseling really work?

A large volume of controlled outcome studies suggests that short-term counseling and psychotherapy are effective in reducing problems such as anxiety, depression, and interpersonal conflicts. Counseling can also be effective in teaching skills for better academic and social functioning. In addition, psychopharmacological interventions have been found to successfully treat a range of more significant emotional disorders. By providing support at times of need and helping students through the expectable stresses of a health sciences education, counseling can be a useful part of a student's experience.

When should I seek counseling?

If you have tried unsuccessfully to address a problem on your own and if the problem is interfering with your academic performance or emotional wellbeing, you might want to consider counseling. Seeking help promptly may minimize adverse effects of current difficulties on your academic, professional, social, and physical functioning.

We encourage you to contact Student Counseling if you desire services, have a suggestion for us, or simply want more information. We look forward to serving you.