(vol 2.0) FITA Manual: Translating Institutional Mental Health Intention into Program Action Dr. John A. Meissner, C.Psych. Dana Truelove, M.Ed.,CCC, R.P. Larry McCloskey, M.A., M.S.W. © 2014-17 Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development through the Mental Health Innovation Fund. This support has given renewed life to a project that has worked to improve the lives of a large number of people at a critical juncture in their lives. We would also like to thank Carleton University and Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President (Students and Enrollment) for seeking new solutions to challenging problems. Staff at the Paul Menton Centre at Carleton University have played an important, valued and useful role in the development of the From Intention to Action program. Colleagues and collaborators at the University of Toronto (St. George) and Humber College are highly valued for making extensive contributions. Thank you to Tanya Lewis, Meg Houghton, Meghan Litteljohn, Andrew Garnet and your colleagues for your support and assistance in mapping the range of possibilities for the FITA program. Thanks to our FITA staff of professionals, Sara Antunes-Alves, Robert Konecki, and Genna Pearce who have provided insight and effort in refining this manual as well as for their dedication and commitment to continually improving this program. Finally, I would like to thank my coauthors, Larry McCloskey for his long range vision and indefatigable efforts and Dana Truelove for her intelligent and passionate commitment to the development of the FITA program. John A Meissner July 2017 Table of Contents Preface .................................................. 5 Appendices ......................................... 57 1. Introduction ....................................... 7 Documents for recruiting interns .......... 59 2. FITA’s Theoretical Model: Integrated Internship Job Description ................... 61 advising, eclectic counselling, and at times, intrusive intervention ......... 12 Resources for Interns ........................... 63 3. Student Commitment: Interns and Coordinators FITA is not for everyone, nor is it a Your first meeting with a student .......... 65 casual choice ................................... 17 Preparing for a Testing Session ............ 69 4. The Therapeutic Alliance: The bottom line ............................... 19 Assessment Results Summary Template ............................................. 75 The Structure of FITA ......................... 21 Third party release form ....................... 77 5. The Interview: Is FITA the right fit? ... 22 Outside Referrals ................................. 79 6. Assessment: 3 Knowing the score early on .............. 27 The MBTI and Learning Styles .............. 83 7. The Academic Audit: FITA Grade Goal Setting: A roadmap to graduation ................. 33 For use with SACDS Referrals ............... 89 8. The Use of Master’s Level Interns ..... 34 Academic Functioning Questionnaire (AFQ-R)................................................ 91 9. What Does a FITA Session Entail? ..... 36 Academic Functioning Questionnaire FITA’s Connections .............................. 37 (AFQ) Scoring Guide ............................ 93 10. FITA Is an Integrated Part of the Intake Resources .................................. 95 Larger University Network of Student Service Providers ............... 38 Interview questions for prospective FITA students ....................................... 97 11. Recruitment Strategy ...................... 40 Flow Chart ........................................... 99 12. Transferability ................................ 42 Student Application ............................101 13. Practical Issues in Starting a FITA Pilot Program. ....................... 51 Parent/guardian consent form .............103 FITA Manual Student Contract ................................105 Student Resources ..............................107 Testing: What to expect ...................................109 Grade tracker ......................................111 Assignment tracker .............................113 Weekly goal setting ............................115 Feedback Sheet ..................................117 Exit Interview Cover Sheet ..................119 Recruitment Poster .............................121 Resources for High School Guidance Counsellors .........................................123 Guidance Counsellor Letter ................125 Handout for High School Teachers and Guidance Counsellors ..................127 4 Student Testimonials ...........................129 “No” Feedback Letter .........................135 Online Testing Instructions for Students .............................................137 Letter of Informed Consent .................139 Executive Summary 2013–2014 ............141 Executive Summary 2014–2015 ............145 Executive Summary 2015–2016 ............149 Executive Summary 2016–2017 ............153 The Effects of a Combined Academic and Personal Counselling Initiative for Post-Secondary Student Retention ......157 Preface Preface We believe that the focus on mental health issues across primary, secondary, and post-secondary systems has increased expectations regarding the need for more services. As awareness increases, so too does the demand for services (beyond the already developed and useful services such as web sites, 24 hour help lines, and peer support). We believe that ongoing, skilled personal support for vulnerable students does This manual offers a clear model of student service not require a doctoral or medical degree nor does that can be employed in starting up similar programs such support require the costs to train and retain such in other colleges, universities, and high schools. Our personnel. At the same time the costs of increasing research indicates that the FITA program can make masters level counselling services, while less onerous, significant changes in the lives of students and the may still be hard to sustain in light of the many financial educational institutions that are central in building demands faced by colleges and universities. human capital. This program adds to the capacity to support highly vulnerable students and to improve Employing graduate interns is consistent with the reality mental health, achievement and over time, retention. that students in medical school can work in hospitals to further goals to combine learning with valued work Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent which advances the goals of the health system. In the psychological disorders to emerge that affect post- same way, students working toward the career goals of secondary academic performance. Current research addressing mental health needs can help students in (e.g., Eisenburg et al., 2012) reports that symptoms their own institution acquire improved psychological of both depression and anxiety predict academic well-being while learning their vocation. performance in university students. As symptom levels increase, grades drop and the likelihood of dropping Universities that have graduate programs in clinical out or being suspended also increases. social work, psychology, and counselling could develop a FITA program as part of a practicum program. 5 FITA provides a model that could increase cost-effective With a FITA program, universities can augment their support for vulnerable students in a systematic program departments of health and counselling services that in that is evidence-based with research over the last many cases have established waiting lists for students in four years showing that: need. • the most distressed students make the most The intake process as outlined in this manual allows for significant gains in psychological well-being students to be referred to less intrusive programs if they are not accepted into the FITA program. These less • a therapeutic alliance develops over time, which intensive programs can offer appropriate supports to research shows has the greatest impact towards bring about positive improvements. Students accepted therapeutic change into FITA complete an assessment and feedback session. Students at very high risk are referred to • students on Academic Warning who face the resources outside of FITA while continuing to receive prospect of suspension make significant gains in weekly support from their FITA Coordinator. This allows learning and study skills as well as improvements in for a differential assessment of student need while Major and Overall Grade Point Averages providing a base of support to bridge the time needed to arrange additional supports. This approach adds to • students continuing FITA a second time show the level of risk management efforts offered at the post- significant gains in overall GPA secondary level that are gaining increasing attention as distressed students act out to bring attention to • students show a high level of appreciation for their suffering. FITA support FITA Manual FITA provides much needed and highly valued training • improve academic performance in subsets of to unpaid graduate students who are entering the students on Academic Warning counselling profession. They provide an important service to ‘overwhelmed’ students and demonstrate • contribute to training a new generation of counsellors and psychotherapists • provide a new in-house internship program for programs in counselling fields " FITA provides a model that could increase cost-effective • develop this program initially