Few institutions of higher education can match the beautiful and safe environment that envelopes Plymouth State University, which provides the foundation for a culture of campus wellness and health that sustains and strengthens the community. At Plymouth State, students have many avenues for contributing to the health of the world around them and, if needed, benefiting from well-designed health services.

Addressing the substance use epidemic

The opioid crisis has hit New Hampshire particularly hard with the state ranked near the top of those most impacted, yet it faces a shortage of behavioral health professionals, clinical mental health counselors, school counselors, and school psychologists. Plymouth State’s Counselor Education and School Psychology Department is addressing the crisis, both on-campus and across the state, through educational programs and measures aimed at boosting the numbers of experienced professionals.

 

Cindy Waltman

Gary Goodnough

Robin Hausheer

In August, PSU received notice of $400,000 in additional funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). PSU is using the grant to expand the number of clinical mental health workers partnering with professionals treating substance use disorder, including opioid use, in underserved areas of the state. PSU is also increasing the public awareness of this integrated model of care and of treatment resources available to families.

PSU was one of only 20 colleges and universities nationwide to qualify for this latest round of funding. Professors Cindy Waltman, Gary Goodnough, and Robin Hausheer are the grant’s principal investigators.

Four clinical mental health graduate students have recently begun their yearlong practicum experiences, which will later become internships. Sites include HealthFirst family care centers in Franklin and Laconia, NH; Manchester (NH) Community Health Center; and Plymouth’s Mid-State Health Center.

Another partnership involves Communities for Alcohol- and Drug-Free Youth (CADY), a nonprofit based in Plymouth. PSU is collaborating with CADY to provide recovery coach training to support individuals in recovery and Narcan (Naloxone) training to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. “This integrates PSU that much more into the wider, central New Hampshire network of opioid use prevention and intervention initiatives,” says Goodnough.

PSU received two HRSA grants totaling $2 million in 2014 that lasted until 2017, when the University received another grant. PSU’s master’s level programs for clinical mental health counselors, school counselors, and school psychologists—together as an interdisciplinary team—were awarded a $1.9 million four-year HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Development grant* to expand the behavioral health workforce in rural and medically underserved areas. When completed this grant will result in a total of 116 stipends, and the new grant, which supplements the 2017 award, will provide 30 additional stipends through 2021.

The stipends provide graduate students involved in the program with $10,000 to offset their living expenses. “It’s really unusual for a master’s level student to receive a $10,000 stipend,” says Waltman, who points out that this distinguishes PSU from peer institutions. “The funding also allows us to provide many valuable professional development opportunities for our students and faculty.” Examples include attendance at the annual conferences of the American Counseling Association and the National Association of School Psychologists, and workshops provided by the New Hampshire Mental Health Counselors Association.

Departmental presentations aimed at the campus and wider communities have included a conference on substance use and co-sponsorship of one on human trafficking. On April 12, the Counselor Education and School Psychology Department will host a free, full-day workshop on opioid treatment and recovery.

Collegiate Recovery Community formed

Stephan Burdette ’19G

The feeling of being alone is one of the biggest problems facing those dealing with substance use issues, which prompted yet another HRSA-grant initiative. “The traditional culture on college campuses can tend to isolate people,” says Stephan Burdette ’19G, a clinical mental health graduate student with a concentration in addiction. “PSU’s open recovery meetings help people realize that they can find peer-to-peer support.”

Burdette is from Ohio, the epicenter of the opioid crisis, and plans to remain in New Hampshire after completing his degree. The HRSA grant funded his recovery coach training.

There are 174 collegiate programs like this nationwide but none in New Hampshire prior to the establishment of PSU’s program last semester, which follows successful models at other regional institutions.

The meetings began in the fall semester and are not limited to those committed to complete sobriety. “These are all-inclusive meetings,” says Burdette. “We welcome anyone who is in recovery or who has been affected by alcohol or substance misuse in their lives, or who want to make positive life changes.”

Healthy PSU Cluster project emphasizes
peer-to-peer coaching, education

Another peer-to-peer effort involves the University’s award-winning, research-based Healthy PSU program. The research-based program has been the wellspring of many organizational health and wellness projects, running the gamut from helping employees take advantage of their healthcare benefits and coordination of campus clean-up campaigns, to organizing daylong symposia featuring prominent guest speakers and spearheading successful University-wide health challenges. Healthy PSU’s latest endeavor is a community action, Integrated Cluster pilot project.

President Donald Birx (top row, third from right) and Healthy PSU Project Director Denise Normandin ’17G (bottom row, at left) joined student interns, staff, and Genavix HealthyCARE representatives to launch a new community action, Integrated Cluster pilot project.

Peer educators have been shown to have increased self-esteem, empathy, and openness, and they make healthier choices and are better prepared to move into careers in the health field. The project involves seven PSU project leaders/interns who are participating in a health coaching training program in collaboration with Genavix HealthyCARE of Manchester, NH. Plans call for the interns to provide recommendations for adapting the program for college students, and they will also evaluate the ease of use of associated technology.

“Individuals and families continue to suffer from the lack of education and support services to early detect and remediate poor and elevated health risks,” says Tricia Benton, co-founder of Genavix HealthyCARE. “An education that targets fitness, nutrition, behavior modification, and stress management is essential for students to develop the skillset to deliver initial and long-term results.” There is a growing demand for this skillset with the fitness, medical, and employer wellness industries, she notes.

The experience gained will be substantial, as students learn best practices from Genavix, the project’s external partner, and then share their knowledge in the PSU community. “This pilot will increase students’ knowledge and awareness of behaviors that reinforce the benefits of healthy living,” says Denise Normandin ’17G, Healthy PSU’s project director. “It’s an opportunity for students to do peer-to-peer health coaching while actually implementing a wellness program.”

“Students can engage with the growing culture of real-life, student-led health promotion initiatives,” says Jennifer Marcus ’19, Healthy PSU project assistant. “It puts Plymouth State University at the forefront of this movement of creating the well-rounded leaders of tomorrow.”

Other PSU project collaborators include Professor Suzanne Gaulocher of the Department of Health and Human Performance, and Andrew Guay, director of recreation programs.

Increased demand spurs
new Counseling Center programs

The demand for college mental health services has increased steadily across the nation in recent years, and this trend is clearly visible at the Plymouth State University Counseling Center. The center has responded with new programs and efficiencies that extend its services to meet the new reality.

The University’s Counseling Center features compassionate and well-credentialed staff.

The number of appointments has grown by approximately 50 percent since academic year 2012­–2013, along with a climb in the number of clients overall. At present, 12.5 percent of the student body is taking advantage of a range of services that includes individual psychotherapy and group therapy counseling. Consultation services are also provided to students and to staff, faculty, and parents.

“We fully respect the needs of each individual student,” says Dr. Robert Hlasny, center director, who has been associated with the center for 21 years. “Emergencies always receive top priority, of course, and we balance the needs of established clients with those who are new to our services.”

Outreach takes many forms, beginning with center presentations during the Summer Ascent and Panther Days orientation programs, meditation sessions and themed movie nights, and targeted presentations for parents and international students. The compassionate and well-credentialed staff has expertise in yoga and other disciplines that promote interactions and collaborations.

In addition, beyond the ten mental health professionals on staff, the center has two graduate-level clinical practicum students, including a PSU master’s clinical mental health counseling student and a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology, who provide services under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals.

Services are not limited to sit-down sessions at the center, which created a series of “Coping and Resiliency” workshops last semester that were open to all, including new clients waiting to be scheduled. Relaxation, time management, and mindfulness skills were among the topics covered.

JED Foundation collaboration

The Counseling Center provides referrals to helpful community resources both on- and off-campus and maintains a listing of state and national resources. In addition, the University has commenced a new partnership with the JED Foundation, a national leader in mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. Working with campus leaders and professionals, JED helps to create campus-wide prevention and intervention strategies and advises on best-practice mental health policies, programs, and services.

JED’s founders, Donna and Phil Satow, created the foundation following the suicide of Jed, their youngest son, in 1998. Today, JED is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health.

PSU joins the University of New Hampshire as the only Granite State institutions to have joined JED. Costs associated with PSU’s participation have been covered by a generous scholarship.

■ Peter Lee Miller

*This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number M01HP31386, Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Professionals, total award $1.9 million. This content is that of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.