5.1 Diversity and Inclusiveness Recruitment Policy
The University of North Florida (UNF) Clinical
Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program recognizes, acknowledges and values
principles of diversity, inclusiveness, equal rights and social justice. Acceptance of these principles directs our
need to maintain a commitment to equal opportunity in recruitment of students.
Also important is our recognition of the need for a diverse faculty to be
mentors and role models for students.
UNF strives to increase its recruitment and
retention of a diverse student and faculty population. It is therefore the goal of the CMHC program
to follow UNF’s modeling to employ a variety of approaches for recruiting and
retaining diverse populations and for maintaining openness to the importance of
inclusiveness. With a focus on this
goal, the following strategies are employed.
- Establishing outreach and personal
contact with potential minority students
- Maintaining and
increasing mentor accessibility with university academic advising offices,
faculty, and staff
- Strengthening relationships
with minority churches and organizations that provide services predominately to
minority populations
- Active
involvement on community advisory boards for minority operated behavioral
health services organizations
- Active
involvement on community LGBT and related boards
- Increasing
attendance at community culturally relevant events
- Increasing
communication and collaboration with Edward Waters College, a local
Historically Black College
- Using holistic
and equitable admissions requirements (i.e., using multiple criteria)
- Seeking to employ minority faculty
members
- Continuing to support a systematic
university affirmative action program.
5.2 Ethical/Legal Awareness
CMHC students are required to adhere to the
American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and the Ethical Standards of the
Florida Department of Health licensing board.
Since this program is practitioner-based students train with
client/counselor roles. These roles are considered a simulation of the client/counselor
relationship and, therefore, subject to ethical and legal regulations governing
these types of relationships. Given the
importance of ethics and the law, students are required to take MHS 6700:
Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Counseling during
their first semester where they review professional and state licensing code of
ethics and legal practice requirements. Students are required to sign
statements of ethical and legal awareness prior to beginning all clinical
experiences.5.3 Student Endorsement Policy
Faculty members in the
CMHC Master’s Degree Program have adopted endorsement guidelines as provided in
the current version of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of
Ethics. Per the ACA Code of Ethics (2005), “F.5.d. Endorsement:
Supervisors endorse supervisees for certification, licensure, employment, or
completion of an academic or training program only when they believe
supervisees are qualified for the endorsement. Regardless of qualifications,
supervisors do not endorse supervisees whom they believe to be impaired in any
way that would interfere with the performance of the duties associated with the
endorsement” (p. 14).
In the academic setting,
endorsement includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
- Approving a student for graduation clearance once he or she has
completed all academic requirements of the CMHC Master’s Degree Program and has
not demonstrated impairment as defined by the ACA Code of Ethics
- Preparing a letter of reference for a student for employment, a
credential (e.g., LMHC, LPC), a doctoral program, etc.
- Fielding a telephone call, written, or digital request from a
potential employer, credentialing body, institution of higher learning, etc.,
regarding a student’s potential for success in the field of clinical mental
health counseling.
5.4 Program Endorsement Policy
At various times
students require an endorsement – a verbal or written recommendation – from
program faculty in order to:
- Obtain graduation clearance after
application for graduation has been submitted and once all academic
requirements of the CMHC Program are completed
- Secure a practicum or internship placement
- Gain employment after graduation from the
program
- Obtain licensure as a mental health
counselor or other counseling credential
- Apply for doctoral, professional, or other
graduate degree programs
When
students applyforgraduation,
advisors in the Brooks College of Health Academic Advising Office; the
student’s program mentor; the CMHC Clinical Director; CMHC Program Director;
and the Department Chairperson review their records. Careis taken
toensurethateverystudent has
completed therequirements
oftheprogram.Iffacultyandadministration find
thestudent has successfullycompletedall necessarycoursework,thestudent’sfileisforwardedto
theRegistrar’s
Office.
In accordance with the
ACA Code of Ethics (2005; Section F.5.d.) students are endorsed by faculty only
for a position or credential for which they have been prepared. Students should
be aware of this policy and seek endorsement only for employment and
credentials that are appropriate given the student’s training, coursework and
supervised experience qualifications. Students should request verbal and/or
written references well ahead of due dates and permit faculty reasonable lead
time to prepare these.
Upon successful
completion of the Master of Science degree in CMHC, students are eligible for
licensure in the state of Florida as Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). The
Clinical Director will providethe Florida Board for
Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health
Counseling with an official endorsement letter. This “letter of validation”
attests to the fact that each student has successfully completed 1,000 hours of
supervised field experience in a clinical mental health setting. The letter is
sent directly to the Florida Board and a personal copy provided to students.
5.5 Non-Discrimination Policy Regarding Persons with Disabilities
The CMHC program adheres to UNF’s
non-discrimination policies as stated on the ADA Compliance office website. UNF is
committed to creating a culture of sensitivity for individuals with
disabilities where inclusion is essential to contributing towards a society
that eliminates exclusion and segregation. It is UNF’s goal to continuously
improve the accessibility of our campus, programs, and activities for
individuals with disabilities. Promoting our goal to move beyond compliance is
imperative to create an environment where access to programs and facilities
appears seamless.
In keeping with UNF’s philosophy, the CMHC
program does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment,
admissions and retention of students, faculty or staff. The CMHC program also adheres to specified
federal laws and regulations in the operation of any of its program and all
program related activities. Copies of
ADA Compliance Documents are available upon request.
Additional information is also available from:
Rocelia Gonzalez, Director
|ADA Compliance|1 UNF Drive, Building 6, Room 1314|Jacksonville, Florida
32224|Phone: 904-620-2870.
(See Appendix C for Disability Etiquette guidelines)
5.6 Background Check and Professional Liability Insurance
Students
are
notrequired
to purchase professional liability insurance as long as theyareenrolled
in the Clinical
Mental Health Program.
The University covers this for students.
Background
Checks:
Fortheprotection of all vulnerable populations withwhom students
will beworking,abackground check
willberequired
the semester prior to the beginning of the
clinical experiences. To meet thecontractualobligationsforTheBrooks CollegeofHealth, the background check must bedonethrough
theCertified Background Checkvendor, which is sanctioned
bytheCollege. This
is theonlyvender
accepted
by TheBrooksCollegeofHealth. The background check is valid for one full
year.
The CertifiedBackground packagecodeforthe Clinical
Mental Health Counselingprogram
is UA39. Additionally,your clinical site mayalso requirethatyou
doa backgroundcheck using
theirvendor. This is unfortunate,
but is sometimes the
case.
Informationrevealedbya backgroundcheckmay:
- Prohibit participation in required
practicum and/orfield experiences.
- Prohibit studentsfrom taking required
post-graduatestateandnational examinations forlicensure and/orcertificationand/orpost-graduate
internships.
If you have concerns regarding a background check be sure and discuss
this with the Clinical Director ortheProgram Director.
