Referral-based counseling is out, caseload counseling is in

PCC counseling has adopted a new counseling model this spring called community-based or caseload counseling, replacing the previous referral-based model.

This new model allows all students access to more counselors and appointments through PCC Connect, eliminating the need for a student service referral to make an appointment. Students have access to a network of counselors and advisors, called success teams, based on the community their major falls in, but they may also meet counselors and coaches outside of that community.

Majors are divided into six career communities: STEM; business and industry; health science and wellness; art, communication, and design; social and behavioral sciences; and lastly, liberal arts. Counseling services recognize that many students apply to PCC undecided on their major; undecided students are assigned to the liberal arts community.

In addition to increased access to counseling services, the counseling division hopes that this new model will help students feel more connected and have a sense of belonging at the school and with their counselors.

“One of the big reasons we’re doing this is that research shows that when students feel more connected,” Armando Duran, Dean of Counseling and Student Services, explains, “they’re more successful.”

Dean Duran encourages students who have already built a relationship with counselors to continue seeing those counselors. This new model allows students to see their connections through PCC Connect, including counselors previously seen by students. PCC Connect also permits students to make appointments based on what fits their schedule if they aren’t looking to see a specific counselor.

“The model seems like an easier way for students to schedule an appointment with a counselor,” says Lily Tran, a student services counselor. “Before, we had a lot of different processes for a student to get to us.”

Along with connection, counseling strives to include personal and academic aspects to the model. Counselors are currently participating in training to help them excel in providing external and educational support to students.

Dean Duran states that this model also focuses on being “proactive, not reactive.” This means that counseling will encourage students through email or text to visit a counselor before high-demand periods. High-demand periods, such as registration periods or the first weeks of a semester, bring in a higher quantity of students and make it more difficult for students to get access to counselors during the time they need. With reaching out to students, or “nudging,” as Dean Duran phrases it, counseling services hope students will get the help they need before appointments and drop-ins get too congested.

When asking students about this new model, they were eager to share their thoughts.

“[The previous referral model] was a little more inconvenient, so it sounds great to just pull up a computer and try to get a counselor when you need,” said Anabelle Torres, a third-semester student.

Dean Duran states that the overall goal of this new model is to improve student outcomes such as enrollment, retention, completion rates, and transfer rates. For now, only time will tell if these objectives will be met.