Use this brief to understand learn how three institutions designed dynamic staffing models for their counseling centers to be responsive to student demand. Then, use the discussion guide to explore dynamic staffing models as a solution to fluctuating counseling center demand on your campus.
Across the U.S. and Canada, counseling centers face stagnant budgets and staffing levels as well as fluctuating demand for service across the year. Most institutions cannot hire enough full-time staff to meet the demand for campus services, leading some counseling centers to explore dynamic staffing models.
Providing 24/7 support, or after-hours crisis care, is a significant challenge for many college and university counseling centers. Providing this type of care in-house can lead to staff burnout and strained clinical resources. It can also lead to capped utilization, as this service might be sparingly advertised to students and campus stakeholders in order to maintain a manageable call load.
However, institutions recognize that after-hours support that is in sync with campus resources is critical for ensuring student well-being, campus safety, and continuity of care. Many institutions have recently contracted with an after-hours call service or were currently pursuing such an option to alleviate the demand on campus staff.
This resource is part of The Essential Guide to Cost Containment Strategies for Higher Education. Access this guide for 500+ critical tactics for immediate and long-term cost savings.
The impact of providing after-hours care in-house…
Staff burnout: Expanded hours and responsibilities lead to exhaustion among staff
Strained clinical resources: Reduces availability of staff to provide direct service during standard operating hours
Capped utilization: Sparingly advertised to campus to maintain a manageable call load
… is prompting counseling centers
to consider outsourcing
“We outsourced our weekend on-call services just to give our overworked staff some relief.”
“When we have staff cover our on-call services, they’re coming in late or leaving early the next day which leaves us shorthanded for the daily rush of students.”
“We know that there’s a need for late night support, but we just don’t have the resources to manage more callers right now.”
Wesleyan University partners with ProtoCall to offer after-hours support
Wesleyan University contracts with a third-party vendor, ProtoCall, to offer after-hours support. ProtoCall’s services are integrated with Wesleyan’s counseling center, which allows for a seamless care transition for students and the institution. Outsourcing after-hours care also alleviates the burden on overworked staff and can free up time for clinicians to spend with students.
Freeing up time and resources
190
100
University of Maryland’s seasonal contracting model
The University of Maryland’s seasonal contracting model uses a data-informed approach to maximizing clinical resources across the year. Each year, Maryland’s counseling center analyzes data to isolate peak periods of demand and identifies local clinicians available to work part-time on campus for short-term engagements. Through this model, Maryland has been able to increase the capacity of the counseling center during high-demand periods.
228%
Georgia State University develops innovative hybrid staffing model
Facing stagnant staffing, limited flexibility, and increasing levels of student dissatisfaction, Georgia State University developed an innovative hybrid staffing model. This model dramatically changed Georgia State’s approach to staffing, increasing the institution’s capacity to see students and serve their evolving needs.
Georgia State University’s hybrid staffing model strategically uses data to match resources with students’ evolving demands for services. The bulk of Georgia State’s workforce consists of contracted staff that are hired based on how their specialties, skills, and experience align with the institution’s current needs.
Discussion guide: Which model should be prioritized on your campus?
Rank the three models in order of prioritization on campus and explore additional discussion questions to evaluate care. Then answer the following questions:
- How do we currently provide after-hours, or 24/7, support to students, faculty and staff, and others who call the counseling center for support outside of business hours?
- How do we utilize contracted staff or community practitioners to supplement the services that in-house staff offer on campus? What works well with this approach? What could be better?
- How is the increased demand for campus mental health services affecting campus counseling center staff? How do these impacts influence the ability of the center to care for students?
- How could we change our staffing model to be more flexible and adaptable to students’ changing demographics and needs on campus?
- What campus or community data do we need to determine how we might pursue a dynamic staffing model on campus?
This resource requires EAB partnership access to view.
Access the research report
Learn how you can get access to this resource as well as hands-on support from our experts through Strategic Advisory Services.
Learn More