NEW ORLEANS – The University of Holy Cross has launched a new program that allows students pursuing their doctorates and masters in counseling to offer free tele-counseling during the social distancing/isolation situation.
Students will be doing the counseling sessions from a HIPAA-complaint software on their individual laptops. Â Hours are from 11a to 8pm. They may expand hours based on demand.
On a weekly basis they see 100-120 clients on average, in person. They have 200 active clients on record right now (most weekly or bi-weekly), but the tele-counseling is open to anyone to call in for free of charge (part of mission of Marianites). Same # as counseling center 504.398.2168.
Step 1: Call in
Step 2: Talk to admin asst.
Step 3: Director assigns to students to conduct counseling session
Training was put together over the weekend (two nine-hour sessions) for more than 70 people who will do the counseling. Training possible for more, if necessary.
UHC doctoral students are already licensed as counselors. Masters students are supervised by faculty since they are not yet fully licensed. If a masters students run into an issue, they can invite a faculty supervisor into the session.
