To the Editor:
Recent articles in the Newsletter have noted the difficulties some candidates have in finding suitable control cases. One excellent source has not been stressed, i.e. local university and college student mental health services (SMH).
Careful selection and evaluation for analysis is often not possible by the busy SMH professional, who frequently has a mandated limit of 4-8 visits per student. However, raising the SMH staff's level of recognition and awareness of the potential control case is possible by developing the following program:
Having the Director of the Low Fee Clinic of the Institute contact the Director of SMH with an offer to arrange extended evaluations on an ability-to-pay basis.
Having a compatible senior analyst address the SMH staff on “Suitability for Analysis”, keeping in mind their need for rapid assessment and their level of expertise.
Sending a reminder of types of cases, mechanism for referrals, and fee schedule annually (in Aug.-Sept.) in order to inform new trainees to to the SMH staff.
Sending a “thank you” to the referring SMH professional, and, at the end of the academic year, to the Director of SMH.
Specifically inviting SMH staff to Institute lectures or workshops that would enhance their professional work. In large cities a workshop on “Selection of Students for Analysis” could be held for invited SMH staff from nearby universities and colleges.
When vacancies on SMH staff occur, encouraging candidates to apply, thereby having an “in-house” contact to enhance this process.
As proof of the above system, local candidates currently have at least seven control cases referred from our University SMH service via the Institute's Low Fee Clinic or directly, for higher fee patients. Following their supervisors' suggestions, candidates forward their needs (diagnosis, sex, age, acceptable fee) to the SMH contact and to the Director of Low Fee Clinic. Periodically these two meet to review current needs so that an inappropriately long waiting list does not develop, frustrating to the SMH professional, who usually feels the student requires immediate attention.
Obviously, the above system, to be successful, needs knowledgeability and cooperation among supervisors, candidates, the Director of the Low Fee Clinic for the local Institute, and SMH staffs. This does work!
Priscilla Day Boekelheide, M.D.
Chapel Hill