Memorial University has released a statement commenting on the funding cuts to the Student Wellness and Counselling Centre (SWCC) and the public discussion surrounding the fear that its accreditation is at risk, potentially affecting the Doctoral Residency in Professional Psychology program.
The release states that it is important to distinguish between the SWCC and the Doctoral Residency in Professional Psychology program.
“The SWCC does not require accreditation to operate, whereas the Doctoral Residency in Professional Psychology program is an accredited program run through the SWCC. The program is in the normal process of re-accreditation, and we are hopeful that its longstanding record of accreditation will be maintained,” the release notes.
In the release, the university recognizes the important role of the Doctoral Residency program in training clinical psychologists in and for the province, as well as the training that occurs at the SWCC for other programs.
Additionally, it states, “The faculty complement to Memorial’s SWCC has remained stable at six full-time employees for the past decade. Though some are currently unfilled, no faculty positions have been eliminated during that timeframe. Funding continues to be provided to support the salaries of the doctoral residents who
complete their year-long internships as part of the Doctoral Residency in Professional Psychology program. There are two new residents starting in September, who will provide counselling services tostudents as part of their program.”
The release affirms that the university is committed to adequately resourcing the SWCC to provide students with a high-level and wide range of services.
Also, providing the following description of services provided to students through the SWCC:
“The SWCC, which falls within the Associate Vice-President (Academic) and Dean of Students’ portfolio, provides an extensive range of virtual and in-person services to students, including access to physicians, nurses, peer supporters, counsellors, psychologists, case managers and a psychiatrist. Students can make requests for counselling online through the SWCC portal and during their initial appointment will be referred to the appropriate internal or external service. In addition to these in-house services, there is free 24/7 mental wellness support for students, through keep.meSAFE, which provides students with virtual real-time and/or appointment-based in 60+ languages for any school, health, or general life concern at no cost.”