Counseling

Midwestern University understands that many students have personal concerns that may affect their academic and personal lives. In most instances, the student can overcome such issues independently. In other instances, normal peer-to-peer, student-faculty, or student-administrative assistance can serve either as motivation or guidance to the student, helping to resolve their concerns. In some cases, however, the efforts of the student, faculty member, administrator, or peer cannot resolve the student’s problem. A student may be advised to request a Leave-of-Absence from their Program Director/Dean until their personal issues are resolved.

Midwestern University provides individual counseling, support groups, and discussion forums for enrolled Midwestern University students at no cost through the Office of Student Services by on-campus licensed mental health professionals. Students requesting counseling undergo an intake process to identify reasons for seeking counseling services, assess safety, understand clinical needs, and develop a treatment plan to address the needs, including modality and frequency of sessions. Requests for counseling services are typically high, but we aim to schedule an initial appointment within two weeks of requests for services.

If the treatment recommendation is for weekly sessions, referrals to off-campus resources will be provided. All efforts are made to make referrals to providers on the student’s health insurance network to minimize cost to the student.

Midwestern University believes it is in the interest of the student, the student’s family, and the University to provide on-campus counseling to help students deal with a variety of personal concerns. Student Counseling Services will handle such problems in the following way:

• The University recognizes that almost any human concern can be successfully treated provided it is identified in the early stages and referral is made to an appropriate modality of care.
• The purpose of this policy is to assure students that if they have personal concerns that are affecting their academic and personal lives, they can receive assistance to help resolve their problem in an effective and confidential manner. Students are assured that utilizing the Student Counseling Service will be confidential, unless otherwise regarded by law.
• Concerns will be handled in a forthright manner.
• Students who have a problem that they feel may affect academic performance are encouraged to voluntarily seek counseling and information on a confidential basis by contacting the Student Counseling Service (see contact information below).
• It is strongly encouraged that the students comply with referrals and recommendations of the Student Counseling Service.

Midwestern University also offers TimelyCare, a virtual health and well-being support resource for enrolled students that is available 24/7 and is at no cost to the student. TimelyCare allows students to obtain an appointment when the on-campus counselors are not available, or when the student is off-campus or needs assistance after regular business hours. TimelyCare is an online 24/7 telehealth program that provides opportunities for on-demand and scheduled medical visits, on-demand emotional support, scheduled counseling visits, psychiatric services (by referral), health coaching, self-care journeys, a peer community, and basic needs support from community resources. TimelyCare services are provided via phone or secure video visit. Note, TimelyCare providers are not authorized to write notes to excuse absences from MWU rotations, school activities, or examinations, nor are they authorized to provide disability documentation for MWU accommodation requests. To access TimelyCare, go to timelycare.com/midwesternu to register using your MWU email. For TimelyCare support call 1(833) 4-TIMELY.

Procedures

To preserve confidentiality, on the Glendale campus students can make appointments directly with the Manager of Student Counseling (studentcounseling@midwestern.edu or 623 572-3740) and on the Downers Grove campus (ILstudentcounseling@midwestern.edu or 630 515-7145). The initial contact includes the reason for seeking counseling services, student contact information, and assigning a counselor. A counselor can be reached Monday through Friday during business hours to schedule an appointment, however, accommodations in scheduling are flexible for students off-campus or on rotations.

For those students who cannot be on-campus but still reside in the state of their campus:

1. The counselor can provide assistance via the telephone or telehealth,
2. Students can access TimelyCare virtual health and well-being support when Student Counselors are not available. Details on TimelyCare, a 24/7 free service available to enrolled MWU students, are described above or can be found at timelycare.com/midwesternu and on your student portal.

Location

Student Counselors are located:

1. On the Glendale campus, the Student Counseling and Academic Support Center is located in the Barrel IV Building.
2. On the Downers Grove campus, the Student Counseling and Academic Support Center is located in the lower level of the Commons, in Suite 111.

Mandatory Assessments

The Dean of Students and the individual Academic Deans reserve the right to require a student to undergo a medical assessment if the student’s physical and/or mental status is determined by the Deans to warrant concern. Such circumstances are only enacted when it is determined that the personal well-being of the student is in question, or when the student is suspected of being a threat to their own well-being or to the well-being of others. Under such serious circumstances, the Dean of Students or the Academic Dean may place the student on a temporary suspension until it is determined by the clinical evaluator that the student is medically/psychologically able to return to the classroom/clinical setting. In this situation, Midwestern University will be responsible for all arrangements and payments of the initial clinical assessments. The Deans may also require the particular student to sign a release of information that allows a treating physician/psychologist/therapist to disclose to the Deans documentation that the student is complying with any recommendations that were set forth through the clinical assessment/evaluation of that student. In other situations that are less severe, the student may be required to sign a release of information that allows the treating physician/psychologist/therapist to disclose to the Deans only that the student is being treated by that particular clinician and is capable of remaining in/returning to the classroom/clinical setting. Knowledge of any clinical assessment will be kept strictly confidential.