TAGLINE: Tracie Haselhorst, The Center’s clinical director

The Center’s new internship program attracts two FHSU students

The new internship program at The Center for Counseling & Consultation has already attracted two college students majoring in the mental-health field.

The Fort Hays State University students currently are working on their practicum responsibilities at The Center and will begin their formal internships in January.

“They are getting a front-line look at the care and treatment of people struggling with mental-health concerns in central Kansas,” said Tracie Haselhorst, clinical director. “The students are here just a few hours a week but will be here more often when the internships begin.”

So far, most of their time is spent helping with the intake process and individual therapy.

“They also will work with our Jail Program, which serves current and former inmates, and shadow the professionals during crisis response and competency evaluations,” Haselhorst noted.

Haselhorst and Chris Gahagan, psychologist, oversee all the interns’ work.

One intern is majoring in psychology, while the other is a mental-health counseling major.

Since private insurance companies do not cover an intern’s services, the students can work only with those who are uninsured.

“This increases the number of therapists who work with our uninsured clients,” Haselhorst said. “Our interns are eager to fill this role, with the support of The Center’s staff.”

Another priority of the internship program is to “open our doors to hiring more clinicians,” Haselhorst commented. “We hope these two young women, as well as future interns, will consider a career at The Center after graduation.

“There is a shortage of therapists throughout the country; it is not just a local problem,” she added. “We are so grateful to Fort Hays State for collaborating with us as we do all we can to recruit new mental-health professionals to serve the growing number of clients who need care and treatment.”

Julie Kramp, The Center’s executive director, echoed many of Haselhorst’s comments, noting “We are thrilled and thankful for this partnership with Fort Hays State. This relationship is absolutely necessary to develop the workforce in the mental-health field.”

The Center for Counseling & Consultation, a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, 5815 Broadway in Great Bend, serves Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.