Our Approach
Licensing Boards, Certifications, and Governing Bodies
MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS
Any individual offering counseling services in the state of Mississippi must be licensed with few exceptions. It is the responsibility of the above Board to regulate the practice of counseling and the use of the title Professional Counselor as protecting the public health, safety and welfare of Mississippians is of utmost importance.
CERTIFIED MENTAL PERFORMANCE CONSULTANT (CMPC®)
Certified Mental Performance Consultants have obtained validation of their expertise in helping clients develop and use mental, life, and self-regulatory skills to optimize performance, enjoyment, and/or personal development in sport or other domains (e.g., performing arts, military).
CMPC®s are individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in sport science, psychology or a closely related field who have met specific course requirements and have completed an extensive, mentored applied experience. The disciplines included within the sport psychology field applicable to those holding the CMPC® designation include: clinical psychology, educational psychology and clinical mental health counseling, social work, industrial-organizational psychology, and sport psychology from a sport science basis. A CMPC® may work with a wide variety of participants in sport and performance.
What is our scope of practice?
Our two full-time staff members are dually trained as clinicians and as mental performance consultants, giving us the unique qualifications to address the needs of our student-athletes operating in high performance situations. Having the competencies associated with understanding sport-culture, and the science behind elite level performance, our department is equipped to provide robust services in support of the individual student-athlete, teams, and MSU athletics department. When appropriate, we also utilize the support of clinicians who demonstrate high levels of clinical strengths to support our student-athletes’ presenting clinical needs. We consult with our integrated care team for potential referral to higher levels of care when appropriate as needs span outside of the scope of our care.
Departmental Approach
In February 2016, the NCAA Sport Science Institute released the Mental Health Best Practices, a consensus document outlining the core recommendations for college athletics departments in their efforts to understand, support and promote student-athlete mental wellness (NCAA, 2016). The components identified in the best practices are:
1) Clinical licensure for practitioners providing mental health care.
2) Procedures for identification and referral of student-athletes to qualified practitioners.
3) Pre-participation mental health screening.
4) Health-promoting environments that support mental well-being and resilience.
It is the goal of this department housed within Sports Medicine and Performance to implement a 3-Dimensional approach to supporting student-athlete wellbeing in the form of:
Education
Prevention
Intervention**
Prevention
Intervention**
Education
Educational strategies are geared toward increasing awareness amongst the student-athlete population, staff, and campus-based partners. These services further support the “Best Practices” key component #4 - developing health-promoting environments that support mental well-being and resilience.
Educational Seminars and Workshops for Student-Athletes, Coaches and Athletics Department Staff
These seminars allow for continuous education throughout the year and provide more education to student-athletes about what to expect in life as a college student, and more specifically as a Mississippi State University student-athlete. In addition to providing information about the various aspects of transitioning to college and collegiate sport competition, teaching skills to assist with making adjustments is the primary purpose of these informal workshops. Seminars for targeted audience include topics covering:
- What We All Need to Know About Mental Health
- Mental Illnesses
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Eating Concerns and Body Image
- Stress and the Student-Athlete
- Adjusting to College Life
- Navigating Family Dynamics
- Diversity and Cultural Identity
- Energy Management
- Communication Skills
- Mental Skills for Enhancing Performance in Sport and in Life
- Student-Athlete Self-Care and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Prevention
Pre-Participation Mental Health Screenings
Conducting pre-participation mental health screenings as a component of the annual pre-participation physicals is a primary prevention strategy that casts a broad net for identifying student-athletes who may need additional assistance or support from early in their career as a Mississippi State University student-athlete.
Common screening instruments assess for symptoms of depression, anxiety, mood disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol/drug consumption and eating concerns. Offering this service satisfies key component #3 of the NCAA best practices – Pre-Participation Mental Health Screening.
Pre-participation mental health screenings allow for our department to connect student-athletes with services from us or our campus-based partners as early as possible.
Intervention
The Department of Counseling & Sport Psychology has developed a Mental Health Emergency Action and Management Plan (MHEAMP) for:
- Suicidal/Homicidal Ideation;
- Sexual Assault Victim advocacy procedures and established relationship with the campus advocate in relation to mandated reporting;
- Acute Psychosis with hallucinations and/or delusions or paranoia; and
- Managing acute intoxication or substance overdose
Individuals who work directly with student-athletes are provided with training on the signs and symptoms of mental health presentations and behaviors to monitor. This addresses key component #2 of the NCAA Sport Science Institute’s “Best Practices”- Procedures for Identification and Referral of Student-Athletes to Qualified Practitioners.
Lunch and learn series are offered to staff and trainees covering topics, such as:
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
- What We All Need to Know about Mental Health
- How to Support the Student-Athlete Making Adjustments to College
Professional Organizations and Affiliations
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