SHSU Counseling Center Understaffed, Overcrowded

The Tuesday March 25 edition of the Houstonian discusses the overcrowded Counseling Center and the excitement the new Health and Counseling Center brings:

The Sam Houston State University Counseling Center currently has a two-week long waiting list to see students as the result of the understaffed, overcrowded office. While SHSU’s counseling center should have 12 therapists based on this ratio, it only has seven, making the actual ratio roughly one therapist for every 2,714 students.

According to Miller, the new Counseling Center building should be completed in late July or early August. The new building will have 20 offices, and Miller said the counselors hope to relocate before the fall semester.

“We’re very excited about being able to expand our services when we move into the new facility,” Miller said. “It’s been something that has been a goal of mine for years since I’ve been in this role, and we’re so excited to finally be able to bring extended resources to the students because there’s a clear need. If we didn’t have a wait list, we wouldn’t be trying to grow because there wouldn’t be the need, so we’re just thrilled to be able to finally provide that.”

Miller said the center is already taking measures to increase their faculty size and meet the growing demand.