93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
Ozarks Technical Community College is partnering with Burrell Behavioral Health to provide free mental health counseling for students who may have overwhelmed by changes due to COVID-19 and classes.
Burrell will provide to students and staff:
- A part-time mental health counselor for students at the OTC Springfield Campus.
- A part-time mental health counselor for students at the OTC Republic Center who will also provide telehealth counseling to students at the Lebanon and Waynesville centers.
- Up to five counseling sessions for part-time staff and faculty.
“These are stressful times for everyone, and this partnership with Burrell is a cost-effective method to provide enhanced mental health services to our students and employees,” Dr. Joan Barrett, OTC vice chancellor for student services, said in a statement.
The services that Burrell will offer is going to be used in addition to counseling services that are already being offered to OTC students. The partnership with Burrell will allow students to gain long-term mental health treatment if needed.
“The ability to provide mental health access to college students and employees in the campus setting, where they are most comfortable and reachable, is vital to the long-term health of these populations,” Dr. Dustin Brown, Burrell’s Vice President of Integration, said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with OTC to help students, faculty and staff whenever and wherever they need us.”
The Burrell counselors hope to be in place by the beginning of December.