Counseling Outreach Peer Education
The Counseling Outreach Peer Education (COPE) program is designed for enthusiastic students interested in promoting wellness and raising awareness about mental health on campus. COPE members reach the student body through the development and execution of outreach programs, like the National Depression Screening Day, the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and The DORA College Program (Depression and Suicide Prevention). They participate in wellness screenings, presentations, and peer education groups. COPE provides members with
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An opportunity to develop leadership skills, team work, and project management.
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A chance to have a real impact in their community - to raise awareness - on issues that matter to them.
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A way to enhance their knowledge about mental health and preventative interventions in a college campus.
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A nice addition to their resume or vitae with the potential of awards and recognition for leadership and outstanding service.
COPE members undergo training by the Counseling & Testing Staff that focuses on helping skills, mental health and developmental issues among college students, knowledge about campus and community resources to facilitate referral. As they year progresses, the team receives training in screenings for mood disorders, eating disorders, and alcohol and other drugs abuse and in the development of outreach programs, such as presentations and awareness events (*COPE is solely a peer education group and does not provide professional counseling.)
Each member is expected to:
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Commit at least one year to the program.
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Participate in the yearly training
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Attend 75% of COPE meetings
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Provide one educational presentation per semester. Students can assist a CTC staff member with a presentation or design a presentation with the advise of a CTC staff or the group's advisor.
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Attend one outreach event sponsored by the Counseling & Testing Center (e.g., National Depression Screening Day, National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Wellness Week).
COPE was founded on January, 2013 with four graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. In the future, we hope to have members from diverse undergraduate and graduate academic backgrounds.
Luis G. C. Ortega, LPC, NCC is the advisor for the COPE team. He can be reached at cluis@andrews.edu or 269-471-3470.
