黄瓜视频

By Kellie Britch, College of Arts and Sciences

Mental health difficulties have been increasing at a dramatic rate over the last 10 years, and seeking treatment is often expensive. Many providers don鈥檛 take insurance, and those who do often have long wait lists. At the USF Psychological Services Center (PSC), though, people can get quality care on an affordable, sliding scale. The center also serves as a training site for USF students in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program.

鈥淎s our own clientele demonstrate, there is a great need for affordable mental health services in the local area, and we see clients from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Pasco and Polk counties, as well as students at USF,鈥� said Jack Darkes, associate professor in the Department of Psychology and director of the Psychological Services Center. 鈥淢any of those in need in local communities do not have insurance or other health care available that allows them access to necessary services. Our clinic offers services on a sliding scale based on income, providing help to a largely underserved population in the Tampa Bay area.鈥� 
 
At the PSC, the sliding scale for therapy ranges from $15-$50 per hour, and assessments are offered at significantly lower rates than you can find with other providers in the community. Aside from offering in-person services at the clinic on the Tampa campus, the PSC also provides teleheath visits, making their services available at an affordable rate for anyone in the state of Florida.  
 
In addition to offering affordable mental health services, the center also provides patients with high quality, evidence-based care. 
 
鈥淚t鈥檚 really rewarding to be able to offer care that I know that number one is affordable, and number two is not affordable at the expense of good quality care,鈥� said Meaghan Brown, a student in the program and the assistant clinic director at the PSC. 
 
Because the PSC serves such a diverse population, graduate students are given opportunities to diagnose and treat a broad range of mental health challenges, with the oversight of peer supervisors like Brown, as well as the directors. According to Diana Rancourt, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and the director of clinical training, this is only making better psychologists. 
 
鈥淭he PSC provides a training context where students receive close supervision and develop their foundational clinical skills prior to participating in clinical training opportunities in the community,鈥� Rancourt said. 
 
For students like Brown, this experience and exposure to diverse populations, age groups and mental health challenges is setting her up for professional success. 
 
鈥淲e鈥檙e able to see more than a counseling center might see, for example, which is, I think, really important because we鈥檙e all going out into the world to practice in some way, whether we鈥檙e going to be researchers or clinicians,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be able to say that I have a really well-rounded training background.鈥� 
 
to support the PSC and its mission.