For Immediate Release

May 10, 2008— University of Cincinnati . The Health Resource Center 's ecologically grounded treatment model was showcased at the first Ecological Counseling Conference hosted by the University of Cincinnati 's Counseling Program, held at UC's Tangeman Center , May 10, 2008. In their presentation entitled, Ecologically Grounded Assessment and Treatment Planning for Homeless and Indigent Persons with Chronic Mental Health Problems , Drs. Bob and Connie Wilson described the founding and history of the Health Resource Center and the services we provide for homeless and indigent individuals who have chronic physical and mental health problems and whose environmental niche is poor in nutrients and resources.

According to the Wilsons , “mental health is not an outcome, it is a process; therefore treatment at HRC is holistic and focused on recovery.” In addition to helping clients understand and manage the symptoms of mental health, HRC therapists assist clients to develop effective coping skills. As the Wilsons said, “mental health is created through active and effective interaction with the environment.” They described how the ecologically grounded treatment approach practiced at the HRC is rooted in a long tradition of person-environment theory and research and is consistent with modern best practices in multidisciplinary health care.

The Wilsons also explained that the HRC is not only a treatment center but is also a training center for bringing new professionals into the fields of medicine, nursing, counseling, and social work. As they said, “it is critical that student interns become fully integrated into the multidisciplinary treatment team at a pace that allows them to achieve increased confidence in their abilities.” The Wilsons described the step-by-step process used at the HRC to first orient the students to the HRC clinic culture, to teach them the protocols we follow for responding to critical client presentations, and to move them toward more independent functioning as developing professionals. One past HRC intern was quoted by the Wilsons as saying, “when I completed my internship rotation, I felt like I knew what I was doing and was really ready for a full-time job in my profession.”

Dr. Connie Wilson, founder of the Health Resource Center , is a professor of nursing at University of Cincinnati . Recently she was recognized as a national leader in the development of nurse managed clinics by being installed as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Bob Wilson, a pro-bono therapist at the HRC, is the coordinator for mental health counselor training at the University of Cincinnati and is a Fellow of the American Counseling Association.

The UC Counseling Program's first Ecological Counseling Conference showcased the work of over a dozen expert and emerging theoreticians, researchers, and leaders in counseling and other health care professions who study or practice ecologically grounded treatment approaches. It was sponsored by the UC Center for Ecological Counseling, the Chi Sigma Iota counseling honorary society, the Ohio Mental Health Counselors Association, and the Greater Cincinnati Counseling Association.