TEXAS A&M TELEHEALTH COUNSELING STUDENTS VISIT FAITH MISSION
(middle row): Katie Console, Xiao Meng, Dr. Carly McCord, Jasmine Zhou, Laurel Wade, Dr. Trey Armstrong
(back row): Nick Kavish, Isaac Saldivar
(courtesy photo)
Faith Mission in Brenham received a visit Monday from faculty members and students from a program at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Carly McCord, Director of Texas A&M’s Telehealth Counseling Clinic (TCC), introduced her new team of doctoral students to Faith Mission, the Washington County administrator of the program.
The clinic, operated by Texas A&M’s Psychiatry and Educational Psychology Departments, trains doctoral students in telepsychology and provides research opportunities for faculty and students. Students counsel clients at satellite clinics in surrounding areas, using interactive videoconferencing technology.
The telehealth program also gives free mental health counseling to Washington County citizens, and provides a mental health intervention to help prevent inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations and incarceration of the mentally ill.
Back in 2013, Texas A&M Counseling Psychology Professor Dr. Tim Elliott began meeting with officials such as former Washington County Judge John Brieden and Faith Mission Executive Director Randy Wells about the possibility of opening a clinic in Washington County. A clinic was opened in 2013 at the Faith Mission Health and Service Center. There, Dalia Vela serves as the clinic administrator, providing onsite support to clients and serving as a liaison to the university.
The partnership has produced a National Best Practice “Town and Gown Model”, and in May 2018, the program was featured in the American Psychological Association journal in an article entitled “Expanding Care for Rural Patients”.
Faith Mission will have a featured workshop at the Texas Homeless Network statewide conference on Wednesday, October 9th, starting at 10:15 a.m. at the Omni Houston Hotel.