School Counseling Collaborative Model Assignment: The ASCA National Collaborative Model

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Collaborative Model

​Scholars and mental health practitioners across the United States (US) worry about young people’s increased mental health needs. Besides, youths’ unmet needs are evident in the surging numbers of student suicide cases and the prevalence of school shootings (Lambie et al., 2019, p. 52). However, Psychologists affirm that learning institutions are critical in influencing learners’ mental, emotional, and social health development because they spend almost all of their waking time there (52-53). Accordingly, an ideal school counseling model should incorporate all the aspects of the student’s life, in school and at home. In this regard, an effective school counseling model will constitute specific collaborative components of the ASCA National Model to solve students’ psychological issues. 

My Program Background: The ASCA National Model

​My program will help school counselors deliver and also design robust counseling services that solve students’ issues. Notably, school administrators desire programs that significantly impact discipline, attendance, and student achievement (ASCA, 2021). My counseling program will align with schools’ academic mission while offering mental health support to learners. The objectives of my program include closing opportunity and achievement gaps, enhance school curriculum to improve students’ behaviors and mindsets, and enhance students’ postsecondary success and readiness. Nevertheless, my program also aims to impact all students systematically and ensure that decision-making in the school is data-informed. 

​Notably, the ASCA Model focuses on assessment, delivery, management, and definition. According to ASCA (2021), assessment is critical to ensures counseling programs attain helpfulness, improvement, and effectiveness. In this regard, the model’s appraisal and assessment tools monitor schools’ annual results report and counseling programs. Besides, ASCA ensures counseling programs deliver both direct and indirect developmental activities to students. For instance, the services may include referrals, collaboration, consultation, counseling, appraisal, and instruction. ASCA’s management aspect ensures counselors attain effectiveness and efficiency by using program planning and focus tools like lesson plans, conferences, action plans, mission, and vision statements (ASCA, 2021). Furthermore, ASCA helps counselors define both professional and student standards. Six ASCA components will make my program robust.

The Professional Identity Component

​Even though counseling principles date back to the times of Aristotle and Plato, school counseling in the US started in the twentieth century. The practice has grown, and school counselors play various roles. For instance, counselors consult with other stakeholders to extinguish negative behaviors,promote positive conducts, and conduct educative classroom presentations (Krumboltz & Kolpin, 2021). However, most states in the US require counselors to have a master’s degree in guidance and counseling to handle society’s complex emerging issues. The issues include terrorism, diversity, school violence, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, dropouts, and gangs(Krumboltz & Kolpin, 2021). Therefore, my counseling program will be firm to address emerging issues.

​The program will assess school counselors on the basis of their credentials, while linking them to school counseling preparation standards, associations, and organizations. In this regard, only counselors that hold a master’s degree in guidance and counseling will hold the position of a school counselor. Nevertheless, counselors must prove their membership to National Education Association (NEA), Association of Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC), American Counseling Association (ACA), Texas Counseling Association, or ASCA. In this regard, my program will link school counselors with other counselors who have membership to the associations for collaboration purposes.

My program also entails other areas like mental health and educational focus. Notably, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs Standards (CACREP) regards school counseling as a specialty (Zimmer, 2019, p. 17). Thus, my program’s school counselor preparation tool will utilize both ASCA’s Ethical Standards for School Counselors and Code of Ethics to enhance an all-rounded professional practice. Moreover, my program standards will prepare counseling trainees and equip them with skills to handle current social needs and ensure counseling identity formation. In this regard, various CACREP training components form criticalaspects of my program. 

​Furthermore, my school program will emphasize certain CACREP core areas. For instance, it will focus on practice of school counseling, contextual dimension of school counseling, program/research evaluation, testing, assessment, group work, and group counseling. The new skills will ensure counselors are competent in helping/counseling relationships, career development, human growth/development, cultural diversity, social diversity, ethical practice, and professional orientation. Moreover, the program will contain code of ethics module to equip counselor trainees, counselor educators, and also professional counselors with behavioral ethics. I understand that ethics training encourages counselors to focus on up-to-date school issues. 

The Collaboration and Consultation Components

​My program knows that counseling, collaboration, and consultation are distinct. Branson and Branson (2021), consultation involves professionals indirectly assisting consultees with caretaking or work-related issues, while counseling allows professionals empower groups, families, and individuals attain their career goals, education, wellness, and mental health. On the other hand, collaboration entails several professionals working together using problem-solving procedures and systematic planning to achieve a common goal (Branson & Branson, 2021). In this regard, my counseling program will employ both collaboration and consultation components of the ASCA National Model. 

​My model will use triadic-dependent, collaborative-interdependent, and collaborative-dependent consultation models. For example, the model will employ the collaborative-dependent collaborative model when both the consultants and the consultees need to work together. I understand that different counseling professionals have unique sets of expertise and experience and they will form a symbiotic partnership. In this regard, my program has platforms that will allow the consultant counselors create a plan while the program will also facilitate the consultee counselors to implement the plan. Besides, the model will use process-driven, context-driven, and peer-to-peer collaboration approaches. In this regard, I will design a softwareto manage tasks and stages in school counselling sessions. 

​I understand that stakeholders such as community members, families, teachers, administrators, and students are critical in the school counselors’ job. Besides, school counselors rely on these stakeholders to enhance student’s academic achievement, promote a positive environment in schools, and provide calmness during reliefs (Zimmer, 2019, p. 25). Accordingly, my counseling program will ensure the collaborations in school counseling programs meet specific certain guidelines. For instance, a typical collaboration leadership model follows steps like maintaining momentum, celebrating and evaluating progress, taking action, creating a shared plan and vision, coming together, assessing the strengths and needs, and preparing to partner (Zimmer, 2019, p. 25). Therefore, institution counselors can use my program to strengthen the student Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSCP) and promote positive outcomes. 

​While collaborations are essential, my counseling program employs consultation. Notably, both indirect and direct school counseling services use consultation and referrals (Zimmer, 2019, p. 106). The indirect school counseling practice consultation entails responsive services, individual student planning, and the school counseling core curriculum (106). Nevertheless, Zimmer (2019) advises that consultation between counselors and expert panels avails an opportunity for modifications and necessary feedback during school counselor training. Overall, consultation with current event front-liners like lobbyists advocates school counseling priorities and funding (Lambie et al., 2019, p. 56). Hence, strategic consultations are critical. 

The Systems and Academic-Focused Paradigm Component

My program entails different methods of empowering and engaging teachers and parents to enhance children’s development. For example, I will borrow successful strategies from educational systems in the United Kingdom and France to revolutionize school leadership. Modules to train leaders include teachers’ and counselors’ capacity building. Apart from empowering teachers or counselors as leaders, the program will also facilitate learning after school or at home. Nevertheless, the plan realizes that teachers and parents are equals and have a common goal of children’s wellbeing, development, and learning. Therefore, the program will follow collaborative and cooperative approaches to enhance communication among critical stakeholders. 

My program uses the component for its various significances. Besides, the component has specific personal importance as a future school counselor. Therefore, I need the program to facilitate students to choose their career and understand important areas like their personalities, interests, and skills. I understand that students will encounter problems and the program will help students know their capacity and ability to solve life issues. Rather than just preparing students to achieve educational goals, my program will empower students to develop desirable qualifications, adjust, plan, and apply self-assessment according to current development and trends. The component has other implications in counseling. 

I know that school counselors are often always not able to provide adequate support services and mental health care for learners. School-based mental health workers and counselors only offer minimal help, while undertrained and untrained teachers give the most help (Lambie et al., 2019, p. 54). However, my program offers a comprehensive developmental model that allows for student involvement in program accountability, scheduling, and advising. Besides, the programempowers inexperienced counselors to handle indiscipline, tardiness, and absenteeism cases to curb school dropout incidences. Notably, the critical mental health providers’ services may be inaccessible to provide long-term counseling, and undertrained teachers are essential. 

​Furthermore, I understand that academic-focused counseling programs are necessary for all-around students’ development. Notably, institution counselors should follow the ASCA National Standards to help with learners’ social, personal, career, and academic development (Zimmer, 2019, p. 13). Besides, these critical development areas are interconnected, and school counselors understand the need for learners’ wholistic growth for their success (13). Experts also recommend that students’ social, personal, career, and academic development are critical to preparing them for identity development in the future. Therefore, my program appreciates the importance of the component in helping students attain academic achievements and learning.  

The Leadership and Advocacy Components

​The program focuses on increasing counseling attendance. According to counselling experts, over 300 million people suffer from mental health disorders worldwide, while only a small fraction access help (Kalkbrenner & Neukrug, 2018, p. 299). Similarly, out of every five teens and adults in the US, one is suffering from a potentially disabling mental disorder (299). However, the studies note that only a third of Americans seek professional help due to factors like ethnicity and gender (300-308). Therefore, my program advocates for the implementation and development of universal community mental health services that will be accessible to school minority groups, different gender identities, and students in the US grassroots. 

​The core pillars of my program are team-building and effective leadership. I plan to work with student advisory, curriculum, and assistance programs councils. Therefore, my program will have platforms like school-based programs integration, community agencies collaboration, student educational support groups, student assistance tools, case management, and internal referral. Besides, I will stress on program awareness, school staff development, and school board policy awareness to curb high-risk behaviors among learners. My program will facilitate student bodies to perform their functions of helping them plan learners’ future, meeting theirlearning needs, and influencing good academic choices. 

​I know that school councilors play leadership roles in enhancing student development through evidence-based CSCP. According to Zimmer (2019), school counselors who report higher on implementation of a CSCP also record higher on the leadership scale (24). In this regard, my program will establish competent counselors who possess specific features. For instance, the practitioners will have advocacy, exemplary program design, collaboration, communication, relationship attributes, and leadership attributes (Zimmer, 2019, p. 24). Besides, these individuals must treat people with respect, set good examples, show reliability, among other leadership skills (24). Overall, the program will help leaders mobilize other stakeholders in impacting school improvement and meeting students’ needs. 

​Furthermore, I understand that the advocacy role helps counselors defend the rights of underrepresented students and create a supportive environment. Notably, counselors can advocate for systemic change and educational support through their active roles (Zimmer, 2019, p. 24). Nevertheless, counselors’ advocacy can fight injustices in schools through strategic stakeholder-partnership (24). In this regard, my program ensures equality and helps students who feel underserved have a sense of belonging. I know the role also promotes college enrolment for students from low-income backgrounds, supports the LGBTQ+ communities, and promotes equality in career counseling. 

The Legal and Ethical Components

​The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that child abuse and electronic aggressions are worrying trends, and my program addresses the issues. Even though cares of face-to-face bullying still persist, my program intends to use stakeholders like internet providers to curb phones and computer bullying. Ferrara et al. (2018) notes that children do not possessself-regulation skills and they are emotionally and sociallyvulnerable on social media platforms. In this regard, teens may underreport cases of abuse, neglect, bullying, and suicide ideation for fear being perceived as weak, embarrassment, or punishment (Ferrara et al., 2018). Therefore, my program will create platforms to allow students share their issues and express themselves with confidence. 

​I took into account that counselors face complex ethical and legal issues. Even though the ASCA Model’s Ethical Standards include reasonable accommodation and safety plans for bullied, abused, and depressed students, my program will enable counselors escalate discipline issues to the school administration. Swank et al. (2018) emphasize that counselors must follow the Ethical Standards of ASCA, CSCP, and the CACREP program to conduct antibullying and prevent incidences of child abuse and suicide ideations. Therefore, the program incorporates ACA, ASCA, and CACREP Ethical Standards to prepare and guide school counselors face and resolve contemporary counseling issues. 

Furthermore, I understand that school counselors face persistent ethical issues on navigating school and home communications. According to Springer (2016), counselors’ abilities to balance administrative boundaries and ethical obligations with their own personal values are critical. Notably, school counselors are frontline worriers in preventing and assessing student issues in learning institutions (Springer, 2016). In this regard, tools in my program enables counselors to bridge the gap between the administration, teachers, school environment, and home surroundings. For instance, my modules will train and prepare school counselors to practice ethical decision-making in the face of ethical dilemmas. Examples of ethical dilemmas include situations that demand counselors to challenge school policies or break student’s confidentiality. 

The Multicultural Component

​My program entails collaborative models that address discrimination, oppression, prejudice, bias, and conflicts in students’ lives. For instance, the program addresses various types of discrimination and prejudice. First, certain groups of students feel vulnerable since they belong to certain racial groups, and the program addresses issues of racism. Second, vulnerable students may be discriminated based on their sex, and the program also protects against sexism. Third, my program protects discrimination against ageism and ensures different groups of students are not judged based on their age. Lastly, the program prevents unnecessary conflict and bias that mat arise due to homophobia, and it empowers counselors to defend students with different sexual identities from oppression. 

​Nevertheless, since school counselors must face specific multicultural issues counselors must understand the concept of diversity. Notably, according to Lambie et al. (2019), counselors must increase accessibility for undeserved and underrepresented learners (53). The group consists of students from a racial minority, low-income, and poverty-stricken areas. Accordingly, the authors note unmet mental health needs and a disparity among the vulnerable student populations (53). Therefore, my program ensures school-based counselors act as leaders and increase access to their needs like lack of insurance, transportation, and stigma. The program also lets learning institutions work with other stakeholders and support systems to address the disparities. 

​Similarly, the program empowers school heads toencourage cultural diversity among their learners. Accordingly, Zimmer (2019) affirms that most low-income middle school students show academic resilience despite their background, and school counselors must remove systematic barriers to help them achieve long-term success (25). Besides, schools must have accountability measures to assess whether students are demonstrating and learning essential skills like multicultural awareness, social and cultural diversity (Zimmer, 2019, p. 17,23). Therefore, the program ensures that school counselors form unity along cultural and social diversity boundaries.

In summation, an effective school counseling model will constitute specific collaborative components of the ASCA National Model to solve students’ psychological issues. In this regard, my program entails six core components of the ASCA National Model. First, the program entails the personal identity component of the ASCA Model. The component ensures my program bases its various aspects on the trends, history, and knowledge of school counseling. Second, my program uses the collaboration and consultation component to highlight how it will incorporate family, community, and the school in helping students attain their wholistic growth. Third, my program borrows from the academic and system-focused paradigm component to associate school counseling with approaches, programs, and strategies to empower teachers and parents help students achieve their desires career and academic goals. Fourth, the program adopts leadership and advocacy components to empower counselors and teachers as leaders who collaborate with other professionals to help students. Fifth, the program adopts the legal and ethical components to ensure professionalism and adherence to ethical standards. Lastly, the multicultural component ensures school counseling program different strategies to identify and help minorities and vulnerable students feel included and attain their goals. 

References

American School Counselor Association. (2021). ASCA National Model Executive Summary. Schoolcounselor.org. Retrieved 14 April 2021, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/bd376246-0b4f-413f-b3e0-1b9938f36e68/ANM-executive-summary-4th-ed.pdf.

Branson, J., & Branson, A. (2021). Introduction to Consultation | Counseling.Education. Counseling.education. Retrieved 14 April 2021, from https://counseling.education/counseling/consultation/intro.html.

Ferrara, P., Ianniello, F., Villani, A., & Corsello, G. (2018). Cyberbullying a modern form of bullying: let’s talk about this health and social problem. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 44(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-018-0446-4

Kalkbrenner, M., & Neukrug, E. (2018). Identifying barriers to attendance in counseling among adults in the United States: Confirming the factor structure of the revised fit, stigma, & value scale. The Professional Counselor, 8(4), 299-313. https://doi.org/10.15241/mtk.8.4.299

Krumboltz, J., & Kolpin, T. (2021). Guidance and School Counseling - A Brief History of School Guidance and Counseling in the United States. Education.stateuniversity.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021, from https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2023/Guidance-Counseling-School.html.

Lambie, G., Haugen, J., Borland, J., & Campbell, L. (2019). Who took “counseling” out of the role of professional school counselors in the United States?. Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation, 1(3), pp. 51-56. Retrieved 13 April 2021, from https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=jscpe.

Springer, S. (2016). When values blur the lines: Navigating an ethical dilemma in school counseling. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.7729/82.1082

Swank, J., Smith-Adcock, S., & Weaver, J. (2018). School counselors’ roles and responsibilities in bullying prevention: A National survey. Professional School Counseling, 22(1), 2156759X1985146. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759x19851465

Zimmer, D. (2019). A Comprehensive School Counseling Training on Seasoned School Counselors: A Single Case Research Design (Doctorate). The University of Toledo, pp. 17-106