Research
Performance of Mental Health Counselors in Integrated Primary and Behavioral Health Care
Dogukan Ulupinar,
Carlos Zalaquett,
So Rin Kim,
Jonna M. Kulikowich,
Corresponding Author
Dogukan Ulupinar
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Now at Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, California State University, Northridge
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dogukan Ulupinar, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8265 (email: dogukanu@gmail.com).Search for more papers by this authorCarlos Zalaquett
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorSo Rin Kim
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Now at Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs, University of Missouri–St. Louis
Search for more papers by this authorJonna M. Kulikowich
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorDogukan Ulupinar,
Carlos Zalaquett,
So Rin Kim,
Jonna M. Kulikowich,
Corresponding Author
Dogukan Ulupinar
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Now at Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, California State University, Northridge
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dogukan Ulupinar, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8265 (email: dogukanu@gmail.com).Search for more papers by this authorCarlos Zalaquett
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorSo Rin Kim
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Now at Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs, University of Missouri–St. Louis
Search for more papers by this authorJonna M. Kulikowich
Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Integrated primary and behavioral health care (IPBH) is becoming a preferred mode of service delivery in the United States. Integrated care includes the participation of medical and mental health professionals, such as mental health counselors. The clinical outcomes of these professionals need to be studied to determine their effectiveness in such settings. We examined the performance of 10 mental health counselors on the clinical outcome of 1,747 clients treated in an IPBH center. Analyses using growth curve modeling and pre-post test design revealed that mental health counselors were effective overall, but they differed in client dropout rates and efficiency in reducing clients' initial symptoms. We used the analyses to rank order counselors based on their effectiveness. Counselors who were the most effective varied in their efficiency but demonstrated the lowest client dropout rates. Implications for future research and counseling practice were discussed.
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