School administrators, school mental health professionals, and AEA staff may refer students, and school staff may self-refer for services offered through the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Clinic by emailing us at scsmh-clinic@uiowa.edu. Once a referral has been accepted, clinic staff will follow up with the potential client and/or their guardian (if the potential client is a minor) to initiate the intake process.

In preparation for summer, beginning April 15, the Clinic will only accept new individual therapy referrals for clients aged 14 and older. We will continue to accept new referrals for educators throughout the summer. Starting in August 2023, we will accept new referrals for students aged 10+ and PreK-12 school staff.

After a client has been referred for individual clinical services, our clinic staff will contact you via email to determine whether the client and/or their guardian wish to pursue services. Once confirmed, the client or guardian will be asked to complete consent forms that explain our services, as well as client rights and responsibilities. They will also be asked to complete a questionnaire to help us learn more about the client, their background, and goals for counseling. After these forms have been completed, Scanlan Center for School Mental Health clinical staff will contact the family to schedule an initial appointment.

The frequency and duration of services depend on the client’s individual needs and the clinician’s availability. In most cases, it is recommended that clients participate in weekly or biweekly sessions, at least initially. As treatment progresses, the frequency of appointments may be reduced.

Clinical services at the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Clinic are time-limited and focused on a specific treatment goal. The duration of a client’s course of services depends on their individual needs, but the typical duration of services is approximately 10 sessions.

At this time, there are no fees for services provided by the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Clinic.

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Training Clinic

The Scanlan Center for School Mental Health is a training clinic for students preparing to become mental health providers. This is critical to our mission of increasing the school mental health workforce in Iowa. Student trainees will participate in most aspects of Scanlan Center for School Mental Health clinical service delivery under the direct supervision of our licensed staff.

Coordination between the Clinic and Schools/AEAs

The Scanlan Center for School Mental Health clinic coordinates with school districts and AEAs to support the needs of students, educators, and staff in schools. Our staff adheres to confidentiality and privacy laws in the provision of services. However, some communication with school staff may be beneficial for best addressing the broad needs of a client, especially when individual services are being provided to students. Therefore, the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health clinician may request permission to coordinate with school staff on specific issues agreed upon between the clinician and the client/guardian. For example, if services are being provided to the student via telehealth during the school day, the clinic staff will need to coordinate with school staff in scheduling the appointment, accessing the appointment link, securing a private space for the appointment, and ensuring the client has access to necessary technology and technology support.

The Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Clinic is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and clients local to the area may choose to seek in-person services at our clinic. However, consistent with our goal to increase access to mental health services across the state of Iowa, most of the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Clinic clinical services are offered via telehealth. Clients participating in these services will receive a link to our telehealth platform when their initial appointment is scheduled.

Crisis services may be provided onsite at the school requesting the service. Some crisis services will also be available via telehealth.

The Dubuque Street Parking Ramp (on the corner of Dubuque Street and E Burlington St) is the closest ramp. The Capitol Street Ramp and Court Street Ramp are also within walking distance. Metered street parking may be available.