History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 55

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T h e 1990s a n d O n wa r d
The Counseling Center has always played a central role in responding to critical
events on campus. At no time was this more evident than in 1990. The fall semester
began with the traumatic and brutal murders of five students within a few days
in locations close to campus that terrorized UF, Santa Fe Community College,
and the Gainesville community. Counseling Center counselors responded
throughout the crisis, providing on-site crisis intervention, outreach, counseling,
and consultation. It was a time of close collaboration between various UF units
as well as mental health providers on and off campus, the Alachua County
Crisis Center, victim advocates, clergy, law enforcement, and other community
leaders. The exceptional cooperation and teamwork was an important unifying
factor and essential to helping the process of community healing. Three months
prior to this tragedy, the UF Trauma Response Team (previously called the Death
Response Team and now known as the Crisis Response Team) was formalized as
a multidisciplinary group that involved coordination among UF, Santa Fe, and
Alachua County responders. This team became a national model emulated by
many other colleges throughout the country. The crisis response role became
highly visible again during the 9/11 tragedy as the Counseling Center staff
worked together with others to help the campus deal with the traumatic events,
handling grief, fears, and anxiety and facilitating positive coping and resilience.
In the 1990s, Counseling Center began a more formalized partnership with the
Department of Housing and Residence Education (DOHRE) that continues today.
Complex situations were increasing in campus housing resulting in housing
staff members responding to situations outside of their scope of training and
knowledge areas. This led to an enhanced need that the Counseling Center filled.
The first was the development of the Counselor in Residence (CIR) role, today
known as the Crisis Intervention Consultant role (CIC). Originally, the CIR served
in a part time role with the Counseling Center and part time with the DOHRE. This
counselor lived in campus facilities and was responsible for responding to crisis
incidents on site in the residence halls, for providing consultation to housing
staff members, and for providing training to student and professional staff
members. Today, the CIC team includes three advanced cou nseling graduate
students and is overseen by a Counseling Center faculty member who provides
clinical supervision, consultation, and training.

Department histor ies : Coun seli n g an d W elln ess Center