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March 7,2012
Affordable Mental Health
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 3
o f c o u n se lo rs,” said Mueller.
”We do live supervision with
students before they graduate, so
c o u n s e lo rs .
“One thing we are working on
right now is increasing our ser-
vices for Spanish speaking cli
ents,” she said. “Not only are these
“This is Lewis and C lark ’s op-
p ortun ity to really give service
to the c o m m u n ity ,” she said.
“The c en ter offers a safe and
nurturing en v iro n m en t at low
cost, so we can serve people
who norm ally d o n ’t have access
to these se rv ice s.”
The Lewis & Clark Community
Counseling Center is open Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is
not an inpatient or emergency care
facility. For more information about
the center call 503-768-6320 or visit
lc la r k .e d u /o ff ic e s /
counseling_service.
Page 5
Racial Gap in Schools Found
A new study o f large school
systems shows that the racial gap
in the punishment of students is
similar to the disparities found in
the criminal justice system for
adults.
Data from the Department of
Education show that A frican-
American students are suspended
or "referred" to law enforcement
by school officials far more often
that white students, even within
the same school.
The data showed that African
American students represented 24
percent of enrollment but 35 per
cent o f arrests. W hite students
accounted for 31 percent o f enroll
ment and21 percent o f arrests. For
Hispanic students, there was less
o f a disparity in arrests. They ac
counted for 34 percent o f enroll
ment and 37 percent o f arrests.
Officials caution that there are
many possible explanations for the
disparity, such as poverty and ac
cess to the best classes and teach
ers. But one implication of the study
is the pattern o f racial difference in
the courts and in prison begins at
the school level.
According to the NAACP, a
student who is arrested is twice as
likely to drop out.
Get over it.
Get screened
photo by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
Antonia Mueller directs mental health services for people in need
by overseeing the new Lewis and Clark College Counseling
Center, which is geared to providing affordable services.
they can be ready in the field right
when they graduate so they can
provide services to clients from a
diverse background.”
According to graduate student
Rico Garcia, 25, the center has a
strong social justice perspective.
“It allows us to address social
economic status, racial inequality,
sexism, homophobia, ablism, age
ism, and understand how this inter
acts with our community and our
clients,” he said.
“You can’t just treat the client’s
symptoms. You have to address the
epidemiology of the problem or situ
ation that brought them in.”
Currently, Mueller said there are
over 30 students involved with the
center, where they receive supervi
sion and education from eight fac
ulty members.
Although the center is not a cri
sis intervention facility; and does
not offer medication management,
the clinic has three programs of
fered, including a marriage coupling
and counseling program, mental
health counseling, and co-occur
ring and addiction counseling. “En
compassing all that in one center is
a unique service to the community,”
she said.
She added, the c en ter strives
for a diverse faculty and array o f
individuals dealing with economic
pressure and downfall, but they
are a lso d e a lin g w ith po w er
struggles, being a m inority and
o p p ressio n .”
So we try to work within this
community because we can help
empower relationships by provid
ing a safe and nurturing environ
ment, said Mueller.
“We have faculty members who
are themselves Hispanic, and they
feel like they can provide the exper
tise and knowledge to students to
help them go out into the commu
nity and provide a high level of
care.”
She added that the location of
the center, which shares a build
ing with the Confederate Tribes
of G rand Ronde, was chosen to
ensure individuals from through
out the m etro area could easily
access their resources. “We are
right on a bus line and bike route
with free parking,” she said. “It
was really im portant to us to make
sure we are accessible easily by
public transportation.”
Although she said there are many
aspects of the center that she is
proud of, Mueller said the most ex
citing aspect is that the college is
deepening their already existing
connection with others.
A colonoscopy can save your life.
Free com m unity forum
We know. It's not a test you're looking forw ard
to. But because colon cancer has no early warning
signs and can be deadly if it progresses, screening
is essential. Colorectal cancer is highly preventable
and, if caught early, it's highly curable. If you are
African-American and age 45 or older, ask your
doctor about colon cancer screening.
Friday, M arch 16
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Providence St. Vincent
Medical Center
Souther Auditorium
9205 SW Barnes Road
Portland
F ree c o m m u n it y f o r u m
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness M onth. Join
us at a free forum , where Providence physicians
offe r advice and a local fam ily shares how colon
cancer touched th e ir lives. W hile you're there, enjoy
a free healthy lunch and enter a prize drawing.
Space is limited, and reservations are required.
For more inform ation or to register, please call
Providence Resource Line at 503-574-6595 or visit
www.providence.org/coloncancer.
At Providence, it's not just health care, it's how we care.™
Free community forums are in partnership with
£
C ancc * QBrrtMt
a ■ o o a a w
Wednesday, March 21
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Providence Portland
Medical Center
Cancer Center Amphitheater
4805 NE Glisan St.
Portland
Friday, March 23
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Providence Milwaukie
Hospital
Mother Gamelin and
Mother Joseph
conference rooms
10150 SE 32nd Ave.
Milwaukie
5D C Ç A
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PROVIDENCE
Cancer C enter