A school that's been training mental health professionals here for 30 years says it will close its campuses in Springfield and St. Louis next fall. Forest Institute for Professional Psychology has been preparing its students for the closing for several weeks but refused to acknowledge it to reporters and the public.
In Springfield, the school has a campus on West Battlefield Road near Scenic Avenue and its Robert J. Murney Clinic on South Campbell Avenue near Parkview High School where students counsel patients under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals. In St. Louis, its campus is at 11477 Olde Cabin Road in
Creve Coeur.
The school won't accept any more students, and will try to finish the degree programs for current students, or make arrangements for them to finish at another school.
The school has laid off some employees in recent weeks.
"Many of the layoffs were in the admissions/recruiting function and other support areas not directly related to instructional activities," said Kent Ragan, chairman of the Board of Trustees, in an email message.
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Here's the news release from the school late Wednesday afternoon:
After 30 years of dedicated service to the Ozarks, the Springfield community, and to the preparation of mental health professionals, Forest Institute for Professional Psychology is preparing to close in the fall of 2015. The closure is necessitated by continuing financial difficulties.
Forest Institute, which has offered a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) as well as a variety of master’s and certificate programs leading to licensure in behavioral health professions, plans to teach out its programs so that all students will have a plan for completion of their degree.
Forest remains accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (CoA APA), and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (CoAMFTE). The administration and faculty are working closely with these accrediting bodies to develop teach out plans for each of Forest’s academic programs and students.
Teach-Out Plans will assure each student the opportunity to complete their degree at Forest or transfer to a comparable program. A formal Teach-Out Plan for the St. Louis location was submitted to the HLC in November, and a Teach-Out Plan for programs in Springfield is in preparation and will be submitted to the HLC in mid-January.
The HLC must approve all teach-out plans before communication regarding specific details or implementation of the plan can begin. Despite the financial difficulties that have necessitated the closure, Forest’s partner, Burrell Behavioral Health, has generously committed funds to support the anticipated teach-out plans.
Although no students are currently being admitted, Forest will continue to offer classes through the Spring and Summer 2015 terms.
Forest is also announcing changes in leadership. Acting President Dr. Gerald Porter is stepping down to take a position at another institution and Dr. Megan Weaver will assume the role of Acting President.
Dr. Weaver has previously served as Dean of Master’s Programs for the last 7 years. Marcie Kirkup, who has served in administrative capacities for 16 years, has been appointed as the Executive Vice President for Accreditation and Operations. Dr. Michele Williams will assume the role of Chief Academic Officer, and Robert Gagnon, CPA, will become the Controller.