June 28, 2021
Lafene Health Center and Counseling Services announce merger
K-State's Lafene Health Center and Counseling Services will join services effective July 1. Under this new organizational structure, the opportunity to enhance services for our students and campus community will grow exponentially.
Jim Parker, director of Lafene Health Center and Counseling Services, believes the current landscape is well suited for this merger.
"Lafene and Counseling Services have enjoyed an interactive and productive partnership for quite some time," Parker said. "Over the past two years, a concerted effort has been made to ramp up collaborative efforts between the two departments. It makes great sense at this point in time to formally join forces to have a greater impact on the health, well-being, and outreach efforts of these student-facing departments. We believe the joining of these units will serve as a new and heightened baseline for excellence in the service of our student and campus community."
As part of the consolidation, Lafene Health Center will retain the anchor role between the two units. Counseling Services will be renamed Lafene Counseling and Psychological Services, or Lafene CAPS, to better identify service offerings. CAPS will function as a department within Lafene Health Center and will be led by Kodee Walls.
Established in 1913, Lafene Health Center serves K-State students in the areas of physical and mental health. Areas of care include family practice, sports medicine, mental health, dermatology, nutrition, women's health, physical therapy and well-person exams.