About the Department
Location
Our Central Office is located in the Cowell Student Health Center building in the East Wing on the second floor, above the pharmacy. CAPS counseling staff are situated in various locations on campus, including the colleges and Family Student Housing. View Counseling Services to set up an appointment.
Who We Are
CAPS is staffed by clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, registered nurses, doctoral interns, and postdoctoral fellows. While all of our staff are familiar with issues affecting university students and are trained in and motivated to provide services from a place of multicultural humility, some of our staff have special focus areas and additional training around addressing particular issues and working with specific student populations. (See our "Meet Our Staff" page for more information.)
When to Contact CAPS
UCSC students contact CAPS for a variety of reasons, including stress; depression; anxiety; academic problems; problems with friends, roommates, or romantic partners; family issues; life transitions; eating and body image concerns; grief and loss; substance use concerns; issues related to oppression, discrimination, or harassment; personal identity issues; recovery from trauma; suicidal thoughts; and adjusting to the complex demands of university life. We are here to assist with any personal and mental health concerns that affect the well-being and education of UCSC students.
Family, friends, faculty, and staff members (including Resident Advisors) who are concerned about a UCSC student are welcome to call CAPS during business hours for consultation.
Prepare for Your Visit
Here are a few things to know before your appointment with Student Health & Wellness.
Before All Health Center Appointments
- Read up. View the patient rights and responsibilities and the privacy policy.
- Confirm your local address. Check your profile on Health e-Messenger to ensure it has the address where you currently reside.
- Be on time. A missed appointment fee is $25. Avoid the fee by contacting us BEFORE your appointment starts. Be sure to allow yourself time to find parking or travel to us from your location.
- Reschedule if needed. To cancel or reschedule an appointment, call CAPS at 831-459-2628.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Appointments
- Visits at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) may be in-person or by telehealth.
- Please attend your telehealth appointment in a private space, in order to protect your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of your health details. If you have difficulty securing a private space, please call the front desk of CAPS at (831) 459-2628 and ask about possible private spaces on campus.
In-Person Appointments
- Allow extra time to find parking, depending on the location of your in-person appointment. If your in-person appointment is at CAPS at the Student Health Center Building, there are limited metered parking spaces. The nearest large parking area is Core West and there is limited parking near Crown College. Pay with the Park Mobile App. If your appointment is at another CAPS therapist’s location, please check UCSC Parking Map.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early to allow for check-in.
- Service dogs are welcome at Student Health Services, however emotional support animals cannot be brought into our buildings. This is in accordance with UCSC campus policy.
- In consideration for our chemically-sensitive patients, please don't wear scented products to your appointment.
- Visitors may be asked to wait in the reception area.
Telehealth Appointments
Please make sure you are in a private location and that you allow 60 minutes to complete your visit. If you scheduled a phone call appointment, staff will contact you on the number you provided.
If you have a zoom appointment:
- Log in to the Health e-messenger patient portal:
- 15 minutes prior to your appointment - Follow Up appointments
- 30 minutes prior to your appointment – Initial Assessment appointments
2) Select View/Schedule an Appointment
3) Click the Appointment check in button and complete the check in process
4) Next, select Consent Forms to complete all required consents
5) When your provider is available, a Join Meeting zoom link will display on the Appointments page
