The Quad: CAPS offers students multiple avenues for affordable treatment

Over the course of my time at UCLA, I have heard many complaints from fellow students about the timeliness and usefulness of UCLA’s Counseling and Psychological Services. As someone with general anxiety, I wanted to try out counseling, but it was intimidating – especially when hearing stories of CAPS’ shortfalls.

Though I understand the difficulty CAPS has in serving a population of around 45,000 students, it did not make it easier for me to reach out. It took me two years to convince myself to make an appointment with CAPS, only to then endure a long wait period and a canceled follow up.

Eventually, I gave up trying.

Unfortunately, the problems that led me to seek treatment didn’t go away with building closures and social distancing – they just moved inside my Westwood shoebox apartment to trouble me, along with the ugly cream-colored walls.

Now that CAPS is operating fully remotely, I decided to give it another swing.

CAPS pointed me in the direction of its Community Provider Database, which allows students to input their insurance and preferences to find providers in their area. When I struggled to find therapists that were taking clients, CAPS again provided me with an extensive list of therapists that accepted my insurance and were taking on new clients starting that week.

Though I knew the first time I called that I didn’t want counseling through CAPS – mostly because of the timeliness aspect – it helped me find an outside option that worked for me. And it might be a helpful resource to you, too.

CAPS said in an emailed statement that as a UCLA student, regardless of your insurance status, you can contact CAPS and discuss your service options with either a CAPS clinician for students in state, or a clinical coordinator for students out of state.

More specifically to the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan, CAPS said in-state holders are eligible for same day screening, which may lead to short-term therapy services. For out-of-state holders, CAPS can provide referrals and assistance in finding a provider near you, CAPS said in the statement.

International students are still covered by UCSHIP abroad, specifically through the BlueCard Worldwide program, CAPS added. More information can be found on this website.

Short-Term Treatment

CAPS provides short-term therapy for in-state students with and without UCSHIP. It provides these students with eight sessions and four sessions, respectively, for the 2020-2021 academic year, CAPS said in the statement.

The copay for a CAPS visit is $0 for UCSHIP holders and $15 for non-UCSHIP holders.

This session limit was discouraging for me; as someone who had never received psychological help, four to eight sessions did not seem like enough time.

“It can be hard (on both ends) to end a relationship with someone you’ve come to care about,” Kathleen Lambird, quality, client safety and risk manager at CAPS, said in an emailed statement. “And for some students, longer term therapy is really needed to address mental health concerns like trauma or major depression.”

Lambird also said in the statement that there are silver linings to session limits. Limited sessions not only allow room for a greater number of students to be seen at CAPS, but also can motivate change if this time limit is kept in mind.

Lambird added that a majority of student concerns can be addressed during this brief treatment. For other students, this brief counseling leads to a longer term option.

Courtney C. Walters, a triage clinician at CAPS, said in an emailed statement that her goal is to provide not only a plan for mental health treatment, but also hope for students. She explained that while CAPS provides short-term therapy, CAPS can also assist in finding a more permanent community provider if students so desire.

Walters noted in her emailed statement that the most challenging part of working at CAPS is understanding that healing takes time.

Long-Term Treatment

Therapy can be extremely expensive. Fronting $100 or more an hour for something you aren’t even fully sure could help is discouraging.

For students who find themselves in need of long-term outpatient treatment, either immediately or after short-term CAPS counseling, the cost might be much less than expected.

 

CAPS said in the statement that, for all UCSHIP holders, outpatient therapy or behavioral care has a $0 copay.

Non-UCSHIP holders have options, too.

LiveHealth Online, a telehealth option for students seeking longer-term treatment, also has a co-pay of $0. For non-UCSHIP students, CAPS is fully covering costs for this service, CAPS said in the statement.

Behind the Scenes

While handling the multitude of students seeking treatment, CAPS also busies itself with internal improvements.

Lambird said in the statement that CAPS is working hard to improve its cultural competence skills. This includes a five-week anti-racism training program for all staff.

“It’s part of our mission that students of diverse backgrounds find that CAPS is a place where they can be understood and find healing,” Lambird said in the statement.

However, not having a private place to talk can still deter students, according to CAPS in its statement. This may always be a challenge during the pandemic.

Lambird said CAPS is currently working with UCLA Residential Life to provide private spaces on campus for students. But of course, other solutions must be found for students who cannot access these spaces.

I was discouraged by stories of long waits and canceled appointments, discouraged by the idea of being discouraged and discouraged by myself. It took me time to work up the nerve to call CAPS and other therapists, to set those appointments and, finally, to just start talking. But all that time was the time needed to start my healing.