Counseling and Psychological Services

All current Penn State Altoona students are eligible for services. Full-time students can attend up to ten sessions in any academic year for free. There is a $10 per session visit fee for full-time students who exceed ten sessions and all part-time students.

Due to the limited number of counseling staff members, we must consider how best to serve the students seeking counseling services. During times of high demand, we may institute a waitlist or limit the number or frequency of sessions to provide services to those most in need. Additionally, if it appears that a specific counseling issue will need specialized training beyond the scope of our clinicians’ training, we may refer you to a professional or agency with expertise in that area.

Your first appointment will begin with an intake appointment with a staff clinician. This is a specific time reserved for you. You will be asked several questions and have the opportunity to discuss your personal situation and ask questions of the clinician. The clinician will help assess the nature and urgency of your problem so that we can help you make the most appropriate next step to assist you. This appointment may take up to one hour. Depending on the nature of your concerns, this appointment may provide the relief or guidance you seek.

At the end of the session, appropriate options will be reviewed with you. These could include an appointment for individual therapy, a referral to case management, and/or a referral to other resources on campus or in the community that can help address your concerns. Crisis and urgent appointments are available when needed. The Health and Wellness Center is a short-term counseling agency. If you need or are interested in a longer-term therapy relationship, we can advise you about setting up services in the community.

At times, our services are in very high demand, and appointment times are at a premium. When a student doesn’t show up for an appointment, it prevents another student from using that time slot. We request that you inform us if you are unable to keep a scheduled counseling or psychiatrist session. A “no show” fee of $25 will be charged to your Bursar account for failure to call ahead to cancel an appointment you are unable to keep. Repeated "no-shows" may result in our asking you to seek assistance off-campus, where you would likely have to pay, including for missed sessions.

Penn State Crisis Line: 877-229-6400.
A mental health professional is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you or someone you are concerned about.

Community Crisis Center, located at the UPMC Altoona Campus, is available 24/7 and can be contacted at 814-889-2141 OPTION #1

9-8-8 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (Veterans Press 1)

International Help Center: Suicide Stop

PA Get Help Now: A confidential helpline that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to connect callers with recovery resources for their substance use. Call 1-800-662-HELP, text 717-216-0905, or chat at PA Get Help Now Chat.

Limited urgent hours are available each day to speak with a counselor at our Center about a concern that you feel cannot wait. Based on availability, the counselor will provide a phone consultation or a crisis assessment and recommend a course of action. Since we are an outpatient facility and do not have urgent psychiatric care, students will be directed to a facility with greater urgent care capacities.

Crisis Text Line: Text "LIONS" to 741741
This service provides access to 24/7 crisis support via text messaging. Penn State has partnered with Crisis Text Line to provide an alternate medium—outside of phone-based and in-person services—to access crisis services. Crisis counselors are volunteers, not therapists, and do not diagnose or counsel the texter. They engage in active listening and help the person "find calm and create an action plan for themselves to continue to feel better." To use the Crisis Text Line, students need only send the text message. A live crisis counselor will receive the text and respond quickly to help manage the cri

Individual counseling helps you achieve your greatest wellness by exploring your goals and concerns in a comfortable, private, and non-judgmental setting. We offer counseling services in both in-person “traditional” and tele-counseling formats. Therapy is tailored to meet individual needs using various approaches. If it appears that a specific counseling issue needs specialized treatment or is beyond the scope of our clinicians’ training, we may refer you to a professional or agency with expertise in that area.

Am I eligible for Tele-counseling Services at CAPS?

Individuals eligible for tele-counseling at CAPS must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled at Penn State Altoona.
• Be located in Pennsylvania.
• Have a stable internet connection.
• Have access to a webcam.
• Have a private location for attending scheduled appointments with no distractions.

Sometimes, tele-counseling is not the best practice or recommended. In this case, we will discuss in-person counseling or provide you with resources and/or referrals to suit your needs.

As an integrated center, we may refer you to one of our physicians’ assistants if we believe that medication would be beneficial for your therapeutic progress. CAPS and Health Services will share information with each other as part of the cotreatment process. A visit fee applies to these appointments, which are typically billed to your insurance carrier. Please note that our providers are unable to initiate psychostimulant medications for ADHD treatment. If you have already been prescribed this medication from another provider, and submit appropriate documentation, they may be able to provide refills if documentation is approved.

Telepsychiatry services are available through Mantra Health Services. Mantra offers HIPPA-secure video and messaging while allowing you to interact with your provider on your own time. Students have nine free sessions annually, with the first appointment being an hour and following sessions 30 minutes each. Please note that Mantra does not prescribe stimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD. 
 

Case Management offers assistance with referrals to community resources. 

Information is available on the University's Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response website.

Counseling is confidential. The information that you share with a counselor will not be disclosed to any outside person or agency without your written permission. This includes parents, faculty, future employers, etc. The Center will not even disclose whether or not a particular student has used services. The only exceptions to this strict policy of confidentiality are those required by law (e.g., where the client is likely to harm himself/herself unless protective measures are taken; where the client presents a serious danger of violence to another; where there is a reasonable suspicion of abuse of children or of an elderly person).

Thank you for your interest in a CAPS classroom presentation. Topics of presentations may include the following:

• Alcohol Harm Reduction
• Stress Management
• Test Anxiety
• Sexual Health

Other topics may be available upon request. We strive to accommodate all requests, and advanced notice is greatly appreciated.

To submit a request, please complete the Don't Cancel That Class form.