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  1. Home
  2. Offices and Divisions
  3. Student Affairs
  4. Health and Wellness Center

Counseling and Psychological Services

About Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State Altoona Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is staffed by licensed, license-eligible counselors or graduate interns who provide short-term individual counseling, CAPS Chat, and case management services, as well as counseling groups, workshops, and other outreach programming. The Center's staff is dedicated to assisting students in their pursuit of personal and academic growth, helping students gain a better understanding and appreciation of themselves, and supporting students as they make important decisions about their lives. CAPS welcomes all students.

We embrace diversity and honor the inclusiveness of individuals regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, cultural and religious backgrounds, and abilities. Contact the Health and Wellness Center at 814-949-5540 to schedule an appointment. Scheduling through the Online Student Access portal is currently unavailable. However, students can still access the portal to complete necessary forms, access tele-counseling appointments, and send and receive important, confidential communication with counseling staff through secure messages.

Hours of Operation

  • Monday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
  • Thursday from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
  • Friday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Students should not pursue services at CAPS solely to obtain a letter of support. CAPS does not provide letters at the first appointment and cannot provide documentation regarding a student's mental health without a history of services at CAPS during the specified time period. If necessary, students are encouraged to seek letters of support from individuals directly involved in their care, such as past or present psychological/psychiatric providers, medical doctors, or family members.

CAPS Chat and Additional Resources and Programs

CAPS Chat provides informal, free, thirty-minute consultations for students with counselors from CAPS.

Additional resources and programs include online mental health screenings, Art for Wellness Open Studio, Family and Friends Peer Support Group, No One Journeys Alone Grief Support, WellTrack Boost, CAPS Virtual Library, and more.

Learn about CAPS Chat and More

Learn More About CAPS at Penn State Altoona

  • About Counseling
  • Substance Abuse Counseling
  • Suspenders4Hope
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Care and Concern Report
  • Requests for Documentation
  • Community Providers
  • CAPS Frequently Asked Questions

Click on an item below to reveal more information.

All current Penn State Altoona students are eligible for services. Full-time students can attend up to eight sessions in any academic year for free. There is a $15 per session visit fee for full-time students who exceed eight 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 or 800-540-4690.

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.

Case management offers support to students by working on goals in a private and non-judgmental setting. Appointments are 30 minutes to work on skill development and coping strategies related to academic concerns, "mild" mental health concerns, situational stressors, relationship concerns, time management and organizational skills, and study skills. All registered students are eligible for case management free of charge.

We contract with a psychiatrist and refer students to this provider if we believe that would be beneficial for your therapeutic progress. Students who meet with the psychiatrist are expected to also meet regularly with a member of the CAPS staff. CAPS staff and the psychiatrist will share information as part of the case consultation. In addition, we may refer you to our Health Services providers or to other professionals as indicated. A visit fee applies to these appointments, which are typically billed to your insurance carrier.

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.

Counseling and Psychological Services

  • CAPS Chat and Other Resources and Programs
  • About Counseling
  • Substance Abuse Counseling
    • Alcohol and Drug Laws and Policies
    • AOD Resources
    • Friends for Life
    • Advice for Parents of First-year Students
    • Parents: Worried about your student's use of alcohol or other drugs?
  • Suspenders4Hope
    • Wellness Card Exercises
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Care and Concern Report
  • Requests for Documentation
  • Community Providers
  • CAPS Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the Health and Wellness Center

814-949-5540
Fax: 814-949-5731
[email protected]

Sheetz Family Health Center
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601

Health and Wellness Center Homepage

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Penn State Altoona

A full-service, four-year, residential campus located less than 45 miles from the research campus at University Park. Offering 21 four-year degrees and the first two years of over 275 Penn State majors.
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Give Visit Apply
  • This is Penn State Altoona
    • Welcome from the Chancellor
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    • Financial Aid Basics
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