Getting Started at CAPS

First Steps

Welcome! Thank you for choosing CAPS for your mental health care.

• If this is your first time using CAPS services, you will need to schedule an initial phone assessment (details below.) 

• If you have previously used CAPS services and are interested in reconnecting with mental health support, please call our front desk staff at (434) 243-5150.

• If you need help but feel that you can’t wait for the next available appointment, please inform the CAPS receptionist that you are in crisis and ask to be connected to the therapist on-call. If it is an after-hours emergency, please call (434) 243-5150 to reach our after-hours service.

1. Initial Phone Assessment

The initial phone assessment is a brief phone call intended to assess your current mental health needs and get you connected with appropriate resources. It will include a series of questions about your current concerns, functioning in key areas of life, and any risk factors. At the end of the assessment, the counselor will offer recommendations for an appropriate care plan and help you with next steps. The assessment will last 20-25 minutes. A counselor from CAPS will call you at your scheduled time from a blocked, private, or restricted number.

• You can schedule your Initial Phone Assessment online using the HealthyHoos patient portal (log in using your Netbadge ID) or call (434) 243-5150 to schedule.
• Please note that only Initial Phone Assessments can be scheduled online. To schedule, reschedule, or cancel all other CAPS appointments, please call 434-243-5150 or contact your CAPS provider directly.
• If for any reason, your situation worsens and you do not feel you can wait for the initial phone assessment appointment, please call (434) 243-5150 and ask to speak with the on-call clinician.

Intake Appointments

Following your initial phone assessment, you may be asked to attend an intake appointment at CAPS. During this meeting, you will complete a questionnaire and a therapist will meet with you to discuss your needs. You and your therapist will consider possible ways to address your concerns. These may include a recommendation to engage in group or individual therapy at CAPS, assistance in connecting with a community provider, and/or a referral for a psychiatric evaluation.

CAPS has embedded counselors in some UVA schools. These embedded staffs have unique awareness of each School’s culture, workload, and curriculum, as well as related challenges and common students concerns. If you’re currently enrolled in Darden School of Business, McIntire School of Commerce, the School of Architecture,  the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Law, or the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and are interested in talking to an embedded counselor at your school, visit our embedded services page.