In order to serve the needs of ALL Emory students, CAPS utilizes a time-limited treatment model. Many ongoing services and resources that are not available on campus are readily available in the surrounding community. These include, for example: long-term psychotherapy; formal psychological testing; intensive outpatient treatment; specialized treatment such as for alcohol and drugs or eating disorders; and inpatient or day-treatment programs. Sometimes students choose to see a community provider for added privacy, for the additional flexibility of scheduling and ongoing services, or simply in order to begin therapy immediately rather than waiting for the next available CAPS psychotherapy opening.

I’m just looking for a referral for services off campus. Can CAPS help with that?

Yes.  CAPS has partnered with ThrivingCampus to make it easier for you to connect with off-campus mental health care. Visit https://emory.thrivingcampus.com/ from your computer or mobile device to browse and filter providers based on your needs and preferences.  Please note that you must request an insurance referral prior to your first appointment (see health insurance questions below).  

If you have questions or need additional referral assistance, please contact CAPS (404-727-7450) and ask to speak with an on-call clinician.  You can also schedule an initial screening appointment with a CAPS clinician who can help you identify appropriate community resources that are as appropriate, accessible, and affordable as possible. 

How do I use my health insurance?

If you have the student health insurance and already have the name of a clinician in the area whom you would like to see, you will need to call CAPS to request an insurance referral activation. Please note that you will need to contact CAPS each year at 404-727-7450 to request a renewed referral if you’re engaged in ongoing therapy.

If you have another insurance plan, you will need to contact the insurance company to clarify what mental health benefits they provide, whether you can receive treatment from an out-of-network provider or need to work with an in-network provider, and ask about any deductible and co-pay amounts. It is important to clarify benefits and any restrictions before seeking services in order to receive reimbursement.

Does CAPS prescribe medications? If I already have a prescription for medication and all I need is someone to refill it, can I do that at CAPS?

No - CAPS does not prescribe medications. However, psychiatric services are available at Student Health Services. For more information, visit their website.

If you already have a prescription, don't wait until your prescription has almost run out to arrange for a refill. Think ahead. The first person to consider contacting for a refill is the health care provider who originally gave you the prescription. If that provider is not available, not acceptable to you, or is located outside of the Atlanta area, you can contact CAPS for a referral to a local provider. No responsible provider will refill your prescription without meeting with you for an initial evaluation, so you must allow for enough time before your prescription runs out to connect with a new provider -- allow at least two to three weeks.