Division of Student Affairs > Student Services > Counseling > Counseling FAQs

Counseling FAQs

​​​Counseling FAQs

We are glad that you want to know more about our services offered at University Counseling & Psychological Services! Please take a few moments to browse our most frequently asked questions and feel free to reach out to us with any other questions you might have that are not answered below.

​Eligibility for Services​

Full-time and part-time DePaul students enrolled in a degree program or certificate program and currently registered in classes during the quarter they seek services are eligible for UCAPS services. Services include: (in-person or telehealth) individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention; and referrals to community providers and agencies. In addition, students enrolled in a degree program can access the 24/7 care line for mental health phone support services, regardless of class registration.

In addition, due to legal restrictions, students must be physically present in the state of Illinois when receiving ongoing counseling & psychiatry services from UCAPS staff. This restriction does not apply to use of the 24/7 Care Line for crisis support.

Students-at-large and non-degree seeking students who are not currently enrolled for classes may have a brief screening & consultation with recommendations and referrals for off-campus services.

Absolutely, yes, graduate and law students can utilize UCAPS services just like any other student who meets the eligibility requirements.

No. Although, we do not provide counseling services to DePaul alumni, we can refer them to services in the Chicago area.

Absolutely, yes, international students can utilize UCAPS services just like any other student who meets the eligibility requirements. To find out more about DePaul services for international students, please click this link. (https://offices.depaul.edu/global-engagement/student-resources/student-services/Pages/default.aspx)

DePaul employees are not eligible for UCAPS (even if enrolled as a student). Employees seeking counseling services can contact the Employee Assistance Program or their HMO/PPO for more information.

Consistent with our Catholic and Vincentian mission and values, University Counseling & Psychological Services (UCAPS)respects the dignity and confidentiality of all students from all backgrounds. Although our staff do not directly ask about legal or immigration status, students are more than welcome to raise it themselves. We recognize the life of undocumented and DACA students may be filled with unique stressors. These may include feelings of uncertainty and fears about the future, loneliness and isolation, depression, anxiety, relationship stress and concern about family members. These pressures may be compounded by one’s legal status and societal opinions about immigration. UCAPS is staffed by counselors ready to support the emotional and mental wellness of our diverse student body.

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Scheduling Appointments

Students wanting to learn more about counseling are invited to schedule a brief screening & consultation (BSC)appointment. During the brief screening consultation (BSC) you will have the opportunity to discuss your concerns with a counselor for about 15-20 minutes to assess what kind of service would be most helpful. You will receive an email reminder 1-2 business days prior to your scheduled appointment.

First-time @ UCAPS? You can schedule a BSC appointment by calling, coming into our office, or online by visiting our Scheduling & Forms site and clicking the “Schedule an Appointment (New Client - First Time)" button to book a brief screening & consultation. You will receive an email reminder 1-2 business days prior to your scheduled appointment.

Returning client? You can schedule a BSC appointment by calling, coming into our office, or online by visiting our Scheduling & Forms site and clicking the “Schedule an Appointment (Returning Client)" button to book a brief screening & consultation.

We do not schedule appointments through email due to the lag time between messages that can result in offered appointment slots becoming unavailable prior to receiving a client's response.

Appointments scheduled through the website are for phone appointments only. To schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment, call 773-325-2273 and press 2, when prompted.

*Please, note that DePaul employees are not eligible for UCAPS services, regardless of course enrollment. This exclusion does not apply to “student workers" who have on-campus jobs through the Office of Student Employment.

Appointments can be rescheduled in-person or by phone during office hours (please call 773-325-2273 and press 2, when prompted). Appointments can be canceled by email, phone, or in-person. We do not schedule appointments through email due to the lag time between messages that can result in offered appointment slots becoming unavailable prior to receiving a client's response.

Find a private and secure location and make sure you have a stable and reliable internet connection. Have your phone with you as a back-up in case there are any technology issues. If privacy is a concern in your home, here are a few suggestions: If you live with others, ask them to not disturb you. You may wish to use headphones or earbuds so that your therapist’s voice is only heard by you, place a fan or noise maker next to your door, or find a private area like outside or in a car.


Services Provided​ 

UCAPS provides free, confidential individual, and group counseling services for DePaul students who are currently enrolled for classes in the quarter.

Recognizing that some students may want or need longer term support, especially students who have already had a significant amount of counseling, our counselors will work with you to locate an off-campus referral if ongoing care would be helpful or necessary for your ongoing academic and personal success.

UCAPS offers a goal-focused, time-limited, and collaborative approach to mental health services in which students work collaboratively with their therapists to focus on goals that would be completed in a short-term during their academic career at DePaul.

For long-term needs, students will be referred to providers in the community. In addition, students are referred out to community providers when student’s counseling needs are best met with higher level of care (partial program, inpatient treatment, etc.), more frequent meetings, or specialized services that UCAPS does not provide. (Please see UCAPS Limits of Services).

UCAPS strives to help students successfully make important transitions, such as: starting college; living away from home for the first time; transferring from another school to DePaul; returning to college after a time away from school; adjusting after a major life event or trauma (e.g., international travel or new cultural experience, parental divorce, illness or death; an assault or accident), and preparing to move from college to the work force. UCAPS also provides consultation, assessment and referral, and conducts a wide variety of workshops for the DePaul community.

Clients include a diverse population of students of varying ages and social identities, who present with a wide variety of situations and concerns, including:

  • Academic Distress
  • Relationships
  • Family Discords
  • Self-Esteem
  • Eating Concerns
  • Identity Development
  • Life Transitions/Adjustments
  • Anxiety
  • Grief and Loss
  • Implementing Self-care
  • Depression
  • Racial/Cultural Concerns
  • Trauma
  • Substance Use

If you are assigned to a counselor after your BSC appointment, you will be scheduled for an Intake appointment with your assigned counselor, and they will help you define what you would like to gain from the counseling experience. After the assessment, your counselor will work with you to develop a plan to help you meet your specific goals.

We are only able to provide ongoing counseling & therapy for students in Illinois due to variability in state licensure laws for the practice of psychology, mental health counseling, and social work. These laws create licensing barriers and constraints for practicing therapy across state lines.

All currently registered students have year-round access to our 24/7 Care Line 773-325-CARE (press option 1).

If you have questions or concerns about mental health referrals or case management, you can call us at (773) 325-2273(press option 2) to arrange a BSC appointment. The UCAPS clinician who consults with you can assist with finding mental health support where you are, navigating insurance, and connecting you to additional university support services. You can access our free referral resource “Thriving Campus” to find your community provider by clicking this link (https://depaul.thrivingcampus.com/). UCAPS counselor can also orient you to our virtual outreach and workshop offerings, which are open to all students. For more information about our current outreach programs, please click here.

UCAPS has a consulting psychiatrist on our staff who conducts evaluations, provides medication management, and helps link students to community services. Students must be referred to the psychiatrist by their UCAPS counselor. UCAPS does not provide medication treatment without concurrent therapy with a UCAPS therapist.

If your concerns exceed the scope of UCAPS’ short-term/time-limited counseling focus, or if recommended resources are not available within the University, your counselor will refer you to private therapy or other appropriate community mental health resources. Examples of this include circumstances in which longer-term, more intensive, or more specialized treatment are indicated. As discussed above, students outside of Illinois who are seeking treatment will need referrals in their local area.

UCAPS providers will also help students find appropriate resources outside of the Chicago area when needed. The cost of such therapy is not included in your student fees. Health insurance plans usually will reimburse part of the cost of private therapy. Your counselor will discuss additional options to help manage or minimize costs if a referral for private therapy is made.

Students can also get referrals by visiting our Off-Campus Referrals page and doing a self-search (https://depaul.thrivingcampus.com/).

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UCAPS Limits of Services​

UCAPS supports the provision of the best standard of care and thus actively refers students out who need more intensive, frequent, or long-term counseling or specialized services. Students who would be better served by referral to an outside provider or agency will be supported in finding such outside care either during the initial clinical assessment or during their treatment. Common reasons for an outside referral include but are not limited to:

  • Students with a desire to be seen more frequently than UCAPS resources can provide (e.g., more than once weekly) or on a long-term basis.
  • Students for whom a short-term model of treatment would be unbeneficial or detrimental.
  • Student needs ongoing support to treat chronic mental health condition.
  • Students with a recent history of multiple suicide attempts, self-injurious behaviors and/or hospitalizations.
  • Students in need of immediate hospitalization.
  • Students with significant, chronic disordered eating symptoms which require intensive outpatient or residential treatment or whose symptoms pose a medical danger.
  • Students with significant substance dependence which requires intensive outpatient or residential treatment, detox, or hospitalization.
  • Students desire to have psychiatry services only.
  • Students in need of ongoing medication management after termination of counseling services at UCAPS.
  • Students who have been suspended or who have withdrawn from classes at DePaul.
  • Students whose needs fall outside the clinical expertise of our staff.
  • Students with active psychotic symptoms at risk for progressive deterioration of functioning and in need of intensive treatment for stabilization.
  • Students seeking to meet requirements of court-mandated treatment, legal proceedings, or employment clearance beyond the assessment and psycho-educational course offered to students mandated by the court system.
  • Students who engage in harassing, violent or threatening behaviors toward UCAPS staff.
  • Students seeking couples counseling when domestic violence is present.
  • Students who demonstrate a lack of motivation, engagement for treatment, or who fail to arrive for numerous sessions.
  • Students who need more flexible services than UCAPS can provide.
  • Students who are already engaged in and receiving counseling services from an outside provider.
  • Students whose treatment at UCAPS would present the risk of multiple relationships (e.g., Clinical Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, and Social Work students seeking placement in the internship at UCAPS).
  • Students who are attempting to meet the requirements of a class and who are not otherwise motivated for or in need of treatment.
  • Students who want documentation for emotional support animal and housing accommodation.
  • Students who want ongoing UCAPS counseling and psychiatry

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Faculty & Staff Concerns​​

Please encourage students to call UCAPS at 773-325-2273 (press option 2). Front desk staff can answer general questions for students and can arrange a brief screening & consultation appointment for them.

Staff and faculty are also welcome to call or email UCAPS with questions about our services or if needing to consult about student of concern.

Phone: 773-325-2273 (press option 2), Monday - Friday between 9 am and 5 pm.

Email: DePaulUCAPS@depaul.edu


Urgent Situations

Call 311 to request a welfare check if you are worried about someone or have not been able to reach them.

If the person you are concerned about should be on campus, or you believe they are on campus, you can call Public Safety who can conduct a wellness check. Call 773-325-7777 in Lincoln Park or 312-362-8400 in the Loop.

In a crisis when you are not able to keep yourself/someone or those around you/them safe, you need to go to or contact the nearest emergency room.

When calling 911, callers can request an ambulance for themselves or others experiencing a mental health crisis. The National Alliance of Mental Illness recommends: “Share all the information you can with your 911 operator. Tell the dispatcher that you or your loved one is having a mental health crisis and explain their mental health history and/or diagnosis. Request a trained Crisis Intervention Team-trained officer.”

If on campus, you can also contact public safety on Lincoln Park (773-325-7777) or Loop Campus (312-362-8400) for assistance.

(2273) and selecting option one, when prompted.

Deaf or hard of hearing students, can use TTY service by calling: 1- 866-381-7122.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

988

Open 24/7/365

The Lifeline provides free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

Crisis Text Line

Text “HOME” to 741741

Open 24/7/365

Texters can chat with a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm through active listening and collaborative problem-solving.

IMAlive Online Crisis Network

Open 24/7/365

www.imalive.org

IMAlive is a live online network that uses instant messaging to respond to people in crisis. Volunteers are trained and certified in crisis intervention

Chicago Sexual Assault Hotline

1-888-293-2080 in Chicago Metropolitan Area

1-630-971-3927 in DuPage County

1-708-748-5672 in South Suburbs

Open 24/7/365

Provides survivors of sexual violence and their significant others immediate support, crisis intervention, and local referrals. The volunteers and staff at the hotline have received extensive training in sexual assault crisis intervention.

Domestic Violence Hotlines

Chicagoland area: 1-877-863-6338 (Multi-lingual advocates available)

Everywhere else: 1-800-799-7233

Open 24/7/365

Highly trained advocates are available to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.

The Trevor Project

Phone: 1-866-488-7386

Text: Text START to 678678

Chat: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/

Open 24/7/365

The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

Trans Lifeline

1-877-565-8860

Open 9am-3am CST

Provides direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis - for the trans community, by the trans community. The Hotline was, and still is, the only service in the

country in which all operators are transgender. Because of the particularly vulnerable relationship transgender people have with police, it is also the only service in the country with a policy against non-consensual active rescue.

The National Runaway SafeLine

1-800-786-2929

Open 24/7/365

Provides advice and assistance to runaways (or those who are considering running away), including resources, shelter, transportation, assistance in finding counseling, and transitioning back to home life. NRS frontline staff will also act as advocates and mediators if/as needed.

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Family Support Hotline

1-855-435-7693

Services available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Polish

The purpose of the ICIRR Family Support Network (FSN) is to unify, build and coordinate a full range of support – legal, social services, ministry, law enforcement, and political action – for all families separated/impacted by the immigration system.

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