Additional On and Off-Campus Counseling Resources

In addition to the short-term counseling services we offer at CAPS, we also provide information regarding longer-term community services.  Students often seek off-campus support for conditions that require more intensive or specialized care.

Please note: More specialized, intensive, and/or long term mental health treatment is considered a personal healthcare responsibility and is not a service provided by the University. CAPS can assist you in providing resources and information in regards to connecting to treatment, support, or assistance in the community.  Information provded by CAPS does not constitute an official clinical or medical referral. 

 

Academic Live Care

GW students now have access to expanded telehealth through our partnership with AcademicLiveCare (ALC) featuring additional counseling services, urgent medical care, therapy, and psychiatry appointments at no cost to full-time GW students*.

Academic Live Care

Additional On Campus Mental Health Resources

In addition to the services offered by CAPS, there are several other amazing mental health resources provided by GW for you to access.

Community Counseling Services Center (CCSC)

GW Art Therapy Clinic (GWATC)

GW Center Clinic

Meltzer Center for Psychological and Community Based Services

 

For a full breakdown of GW Mental Health Resources, click the button below!

On Campus Mental Health Resources

MiResource

CAPS is excited to offer GW students access to MiResource.  MiResource is a referral management platform designed to match students to the right mental health resources in their community. 

Search the MiResource Database Here

Do I need to use my health insurance to help pay for off-campus counseling? 

You are not required to use your insurance to help pay for off-campus care, but many people do. You are responsible for paying any fees you incur that are not covered by your health insurance. Click here for information about using your health insurance to pay for counseling

What if I have SHIP? 

If you have the student health insurance plan (SHIP) and want to visit an off-campus provider, it is best to find a provider who is in-network with SHIP. 

You can access a list of these providers on the Aetna Student Health Website for George Washington University.

What if I am covered by another health insurance?

It is your responsibility to cover the cost of your mental health care. Most insurance plans have benefits for mental and behavioral health services. If you’re not sure what your benefits include, it may be helpful to call your insurance to learn more about your coverage. To avoid any surprises about the cost of your treatment, you may call your insurance company to verify your coverage and ask about the cost associated with specific providers.

You may want to ask your insurance the following questions:

  • What regions and states does my health insurance cover?
  • What is my deductible? How much have I currently paid toward my deductible?
  • Does my deductible apply to in-network mental health services?
  • Does my deductible apply to out-of-network mental health services?
  • What are my in-network mental health benefits?
  • Do I need to pay a copay for each visit? If so, how much is the copay?
  • Is there a limitation on the number of visits I am allowed? Does the copay change after a certain number of visits?
  • What are my out-of-network mental health benefits?
  • Do I need to pay coinsurance for each visit? If so, how much is coinsurance?
  • How can I find the “allowed rate” or “usual, customary, reasonable” (UCR) rate to know how much I will be paying in coinsurance?

If you have another insurance policy, you need to determine your policy's requirements by contacting your insurer directly. If you are on your parents' plan, you may have to speak with your parents to gain access to your insurance. Contact us if you need help deciding how to have this conversation with your parents.

Beyond MiResource, how else can I search for off-campus counseling? 

To utilize your individual health insurance coverage for counseling, you can also search for mental health providers using your insurance provider’s website. If you’re searching for a counselor, clinical social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist, you’ll likely need to use “Behavioral Health” as a search parameter.

Online resources and databases like Psychology Today and Good Therapy also can assist students searching for long-term providers in the community.

We also make our How to Find a Therapist 101 Packet available to the GW community below should you wish to access this information without engaging with CAPS and conduct an independent search.

How to Find a Therapist 101 Info Packet

Quality of Care

Although CAPS can help you find off-campus care options, we do not monitor or guarantee the quality of care you may receive.  That is the responsibility of the off-campus provider.

If you have any concerns about the quality of care you receive from a provider in the community, we encourage you to consider sharing those concerns with that provider. In addition, you may contact CAPS and have a walk-in session to meet with a clinician who can listen to your concerns and help you determine your next steps.

 

You are welcome to come in or contact us at [email protected] for support accessing community resources or a mental health provider.