Students seeking psychiatric services will now have to pay for them, a change prompted by the Aug. 1 relocation from the Counseling Center in Mary Graydon to the Student Health Center on the first floor of McCabe.
"After receiving input from students and conducting extensive research into models on other campuses, representatives from relevant Campus Life Offices arrived at a decision that would benefit the most students," said Dr. Rachel Wernicke, assistant director for clinical services in the Counseling Center.
Representatives from the Counseling Center, the Academic Support Center, the Student Health Center and the Dean of Students' office all took part in the decision.
Dan Bruey, director of the Student Health Center, said the new fee schedule was created to expand the availability of psychiatric services by increasing hours. However, hours have not yet been increased.
"We'll evaluate it for this year and see how much we can support in the following year," Bruey said.
The new fee schedule is intended to keep the cost to students low. Fees for an initial psychiatric visit start at $50 and depend on the student's insurance. The fee schedule for psychiatric services differs from the regular care fee schedule because psychiatric services are considered specialized.
"With the move of psychiatric services to the Student Health Center, a greater number of students will be able to conveniently access these services on campus with a more equitable approach to the costs involved," Wernicke said.
While the Student Health Center has taken over the management of psychiatric medication, only the Counseling Center offers therapy with confidential counselors, so students in need of both will have to go to both centers.
The Counseling Center also offers additional services which include: crisis intervention, individual counseling, counseling groups, support groups, referrals to community resources, consultations for members of the AU community who are concerned about a particular student, outreach programming and information about a variety of mental health topics.
If a student wishes to continue the psychiatric care he or she began in the Counseling Center at the new location in the Student Health Center, he or she must sign an "Authorization to Release Mental Health Information" form, which can be obtained from the Counseling Center. The student's mental health records can then be released to the Student Health Center.
Students seeking academic assistance and accommodations for learning disabilities or ADHD should contact the Academic Support Center in Mary Graydon Center.
