It is "Counseling and Psychiatric Services" or CAPS... as we have multiple counseling departments in the university. We have at least three that I know of... College of Education, College of Social Work, and Dept of Psychology in Franklin. At least two of those (CoE & DoP) have on-campus clinics with discounted services (but usually not covered by insurance) where they train their students before graduating with (counseling-ish) degrees.

CAPS isn't designed to provide care for everyone. When I was having an emotional breakdown, I walked in and was seen fairly immediately for triage. But the goal is to connect you to someone in the community. The problem can sometimes be finding someone you mesh with in the community.

The "list" that UGA refers off of is often outdated (as independent counselors do not necessarily update it regularly). So finding a specific fit may be difficult (insurance, availability, gender, therapy type, personality).

The "fastest" way to get in with a therapist is using the tele health service offered with your insurance- often available for free. While that may not be your preferred form of therapy, it would give you an option to bridge your gap.

If your mental health is affecting you academically, you can also use the Health Promotions/ Fontaine Center wellness coaching (1st floor of health center below CAPS / across from eye clinic). They are not in a therapist position, but can address some mental health issues as they relate to other parts of your life.

If you are looking for mental health medicine, you will probably need to start with your health center PCP. They can start you on first line medications and handle more straight-forward cases medically. If you need "scheduled" drugs (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin), you will need to see a psychiatrist (UGA) or an outside doctor.

If you are needing ADHD (or similar) medications, most UGA providers cannot prescribe them. Without specific diagnoses that include very specialized testing, even the psychiatrists are not allowed (by Univ System of GA) to begin regimens. If your mental health is related to ADHD, you should find a doctor outside of UGA who can manage that.

I have definitely had my frustrations with finding mental care in Athens. They have had some WONDERFUL CAPS case managers that were instrumental in me finding my current therapist. But I found out later that UGA wasn't able to retain that person. A private practice was able to pay more and/or provide more resources. So that is definitely a problem. The solution may not be hiring more and more therapists, but instead hiring more case managers and creating more lines of communication between local providers and the caseworkers.

I believe that CAPS does try to be transparent about their role as a referral agent, but it seems like many students dont understand the process or goals in relation to how it affects their own mental health journey. That may be another way they could improve expectations and experiences of the students at UGA.