Welcome Parents!
Sending your child off to college can be both an exciting and stressful time in your life. If you have a concern about your child's emotional well-being we encourage you to call us at (860)768-4482.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What counseling services are available on campus?
A: The office of Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) provides students with a wide range of short-term counseling and psychological services. These services can include individual counseling, couples counseling, and group counseling.
Q: Is there a fee for CAPS services?
A: Services are available to all full-time undergraduate students at no additional cost.
Q: What if my son or daughter is not a full-time student?
A: Part-time undergraduate and graduate students may utilize CAPS services for a nominal fee. Please see The Source or call the Bursar's Office (860-768-4999) for the current fee.
Q: Where is CAPS located?
A: We are on the third floor of the Gengras Student Union, room 313 .
Q: How are appointments scheduled?
A: Students can either contact our office by phone (ext. 4482) or by coming in person to set up an initial intake appointment. During the intake, your son or daughter will meet with a CAPS clinician to discuss their reasons for coming. The CAPS clinician will assess what course of treatment would be most appropriate, determine which therapist might best help them, and find a time that the student can meet regularly with a therapist.
Q: How quickly are appointments scheduled?
A: CAPS can typically offer an intake appointment within 2-3 days and CAPS also offers daily crisis appointments. However, if your child is experiencing an emergency, they should call 911 or visit their local emergency room.
Q: What are your office hours?
A: CAPS is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30. The office is closed on certain school holidays and during the summer.
Q: What if a student needs help after hours?
A: If a residential student is in crisis after hours, you should contact Public Safety at (860)768-7777. If a student lives off-campus, you should call 911.
Q: Can I talk to my son or daughter's therapist?
A: Therapists are permitted to listen to any information you may need to give. However, without written express permission from your son or daughter, a therapist will not be able to speak with you about their treatment of confirm whether or not they are coming to CAPS.
Q: What information is confidential?
A: Under federal and state law, all information is confidential. This means that once a student has contacted our office, CAPS is not permitted to disclose any information (including whether or not s/he has made an appointment with our office) without written consent from the student. The only exception to this rule is if the student is in imminent danger of causing harm to self or others. CAPS reserves the right and duty to use clinical judgment in determining if a student is in imminent danger. If a residential student is hospitalized with a psychiatric emergency, a Residential Life staff member will contact parents.
Q: What if my son or daughter needs medication?
A: CAPS does provide limited psychiatric services. Please contact CAPS for further information.
Additionally, CAPS can provide students with a list of off-campus psychiatrists in the area. We recommend that you check with your health care provider for a list of psychiatric referrals that may be covered under your health care plan.
Q: What if a student needs other services that you cannot provide or they want to see a therapist off campus?
A: In some cases, students either need more than the maximum 15 sessions of psychotherapy or they require more intensive treatment than CAPS can offer. CAPS staff will provide appropriate referrals to off-campus services.