Making an appointment at CAPS is simple. If a student is visiting CAPS for the first time, they will be scheduled to meet with a counselor for an initial assessment. Students may call CAPS at 407-823-2811 to schedule an appointment in advance. In addition, a limited number of same day appointments are available. In an emergency, as defined either by you or the student, it is recommended that the student be seen on the same day. If you are concerned about a student and want the the Student Care Services office to check in on the student, it may be important to fill out a Student of Concern Form, especially if a student refuses to get any kind of help. It is a non-punitive check in.
The purpose of the initial interview assessment is to learn what is troubling the student and to assess appropriate services for those issues. (e.g., individual or group counseling at the center or referral to a more appropriate service on campus or in the community).
If ongoing counseling is appropriate, regular appointments will be scheduled for 45 to 50 minutes. At busy times of the year, it may be two weeks or so before regular appointments begin, but students are encouraged to let the office know if they feel too distressed to wait, and they will receive priority scheduling.
It is important for members of the campus community to understand that the interviews conducted with students at CAPS are confidential. Information or content of those sessions cannot be released or discussed without the student’s written permission. The Center staff adheres very strictly to ethical and legal parameters of Confidentiality.
If a faculty or staff member is interested in knowing whether a student has visited or made contact with the center, they should ask that student directly (since students are not bound by the same obligation of confidentiality that counselors/psychologists are obliged to keep). In some instances, a student may want CAPS to share certain information with faculty, staff, or a parent. This can be done if the student provides written authorization that specifies the purpose and content of such a disclosure.