As new and returning students learn to navigate a new semester at Texas A&M University, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is gearing up for a spring teeming with opportunities for mental health support.
CAPS services include one-on-one, individual counseling with licensed professional counselors. Sessions are goal-oriented, confidential, and free for all currently enrolled students. Groups
and workshops offer brave spaces for students to hone processing and social skills alongside peers under the guidance of a CAPS counselor. Additional opportunities include couple counseling, career counseling and exploration, mental health screenings, referrals to community resources, and self-help resources
available 24/7 online. In terms of Crisis Intervention, CAPS provides non-emergency, same-day assistance for immediate emotional support needs.
Filling out the around-the-clock mental health support available to Texas A&M students are the CAPS offerings HelpLine and My Student Support Program (My SSP).
HelpLine offers support for students by students. Aggies needing to talk are encouraged to call 979-845-2700 from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours per day on weekends when class is in session. HelpLine volunteers consist of undergraduate, graduate, and former students who have completed a 55-hour interview and training process and receive ongoing supervision and continuing education from the professional staff at CAPS. Adhering to the tagline, “you talk, we listen,” HelpLine volunteers stand ready to offer a nonjudgmental, listening ear to fellow Aggies.
My SSP provides 24/7/365 mental health support. After downloading the My SSP app and creating a profile registered under Texas A&M University, students can access professional counseling in multiple languages anytime, anywhere by phone or chat. In addition to on-demand options, My SSP offers the opportunity to schedule regular, ongoing counseling and features mental health screenings, self-help resources, and access to virtual fitness classes — all free and confidential.
FAQs
- How does a student make an appointment with CAPS?
- To make an appointment at CAPS, students can visit the CAPS website, click on the CAPS Student Portal, complete registration paperwork, and choose the desired appointment type along with the date and time that works for their schedule. The CAPS Student Portal provides an avenue of secure messaging between client and provider, enabling CAPS to preserve client confidentiality in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- As a family member, how can I support my student through difficult social situations/stress and overall support their mental health?
- Friends and family can encourage students to make their own appointments through the CAPS student portal.
- While CAPS can neither confirm nor deny a student has been seen at CAPS, in compliance with HIPAA guidelines, the CAPS website features resources and connections for friends and family seeking to offer support.
- When concerned about a student, be prepared to remind the student about the many opportunities and resources ready to provide mental health support at Texas A&M. Consider asking the following questions while always offering a listening, nonjudgmental ear:
- How are you doing?
- How has it been to navigate the challenges of college life?
- How has this semester met or differed from your expectations?
- How can I help?
- Who can I call, if I am unable to reach out to my student and am concerned about their wellbeing?
- Friends and family concerned about a student’s well-being, can call University Police Department at 979-845-2345. For a Student Welfare Check, contact Student Assistance Services at 979-845-3113. CAPS also stands ready to provide support. Call 979-845-4427 to reach CAPS for a consultation.
To learn more about Counseling and Psychological Services at Texas A&M University, please go to: caps.tamu.edu/
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