The short answer: Three individual sessions per semester makes planning concrete: use session one to decide whether the remaining two are enough, and start the outside referral immediately if they are not.¹
Start with Student Health and Counseling Services
Book it: Use MyPioneerHealth, call 510-885-3735 or visit the SHCS front desk. The current phone number is 510-885-3735. Open the official service page →¹
Who can use it: Currently registered students; some Open University and Extended Education students can pay the health fee for eligibility. What it costs: Basic counseling is included in the student health fee.¹
The limit that matters
Starting fall 2026: three individual sessions per semester. Group and crisis sessions remain unlimited. This is the fact to confirm again at intake, because staffing and campus rules can change during the academic year.¹
If you need help today
"Same-day crisis appointments are available daily for students who cannot wait for a regularly scheduled appointment"; for urgent symptoms, "please call Student Health & Counseling Services at 510-885-3735 rather than looking for an appointment online."² Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.³ After hours: "After-hours and weekend phone counseling is available through contracted crisis service - dial (510) 885-3735, Option 2."²
Medication and longer-term therapy
Psychiatry: Currently listed as "Psychiatry - (Temporary Unavailable)" on the counselling index, the scope-of-services page and the FAQ — do not plan around it without asking whether it has resumed.³ When campus care is too short: SHCS helps students connect to an outside counselor when brief campus care is insufficient and publishes non-endorsed referral resources.²
If you use a parent’s insurance, billing paperwork can disclose that care was used. Read the student privacy and EOB route →. If money is the obstacle, compare Medi-Cal →, sliding-scale care →, and California-wide telehealth →.
Choose the right Cal State East Bay door
| What you need | Start here | What to say or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Help today | Same-day crisis appointments are available; call rather than booking online for urgent symptoms. | “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911. |
| A first counseling visit | Use MyPioneerHealth, call 510-885-3735 or visit the SHCS front desk. | Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen. |
| Evening or weekend support | Call 510-885-3735, option 2, for after-hours and weekend counseling. | Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care. |
| Medication | Psychiatry is available by referral and must be scheduled by phone or in person. | Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms. |
| Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy | SHCS helps students connect to an outside counselor when brief campus care is insufficient and publishes non-endorsed referral resources. | Say what matters: specialty, identity, location, telehealth, language, insurance and maximum price. |
Before you spend money outside campus
Campus counseling and outside insurance are separate. Before booking an outside therapist, ask:
- Is this clinician in-network for my exact plan—not just the insurance company?
- What will I owe before and after my deductible?
- Does the plan require a campus referral or prior authorization?
- If the clinician is out-of-network, will they provide a superbill and where do I submit it?
If you use a parent’s plan, ask the insurer how to request confidential communications before the first claim. An explanation of benefits can otherwise show that care was used.
What to ask in the first appointment
- What is my individual-session limit this term or year, and does intake count?
- If I need weekly or specialized care, who starts the outside referral?
- Is psychiatry separate, and does it require a campus or insurance referral?
- What can I use while I am waiting: a group, same-day consultation, or virtual care?
- Will any charge or insurance explanation be sent to someone else?
Verification record
Every campus-specific statement above was read on an official Cal State East Bay page. Core access facts are due for re-check by 2026-11-22. A missing number is reported as “not published,” never filled from an old catalog or another campus.
Sources
- Cal State East Bay — Counseling, read 2026-08-24.
- Cal State East Bay — Counseling scope, read 2026-08-24.
- Cal State East Bay — SHCS FAQ, read 2026-09-12.
Correction, 12 September 2026: this page previously said psychiatry was available by referral. All three SHCS pages now list "Psychiatry - (Temporary Unavailable)," so the sentence has been changed rather than left to mislead.