The short answer: Counseling and medication use separate doors: CAPS for therapy, Student Health for psychiatric medication evaluation. Ask CAPS case management for outside care when you need a longer course.¹
Start with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Book it: Call 909-537-5040 or visit HC-162; online scheduling is not currently offered. The current phone number is 909-537-5040. Open the official service page →¹
Who can use it: Enrolled students who paid the health fee; defined returning students may buy summer eligibility. What it costs: No additional charge for CAPS services.¹
The limit that matters
The current FAQ does not publish a numerical limit. 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
Weekday walk-in times are available for urgent needs; call or visit HC-162. After hours: Call 909-537-5040 and press 8 for the after-hours crisis line.²
Medication and longer-term therapy
Psychiatry: Student Health provides psychiatric medication evaluation and management at 909-537-5241. When campus care is too short: CAPS case management can provide community referrals.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 San Bernardino door
| What you need | Start here | What to say or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Help today | Weekday walk-in times are available for urgent needs; call or visit HC-162. | “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911. |
| A first counseling visit | Call 909-537-5040 or visit HC-162; online scheduling is not currently offered. | Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen. |
| Evening or weekend support | Call 909-537-5040 and press 8 for the after-hours crisis line. | Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care. |
| Medication | Student Health provides psychiatric medication evaluation and management at 909-537-5241. | Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms. |
| Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy | CAPS case management can provide community referrals. | 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 San Bernardino 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
- CSUSB CAPS — FAQs, read 2026-08-24.
- CSUSB Student Health Center, read 2026-08-24.