The short answer: DVC has both in-person brief care and virtual care. Confirm the current allowance for each before choosing which sessions to spend first.¹
Start with DVC Well-being Counseling
Book it: Submit the Well-being Referral Form for in-person care or register for TimelyCare. The current phone number is 925-969-2144. Open the official service page →¹
Who can use it: Current DVC students; TimelyCare’s scheduled mental-health care is for eligible current students age 18 and older. What it costs: Well-being counseling and TimelyCare are free.¹
The limit that matters
The official mental-health page says brief in-person therapy may include up to ten free sessions; DVC also publishes a separate TimelyCare allowance. 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
Ask the Counseling front desk for a crisis drop-in at Pleasant Hill or San Ramon. After hours: Use TimelyCare TalkNow, 988 or Contra Costa Crisis at 800-833-2900.²
Medication and longer-term therapy
Psychiatry: The page does not promise on-campus psychiatry. When campus care is too short: Well-being staff introduce campus and community services when short-term care is not enough.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 Diablo Valley College door
| What you need | Start here | What to say or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Help today | Ask the Counseling front desk for a crisis drop-in at Pleasant Hill or San Ramon. | “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911. |
| A first counseling visit | Submit the Well-being Referral Form for in-person care or register for TimelyCare. | Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen. |
| Evening or weekend support | Use TimelyCare TalkNow, 988 or Contra Costa Crisis at 800-833-2900. | Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care. |
| Medication | The page does not promise on-campus psychiatry. | Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms. |
| Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy | Well-being staff introduce campus and community services when short-term care is not enough. | 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 Diablo Valley College 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
- DVC — Mental Health Resources, read 2026-08-24.
- DVC — Health and well-being services, read 2026-08-24.