The short answer: Ohlone publishes the service but not a visit allowance. Ask the exact limit and referral timing during the first contact.¹

Start with Student Health Center Mental Health Counseling

Book it: Contact the Student Health Center for short-term mental-health counseling. The current phone number is 510-659-6258. Open the official service page →¹

Who can use it: Currently enrolled Ohlone students under Student Health Center eligibility rules. What it costs: Campus brief counseling is provided through the student health program; no separate copay is published.¹

The limit that matters

Short-term counseling; no current fixed count is published on the public page. 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

Contact the Student Health Center during open hours. After hours: Use 988 or Alameda County Crisis Support Services at 800-309-2131.²

In crisis? Call or text 988 — free, 24/7.

Medication and longer-term therapy

Psychiatry: The center does not list routine psychiatry as part of brief counseling. When campus care is too short: The Student Health Center provides referrals when needs exceed its short-term scope.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 Ohlone College door

What you need Start here What to say or ask
Help today Contact the Student Health Center during open hours. “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911.
A first counseling visit Contact the Student Health Center for short-term mental-health counseling. Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen.
Evening or weekend support Use 988 or Alameda County Crisis Support Services at 800-309-2131. Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care.
Medication The center does not list routine psychiatry as part of brief counseling. Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms.
Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy The Student Health Center provides referrals when needs exceed its short-term scope. 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:

  1. Is this clinician in-network for my exact plan—not just the insurance company?
  2. What will I owe before and after my deductible?
  3. Does the plan require a campus referral or prior authorization?
  4. 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

  1. What is my individual-session limit this term or year, and does intake count?
  2. If I need weekly or specialized care, who starts the outside referral?
  3. Is psychiatry separate, and does it require a campus or insurance referral?
  4. What can I use while I am waiting: a group, same-day consultation, or virtual care?
  5. Will any charge or insurance explanation be sent to someone else?

Verification record

Every campus-specific statement above was read on an official Ohlone 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

  1. Ohlone — Student Health Center, read 2026-08-24.
  2. Ohlone — Student Health Center services, read 2026-08-24.