The short answer: Individual therapy is free and there is no published visit cap — but Student Health and Psychological Services is appointment only, so call before you go.¹
Start with Student Health and Psychological Services
Book it: Call Student Health and Psychological Services for an on-campus or virtual appointment — the centre is "Open for In-Person Care by Appointment Only," with telehealth available. The current phone number is 951-222-8151. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Bradshaw Building below the bookstore. Open the official service page →¹
Who can use it: RCC students; the page states no separate eligibility test. What it costs: Nothing for counselling — RCC lists "Individual Therapy (Free for RCC students)" and "No charge for office visits, just call for appointments," noting that "some services like lab tests, meds, and immunizations may have a small fee."¹
The limit that matters
Brief psychological counseling; no fixed current cap appears on the main service 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
Call Student Health and Psychological Services on 951-222-8151 and say it is urgent; the centre is appointment-only, so phoning is the way in.¹ On campus, 951-222-8171 is the number RCC publishes "for any emergency while on campus."² After hours: 988, the Riverside County CARES line on 800-706-7500, the RUHS Mobile Crisis Response Hotline on 951-686-4357, or 911.² A note on names: RCC C.A.R.E.S. is the college's Behavioral Intervention Team, and its form is for reporting concern about a student — it is not the route for booking your own counselling appointment.²
Medication and longer-term therapy
Psychiatry: Routine campus psychiatry is not listed on the current public service page. When campus care is too short: SHPS says it follows "a public health model, acting as a healthcare bridge, educating students on community resources," and "assist[s] students in improving healthcare access through Covered California."³
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 Riverside City College door
| What you need | Start here | What to say or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Help today | Call Student Health and Psychological Services on 951-222-8151 (appointment only). On campus, 951-222-8171 is the published emergency number. | “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911. |
| A first counseling visit | Call Student Health and Psychological Services for an on-campus or virtual appointment. | Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen. |
| Evening or weekend support | For crisis use 988, Riverside County CARES at 800-706-7500 or emergency services. | Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care. |
| Medication | Routine campus psychiatry is not listed on the current public service page. | Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms. |
| Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy | SHPS describes itself as a bridge to community care and Covered California 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 Riverside City 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
- RCC — Student Health and Psychological Services: Mental Health and the SHPS landing page, read 2026-09-12.
- RCC — C.A.R.E.S., read 2026-09-12.
- RCC — student health landing page, read 2026-09-12.
Correction, 12 September 2026: the cited URL health-well-being.html now returns 404 and has been replaced. This page previously said counselling had no published price and that C.A.R.E.S. "accepts non-emergency referrals"; therapy is in fact published as free, and C.A.R.E.S. is a behavioural-intervention reporting route rather than a student self-referral route.