The short answer: The case-management drop-in is the useful second door: use it early if you need open-ended therapy, psychological testing or a provider outside Santa Cruz.¹
Start with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Book it: Call CAPS for an Initial Assessment or use Health e-Messenger for non-urgent communication. The current phone number is 831-459-2628. Open the official service page →¹
Who can use it: All registered undergraduate and graduate students. What it costs: No out-of-pocket fee; UC SHIP and CruzCare are not required for CAPS.¹
The limit that matters
CAPS publishes a figure on its counselling page: "Typically, students attend 1 to 4 sessions per academic year." That is a description of what happens rather than a cap it enforces, and it is a much smaller number than most students expect from a campus centre. Plan on a few sessions and an outside referral, and ask at intake what the route looks like if you need more. 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 services are available through CAPS: during business hours, call 831-459-2628 and ask for a same-day crisis appointment. After hours, weekends and holidays: call the same number and select option 3 to reach an on-call crisis counsellor. The Campus Mobile Crisis Team answers 831-502-9988 during its own hours for in-person support.²
Medication and longer-term therapy
Psychiatry: CAPS offers psychiatric assessment and medication services in person or by telehealth when appropriate. When campus care is too short: Daily case-management drop-ins help students find therapy, psychiatry or testing and navigate insurance 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 UC Santa Cruz door
| What you need | Start here | What to say or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Help today | Same-day crisis services are available through CAPS. | “I need urgent support today.” If you may be in immediate danger, call 911. |
| A first counseling visit | Call CAPS for an Initial Assessment or use Health e-Messenger for non-urgent communication. | Ask whether intake counts toward the session allowance and when the first clinical visit can happen. |
| Evening or weekend support | Call 831-459-2628 for 24/7 crisis support. | Ask whether this is crisis-only, one-time support or a route that can schedule recurring care. |
| Medication | CAPS offers psychiatric assessment and medication services in person or by telehealth when appropriate. | Ask whether a referral is required, what a visit costs and who handles refills between terms. |
| Weekly, specialized or longer-term therapy | Daily case-management drop-ins help students find therapy, psychiatry or testing and navigate insurance 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 UC Santa Cruz page. The session-limit facts were re-read on 24 September 2026. 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
- UC Santa Cruz CAPS, read 2026-08-24.
- UC Santa Cruz CAPS — Get Help Now — “24/7 Support: Call CAPS at (831) 459-2628 anytime”; after hours “select option ‘3’ to speak with an on-call crisis counselor”; Campus Mobile Crisis Team (831) 502-9988 — read 6 October 2026. The general-catalog page previously cited here is gone.
- UC Santa Cruz CAPS — Case management, read 2026-08-24.
- UC Santa Cruz CAPS — Counseling, read 24 September 2026 — "Typically, students attend 1 to 4 sessions per academic year."
Correction, 24 September 2026: this page said CAPS publishes no current numerical limit. Its counselling page states that students typically attend one to four sessions an academic year. That is not a cap, but it is a published number and a small one, and a student planning care needs it.