Relationship between CAPS and Cayuga Health at IC
Cayuga Health at Ithaca College is a contracted entity and all Healthcare staff are employees of Cayuga Health System (more information here--https://www.ithaca.edu/student-health-services).
CAPS is an Ithaca College office. All Mental Health Professionals at CAPS are employees of the College. We are a College Counseling Center.
CAPS offers a no-cost/insurance-free and confidential variety of consultation and therapeutic treatments to students for their mental health needs. Call us at 607-274-3136 to schedule an appointment!
Services provided include:
• Individual and group counseling (short and longer-term)
• Coping skills workshops
• Consultation/ coordination with Student Accessibility Services and other campus partners
• Same-day/walk-in crisis intervention
• After-hours services via our Protocall service
We will also continue to prioritize building relationships with students throughout their time at IC and will work with them directly to develop a schedule of services that best meets their needs. Learn more about our Stepped Care treatment model.
We look forward to providing mental health support to help you achieve you IC goals!
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Cayuga Health at Ithaca College Services: Medication consultations and Brief Behavioral Health Intervention
Cayuga Health at Ithaca College provides healthcare treatment to maintain and restore student wellbeing. While attending Ithaca College, students may seek out medical treatment with a Student Health Primary Care Provider (PCP) for a wide variety of physical, emotional, and / or mental problems affecting their overall health. For example, psychiatric consultations and medication management are only available at Cayuga Health at Ithaca College. You can make an appointment with Cayuga Health-IC by calling 607-274-3177.
As a part of these services, Behavioral Health Interventionists (BHI) are included in the Primary Healthcare team. This new partnership and integrated behavioral health model will not serve as a substitute for or replace the services that CAPS offers to students.A student’s general medical provider may recommend them to a BHI for defined needs that are an extension of primary care treatment. Students will be offered brief, targeted interventions proven to help treat many kinds of health conditions and that may include common mental health disorders.
Cayuga Health at Ithaca College will offer common prescription medication treatments for students which will include mental health medication care.
Most students will no longer need to establish with an off-campus psychiatric prescriber for common mental health medication treatments while attending Ithaca College. However, for students with complex mental health treatment needs, or who may desire treatment with a mental health or other behavioral health specialist, Cayuga Health at Ithaca College can help direct students towards community resources that may best meet their needs.
Behavioral healthcare supports available through Cayuga Health at Ithaca College will include:
- Expanded screening for depression, anxiety, and substance use to help identify problems early and improve tracking of mental health symptoms over time
- Behavioral Health Interventionists (BHI) available in office and virtually as a part of the general medical team to address a variety of physical, emotional, and mental health needs when recommended by a primary care provider (PCP). Students should schedule an appointment with their Student Health PCP to discuss specific treatment options
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****ALL MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT CAYUGA HEALTH WILL BE BILLED TO THE STUDENT DIRECTLY OR TO THE STUDENT-HELD MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN****
Cayuga Health at IC will now be billing students’ health insurance for sensitive health visits, which includes visits for sexual health and mental health services received from medical providers at Student Health Services. Previously, Ithaca College covered the cost of the office visit for services that fell into these categories.
Q: Does this impact mental health resources received from the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)?
A: No, this does not impact any resources received at CAPS. CAPS is a separate entity from Cayuga Health and will continue to offer its resources to students free of charge. This change only refers to mental health visits with medical providers, as well as the social worker and psychiatrist that are part of the Cayuga Health team.
Q: Are there concerns about student confidentiality associated with these sensitive services at Cayuga Health?
A: Some services related to sensitive health visits for both sexual and mental health were already being billed through insurance, including for prescription medications and lab test processing, so this change is not anticipated to have a significant impact. It is important to note that while students will now have their insurance billed for clinical visits for sexual and mental health care, no confidential personal health information is shared with the insurance subscriber. Students always have the option to self pay for the cost of services if they do not wish to have the services billed through insurance.
Q: Are there alternative options available for students who do not wish to be billed through their insurance?
A: There are some alternative resources available in the greater Ithaca area that students can explore if they are concerned about the cost of coverage or change in billing process at Student Health Services. Some local options include the Ithaca affiliate of Planned Parenthood and the Ithaca Free Clinic.
Cayuga Health System offers a Financial Assistance Program for qualifying students/families.
For more information, please contact Cayuga Health at Ithaca College at 607-274-3177.