You can call the CAMHS Cares 24/7 mental health support line at (617) 495-2042 and follow the prompts to speak on the phone with a CAMHS Cares mental health provider. This option is available to you 24/7.  You don't have to wait to talk with a mental health provider!

If it is an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.  

If you believe you are not having an emergency but need to talk with a clinician urgently the same day (Mon-Friday), you can call CAMHS at (617) 495-2042 and request a same-day appointment (in-person or virtual) during regular office hours.  

Our clinicians can help you manage a variety of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, mood swings, cultural adjustment, difficulties with focus and concentration, eating concerns, traumatic experience, loneliness and isolation, grief, sexuality, relationship problems, managing a chronic health condition, addictive behaviors, and academic and career planning concerns. Call us even if you are not sure if we can help – we will connect you with the right support.

Many people seek counseling for personal growth and/or because they need help managing the challenges in life. Some students worry that seeking help means they are "crazy," “weak,” or “incompetent.” Seeking help from a licensed professional is a way to work through a difficult time. Counseling is available because we know that many students go through difficult times while they are here.

We would ask that you communicate directly with your provider. If you prefer not to share your feedback directly with CAMHS, here are some other options:

• Contact Patient Advocate, Mallory Finne, mfinne@huhs.harvard.edu, 617-495-7583. There are also Patient Advocate Feedback paper forms you can fill out at the front desk of CAMHS.
• Online anonymous satisfaction surveys you receive following your appointments that will be reviewed by CAMHS Leadership. 

In-person Urgent Care appointments are available in CAMHS on business days 8am to 5pm for significant mental health issues, urgent distress, or crisis situations.  Please call 617-495-2042 to schedule an urgent care visit, or to speak first with a CAMHS Cares clinician who is available 24/7 if you are unsure of whether an urgent care visit is warranted.

What Urgent Care is:

In a CAMHS Urgent Care appointment a student and clinician will focus on reducing immediate distress and increasing problem-solving while identifying next steps and resources to enhance mental health and wellbeing.  This might include:

• Scheduling more appointments to begin counseling or continue therapy,
• Making an appointment with a CAMHS prescriber to assess for medication,
• Accessing CAMHS workshops or groups or other resources on campus,
• Widening one's support system in stressful situations, or, in rare situations,
• Transferring to a hospital if a higher level of care is necessary.

What Urgent Care is not: 

• Urgent Care appointments are not "drop-in appointments" nor are they therapy appointments.  
• They are also not meant for discussing an accommodation request around a disability, nor for requesting documentation from a clinician.  
• We will not initiate a non-urgent prescription (such as ADHD medications) in an Urgent Care visit.  It's helpful to plan ahead before each semester begins.

Please remember to call 617-495-2042 first to schedule an Urgent Care appointment before coming to CAMHS, so that we may help you reduce time spent in our waiting room and provide support to you as expeditiously as possible.

The number and frequency of sessions depend on your particular situation, in the context of our short-term model of care. Some students feel benefits after one to six sessions, others need more time. We also encourage all students to follow up with the “therapy homework” generated in your counseling sessions. Therapy homework may include keeping a journal, daily practice of relaxation skills, or tracking your self-care routines. 

Recognizing that some students may need longer-term treatment for chronic mental health concerns, our clinicians will work with you to develop a treatment plan that identifies interventions, goals, and timeframes that address your presenting concern. Recommendations may include individual counseling, group therapy or a workshop, psychopharmacology, or referral to a community-based clinician. 

• Psychoeducational workshops are skills-based, typically 4-8 sessions, and are voluntary to join. Most are drop-in as needed but you will get the most benefit by attending the series (for example, the Managing Emotions or CPR for Mental Wellbeing).
• Support groups are also drop-in and require communication with the group facilitator to ensure the right fit (for example, the Recovery or Queer Support Groups).
• Therapy groups require a referral from your CAMHS clinician and a clinical pre-screening with the group facilitator. Therapy groups typically have 6-8 members (for example, Graduate Students Support Group).
• Check the CAMHS calendar for current listings.
• To request a future workshop for your program, please take a look at the the types of offerings on our Groups menu, and contact the staff clinician for more information or reach out to Tara Cousineau, PhD, Marketing and Community Engagement Specialist, tcousineau@huhs.harvard.edu

Services at CAMHS are offered at no cost and are covered by your student health fee. 

However, if you do not cancel your appointment ahead of time and simply do not show up for a scheduled appointment, you will incur a $25 fee. If you do incur the $25 no-show fee and would like to appeal it, please fill out and follow the instructions on the Missed Appointment Fee Appeal Form.

Initial consults with therapists (Social Workers, Psychologists, Licensed Mental Health Counsellors, and Psychology and Social Work Interns) are scheduled for 20 minutes and therapy sessions are approximately 45 minutes long. 

Initial sessions with Prescribers (Psychiatrists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Psychiatry Residents) are typically 60 minutes with follow-up appointments ranging from 15-30 minutes.

Urgent Care appointment length varies based on your presented needs.

Based on specific mental health needs and schedules, students may be referred to work with a therapist in the community following an initial consultation with a CAMHS clinician. Recommendations are always made based on best clinical practice and in the best interest of a student's wellbeing.  For example, some students may benefit from longer-term counseling depending on their mental health symptoms, which may require more intensive care or require particular expertise.  Other students prefer to have a private therapist in the community for personal growth, support, and continuity over the duration of their time at Harvard. 

We recommend that students begin their search for a community therapist on ThrivingCampus (huhs.thrivingcampus.com), an online mental health provider database. Some students will opt to begin short-term, brief counseling at CAMHS as bridge sessions until they find a provider in the community.

CAMHS’ Clinical Care Coordinator, Alyssa Mauriello, LICSW, is available to support students with navigating the search process as needed. If you have any questions or need additional support with finding mental health care outside CAMHS, please contact Alyssa at amauriello@huhs.harvard.edu or (617) 495-2042.

Please call (617) 495-2042 to cancel your appointment in a timely manner, which will allow us to offer an appointment to another student who needs services.

If you do not cancel your appointment ahead of time and simply do not show up for a scheduled appointment, you will incur a $25 fee. If you do incur the $25 no-show fee and would like to appeal it, please fill out and follow the instructions on the Missed Appointment Fee Appeal Form.

Your clinician will contact you via secure email or phone if you cancel an appointment or do not show up for the appointment. This is one of the ways we can follow up with you to check on your well-being and ask if you are interested in continued care.

Mental health hospitalizations occur only after careful assessment by your clinician. We are committed to helping you stay engaged in your academic programs, but sometimes mental health concerns warrant a higher level of care than can be provided at CAMHS. Most hospitalizations are voluntary, meaning that the student agreed that they would benefit from intensive treatment.

Confidentiality is maintained throughout the hospitalization process, including intake, treatment, and discharge. The reason for hospitalization cannot be disclosed without your consent. Students who reside in University accommodations should expect that their Dean will be informed that they have been transported to a hospital, but further details are only released with your permission.

Your mental health records are covered by special confidentiality laws including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Your mental health records are not a part of your academic record. Our clinicians have access to your record, but only as necessary. We cannot share information about your mental health with anyone outside of CAMHS, including your family members, parents, friends, academic advisors, deans, or employers without your permission.

There are exceptions to confidentiality involving imminent safety concerns. We will always try to speak with you first and get your permission to share any information.

If you need to share information with another person, you need to fill out the Release of Information Form.