Mental Health Services

CAPS offers a variety of individual therapy options. Our staff works within a broad range of theories and approaches to help tailor services to fit each client’s individual need.

We emphasize time-limited treatment, which focuses on a specific issue, and work to resolve within a relatively brief time. If extended or long-term care is needed, our clinicians will work with you on referral options.

Note: CAPS does not provide services to children or conduct clinical services through email.

Group therapy is an effective form of treatment for many different concerns, including those commonly experienced by college students (including depression, anxiety, and adjustment issues).

CAPS organizes various therapy and support groups.

Some groups specifically focus on a concern, such as anxiety, and are structured to provide information (psychoeducation) and training in skills to address the concern. Other groups are less structured and emphasize sharing, support, and feedback among members.

Engaging in group therapy offers many benefits, including:

• Facilitation or leadership from a mental health professional
• Achieving relief from mental health concerns and symptoms
• Learning that you are not the only one to experience a specific concern or mental health diagnosis
• Receiving/providing support and validation from/to other students much like yourself.

CAPS offers support and process groups for current University of Arkansas students. CAPS groups are supported by the Student Health & Wellness Fee, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to students to attend group therapy.

CAPS offers psychiatric services for a range of mental health concerns for students registered at the University of Arkansas.

The psychiatric team is comprised of psychiatrists and a psychiatric nurse. The team is committed to meeting the psychiatric needs of our student population with the highest quality of care.

Psychiatry services include psychiatric evaluations, consultations, and medication management. Medication may be recommended as a treatment option to address emotional health concerns that have a biological component.

A referral can be made to psychiatry by one of the medical providers at the Primary Care Clinic located in the Pat Walker Health Center or by a mental health provider.

24-Hour Emergency Mental Health Services are available to students, faculty and staff by calling 479-575-5276.

A mental health emergency might include suicidal or homicidal thoughts, severe panic attacks, self-harm or a strong urge to engage in self-harm, psychosis, and recent traumatic event.

Psychological assessments offer a way to measure traits, feelings, beliefs and abilities that can lead to people's problems.

A typical psychological assessment includes an interview with a mental health practitioner, one or more formal psychological tests, and a follow-up with the mental health practitioner to provide assessment results.

Some tests can be completed individually, while others are completed with an examiner. Psychological assessments typically require a referral from a treating CAPS provider.

CAPS offers a range of consultation services. If you have a request for or question about the consultation services CAPS offers, please call 479-575-5276.

CAPS actively works to raise mental health awareness on campus.

Invite CAPS to your classroom, training event, or meeting to discuss mental health topics, and be sure to look for CAPS at several campus-wide outreach events.

Let’s Talk is an additional form of outreach offered to the campus community at various locations on campus.

An important part of our mission is to conduct research that aids our clinicians and other practitioners across the country in deepening our understanding and effectiveness.

CAPS also participates in a national research project designed to improve our services and expand the knowledge about college student mental health.

All research is done with the knowledge and consent of clients.

The training of graduate students in the various counseling and mental health disciplines is a professional activity that CAPS has supported since its inception.

Our training program helps students develop personally and professionally in a supportive clinical environment. Over the years, the program has expanded to include trainees from different academic departments, necessitating a formalization of the CAPS training experience.