What services are currently available?
What is a telemental health appointment and how does it work?
Telemental health appointments are counseling appointments that are held virtually and are conducted via the use of technology involving an audio or audio/video platform.
Research evidence demonstrates that telemental health counseling can be just as effective as in-person counseling, with the added benefit of allowing for social distancing by the counselor and the client during a pandemic.
Telemental health appointments require a good telephone and internet connection, as well as the use of equipment like a telephone and a computer. SCAPS offers telemental health appointments via telephone and via DoxyMe.
During the telemental health appointment, the counselor and the client are both located in different locations, and to assure that privacy and confidentiality are established during the appointment, it is best that the counselor and the client are in locations that are quiet and private, where they are alone, and where an interruption of the appointment is less likely to occur.
While counselors usually conduct the telemental health appointment from the privacy of their office at SCAPS, it is also advised that clients determine their own private location for their telemental health appointment on or off campus where they can be relaxed and safely engage in a conversation during the counseling process. Examples of such locations may be: your own room at home, a reserved study room in the library on campus, any quiet and private space on campus, your dorm room when you are alone, etc. Clients are strongly discouraged to drive while they are attending a telemental health appointment. Driving while being on the phone and engaging in any telehealth consultation is dangerous. Clients are also strongly discouraged from checking their email, text messaging, or browsing the internet during their telemental health appointment. In other words, do not do during your telemental health appointment what you would not do during your in-person appointment with a counselor.
SCAPS counselors are committed to creating a safe, engaging and useful telemental health counseling experience for students, thus, all clients are encouraged to talk to their counselor if they encounter any obstacles to attending their telemental health appointment.
What if I am interested in a first-time appointment with a counselor?
If you have not seen a counselor at SCAPS before, or it has been a long time since you last saw a counselor at SCAPS, and you are interested in getting connected to one, please call 706-737-1471 to be scheduled with a telephone-based triage appointment with a counselor. During this appointment, the counselor will ask you questions and work with you to determine which SCAPS services would best suit you based on your concerns. Our scheduling staff will provide detailed information on how you can complete the necessary paperwork and submit it to SCAPS before the triage appointment.
What if I have an emergency?
SCAPS will assist students with an emergency from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Urgent concerns include thoughts of hurting self or others, recent traumatic experiences, inability to meet needs, grief, among other similar experiences. Please call 706-737-1471 to get connected with a counselor on emergency duty. In addition, the 9-8-8 line offers free 24/7 phone counseling and can assist you with locating mental health resources in your area. The after hours support line is another resource available to students, 833-910-3364.
What if I want to connect with a mental health provider outside of SCAPS?
We are excited to announce that students can go to augusta.thrivingcampus.com to search for mental health providers in the community. This may be a good option for students who are looking for ongoing therapy or specialized care. You can learn more about this service here.
AU students also have access to free brief therapy through UWill. UWill will assist you immediately and will help match you with a counselor that feels like a good fit for you (by taking into consideration language, and other preferences like gender, ethnicity, etc.). Students can sign up using their AU credentials.
