Guide to Seeking Mental Health Care at USC Student Health

By: Antonia Le’ 22

It’s always daunting trying to reach out and seek mental health care. Most people have heard some criticism of USC Student Health Center, and that might scare them off from seeking the treatment that they need. However, asking for help shouldn’t be scary, and the process of seeking help should be transparent and known to all. So, if you want to know more about mental health care at USC and what you can do to make your life better, read on!

The first step in seeking any sort of help is always to determine what exactly you need help. As a result, before students have to decide what exactly it is they need, they need to schedule a consultation appointment at USC Student Health. To schedule a consultation, simply go to usc.edu/mySHR. Under the Appointments tab, there is an option for scheduling an appointment for counseling and mental health care at USC Student Health.

Once you reach the Counseling and Mental Health at UPC Campus page, you’ll see a screen where you’ll see two options: Initial Appointment and Referral Appointment. These appointments are meant as kind of a “get to know you” conversation. In an Initial Appointment, you meet in person with one of Engemann’s counselors in person, where they ask you why you are seeking mental health care and tell you your options. These options can range from short-term counseling on campus, long-term counseling on- or off-campus, or on-campus group therapy. 

The Referral Appointment option takes place over the phone, and it is meant for students who feel they need long-term therapy. It is a similar get-to-know-you situation, but it is a 30-minute phone call instead of a 50-minute meeting like the Initial Appointment described above. USC is unable to provide every student long-term therapy on-campus, so this option is usually meant for students who specifically want USC’s help in getting referrals for therapists.

I haven’t gone through the Referral Appointment process, and I’ve heard mixed reviews on how those phone conversations go. However, I did have an in-person Initial Appointment. Everyone’s experience is different, but I personally found that meeting to be exactly what I needed it to be. During the meeting, one of the counselors at USC Student Health asked me why I was seeking treatment and told me what options I could pursue. Among the options listed for were:

Short-term counseling

This is where many students seeking help begin at USC. If you decide to pursue short-term, one-on-one counseling, you’ll often attend around six sessions, each lasting around an hour. The USC Student Health system tries to make it so that you don’t have to tell the same story a million times while looking for a counselor, so if you do take an in-person Initial Appointment, the person that you’re with for this appointment can often be the person that is your short-term counselor. That’s what happened to me!

Long-term counseling

USC does not have the resources to offer long-term counseling to every student who needs it, but it is currently working on expanding its on-campus therapy options, per this Daily Trojan article. Some students seeking long-term counseling can get it at USC, but usually, those working at USC Student Health will try to refer students to off-campus providers. 

Group therapy

For those who feel they would do better in a group setting, USC Student Health also offers several group therapy options, many of which are listed on this page. Those who seek group therapy may need to schedule additional appointments in addition to the initial intake meeting discussed above. This is so a group leader and the student can assess one another and see if the student would be a good fit for a certain group, or if the student would benefit more from other options. Group therapy options are often short-term, meeting once a week, six or more times a semester. 

For those who are worried about the costs of mental health care, there is good news! Seeking mental health care at USC is covered for students under the Student Health Fee everybody pays, even if you’re not under USC’s student insurance plan. If you choose to seek help at USC, then you don’t have to pay anything when you start treatment. You don’t even need to sign papers!

However, the story is different if you choose to seek off-campus therapy options. The USC Student Health Center can help with referrals, but the costs differ depending on whether you’re on USC insurance or not.

If you’re on the USC student insurance plan, you can expect cheap costs compared to those usually associated with mental health care. My therapist told me that students under the USC student insurance plan often only have to pay a $15 co-pay out of pocket for their therapy if they seek referrals through USC. 

However, if you’ve chosen to use your own family insurance instead while a student at USC, any off-campus therapy would cost the same to you as it would cost to someone who isn’t a USC student.

Moreover, students don’t have to choose one path right away. If they want, a student can choose to pursue a short-term option and then transition into a long-term one further down the line. USC Student Health will help students with this transition if they feel like they need such help. 

If you’re still unsure whether therapy is right for you, there are various other USC resources designed to help out students with their mental health. For example, I wrote about the drop-in Let’s Talk program last semester for those who just need someone to talk to every once in a while. Additionally, The University Religious Center offers several free mindfulness classes a semester—don’t worry, you don’t have to be religious to take a class!  

It goes without saying that with such a large and diverse student body, USC is incapable of satisfying everyone’s mental health care needs, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, that shouldn’t make you afraid to seek help on campus. Your college years go by so fast, and you should be able to make the most of them, and that includes getting mentally healthy! Reach out and seek help today! 

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