Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is a department within the Division of Student Affairs that helps undergraduate and graduate students cope more effectively with personal, mental health, and academic issues that arise in their lives. Counseling and Psychological Services is the primary mental health provider for students at St. Cloud State University.
We offer confidential personal counseling and consultation to promote personal development and psychological well-being and assist students in defining and meeting personal, academic, and career objectives. During certain times of the academic year, we offer group therapy. Group therapy is at no cost to SCSU students. In most cases, we offer an initial assessment/consultation free of charge. Some of our services are billed to insurance. If you have questions about insurance billable services at CAPS, please call our office at 320-308-3171. If you have questions about your insurance benefits, please call your insurance company. CAPS Office support staff can also assist with basic insurance questions. If you do not have health insurance, we can assist you to get connected to a Navigator who will help you apply for healthcare coverage.
We've designed our website to provide you with an overview of our services as well as resources that you may use at your convenience. These resources may be sufficient to address your needs or you may decide, upon reading them, that you have more questions or want additional assistance. If so, we are here to serve you.
SCSU was one of the first schools in the nation to take part in the Jed Health Matters Campus Program, meaning it has demonstrated a comprehensive approach to supporting students’ mental health on this campus, based on their analysis of an extensive survey we completed.
The Jed Health Matters Campus Program is a leading national organization working to promote emotional health and prevent suicide in college students.
We commit to providing services that are sensitive to human diversity in age, race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religious and moral beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, and ability. We pledge to fight racism, discrimination, and other forms of prejudice and injustice. We strive to make our space inclusive, welcoming and safe for all. We continue to engage in professional development to assist with maintaining cultural competence. We maintain collaborative working relationships with a variety of departments on campus including Center for International Studies, Multicultural Student Services, Women's Center, LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Student Accessibility Service, and others to continually improve our ability to be effective allies to diverse communities.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) maintains a staff of Mental Health Professionals who hold master's degrees or doctoral degrees in psychology, counseling, social work or related field. We provide full-time counseling in our center. During certain times of the academic year, we offer group therapy. We are governed by licensure boards including the Minnesota Board of Psychology, Minnesota Board of Social Work, Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy. St. Cloud State University Counseling & Psychological Services also staffs a clinical case manager to help coordinate services for students in need. CAPS staff work as an integrated team with the medical clinic in Eastman Hall. Sometimes, CAPS staff see and serve students at the medical clinic through a collaborative model of care. In addition, our center supervises a number of graduate assistants and counselors who are training at the master's and doctoral levels.
Are you in a masters or doctoral program in clinical counseling? We offer 9-month (academic year) training positions for students who are seeking a masters-level internship or doctoral-level practicum.