Off-Campus Referrals

• Meet with you to help determine goals for therapy, access to services, and appropriate level of care.
• Provide you with a list of providers who meet your personal needs, are accessible, and provide services at a reasonable fee given your financial resources.
• Direct you to appropriate assistance for concerns about insurance and coverage for mental health services.
• Solve problems related to any obstacles (cost, transportation, time) that may arise.
• Provide follow-up support to ensure that a strong connection has been made with an outside provider.
• Offer additional referral support if needed.

• Request for formal psychological assessment (such as ADHD or psychoeducational evaluations)
• Request for medications not prescribed by Counseling Center’s psychiatrists
• Request for services to fulfill court-mandated assessment or treatment requirements
• Desire or need to be seen weekly or more than once a week
• Desire or need for ongoing long-term therapy (for example, more than six sessions)

For questions about the cost of off-campus treatment and in-network providers, please contact your health insurance company directly. Most insurance cards list a phone number and website to get this information. It’s helpful to ask about out-of-pocket costs for in-network and out-of-network outpatient mental health services, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Off-campus providers can be found within the NC State Counseling Center referral directory, MiResource, or the additional national directories listed above. 

• Make sure the provider accepts your insurance and is taking new clients. You can do this by using the filters to select your insurance type (ex. BCBS, Aetna). 
• Be sure to review providers’ websites and personal profiles to see if they may be a good fit for you.

• Consider office location, insurance accepted, and any other characteristics that are important to you. Call or email your first choice for a provider. You’ll likely leave a message. It’s best to leave your name, phone number, and good times you can be reached by phone, as well as your insurance plan.
  • “Hi, my name is _____. I am looking to get connected to a provider for counseling and was referred to you by the NC State Counseling Center. My number is ____. I have BCBS/Aetna/Cigna. I can be reached anytime between 8a-4p. I look forward to hearing from you!” 
• Wait for a callback or email. Be sure to answer calls from unknown numbers during this time! If you haven’t heard back in two business days, call again, and/or choose another provider to call.
• Please be aware providers can have a wait of up to several weeks or may not be taking new clients, so it’s important to start the process of scheduling as early as possible. You may need to try several providers to find one who fits your needs. 
• Many providers now have a way to contact them from their websites, and some even have direct scheduling options on their websites. 
• When you connect, the provider may ask you to share a summary of your concerns. You’ll also be able to ask them questions (for example, “What is your approach to therapy?” “If a person is dealing with ____, how would you help them?”). If you aren’t sure they would be a good fit but want to assess further, you may ask if they offer a free consultation.

Finding a community provider can be challenging. If you’d like an NC State case manager to assist you, please contact our office at 919-515-2423. You may need to communicate multiple times with a case manager to link to a community provider. Your well-being is the highest priority to the NC State Counseling Center. We’re always available to assist any student.

• What insurance do you take?
• Do you file insurance for clients? If not, do you provide any assistance with this process?
• How do your clients normally pay any co-pays? Cash? Credit card? Which cards do you take?
• Do I need to bring a copy of my insurance card?
• Do you offer sliding scale* or pro-bono** services based on ability to pay?
• How much do you charge for the initial assessment? 
• How much do you charge for each session?

*Sliding scale therapy means treatment priced by each person’s income and dependents. This fee structure exists to help make therapy more affordable for people living at a lower income level and/or experiencing financial hardship. A sliding fee scale may be ideal for people who pay in cash, often because they don’t have health insurance. It can also be used by those who are seeing a therapist who is not in-network with their insurance provider. An important note for those who have insurance: A provider cannot charge an insured client less (or more) than they have contractually agreed to with a client’s insurance company.

**Pro bono counseling is offered at no charge, in limited situations, and is often accompanied by extenuating circumstances.

• What is your current availability?
• What are your typical days/hours?
• How do I schedule appointments with you?
• How do I cancel an appointment?
• How much notice do you require to cancel appointments? Is there a cancellation, no-show, or late fee? 
• How long are typical appointments?

• What areas do you specialize in?
• What is your treatment style?
• What might a session with you look like?
• Do you have experience treating _______?
• Do you have experience treating people like me (fill in your demographic)?
• Do you treat a lot of college students?
• If a mental health emergency arises, will you be available for me to contact?

• Are you on a bus line? Which one?
• Is parking available? Do I have to pay for parking?
• What should I do if I’m running late for an appointment or need further directions?