Frequently Asked Questions
General
CAPS Questions:
I've never been to CAPS. How do
I access services?
What types of services are offered at
CAPS?
How much does it cost to be seen at CAPS?
Can I use my health insurance to cover CAPS visits?
Where is CAPS located?
What are the hours of operation for CAPS?
When can I come in for CAPS Triage?
Psychiatric Medication Questions
Can I get psychiatric medications at CAPS?
What if I am already on a psychotropic
medication prescribed by my doctor at home?
How do I get tested or treated for ADHD or
ADD or Learning Disabilities?
Can I get tested for ADD/ADHD at CAPS?
How do I get refills for medication
previously prescribed at CAPS?
What if I can't afford my prescription medication?
I've never been to CAPS. How
do I access services?
The first visit to CAPS does not require an
appointment. You can walk in during Triage hours (see” hours of
operation” below) and on a first-come, first-served basis and meet with one
of the Triage counselors to briefly discuss the nature of your concern. The triage counselor will assist you in
looking at alternatives about the next step in your care. If your need
will be best met at CAPS, a follow–up appointment will be set up with a CAPS provider. If a referral for more extensive treatment
off-campus, or another sort of assistance is indicated, the Triage
counselor will help direct you to those services.
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What types of services are offered
at CAPS?
CAPS offers brief therapy to individuals and
couples who are currently enrolled as UA students.
For couples’ counseling, both members of the
couple are required to be enrolled UA students. In addition, group services and classes are offered on a variety of topics. See Other Services
& Classes.
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How much does it cost to be seen at CAPS?
There
is a nominal fee for the initial triage session. There are moderate
charges for follow-up counseling visits, medication evaluations, groups
and other services at CAPS. A complete fee schedule for this academic
year is available at the CAPS reception desk. Students who have United
Health Care for Students and students with Campus Care enjoy reduced
fees for many services.
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Can I use my health insurance to pay for CAPS visits?
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Where is CAPS located?
CAPS is located on the SE corner of
the 3rd floor of the Campus Health Service building in the Highland Commons.
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What are the hours of operation for
CAPS?
CAPS is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and
Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Wednesday,
CAPS is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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When can I come in for CAPS Triage?
CAPS offers both morning and afternoon Triage walk-in hours,
daily, Monday through Friday. Students are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. CAPS
Triage hours are:
Summer Hours: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
Fall-Spring Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
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Can I get psychiatric medications at CAPS?
CAPS has limited psychiatric medication
services available. Depending on your medication management
needs, you may be able to obtain prescriptions for psychotropic
medications at CHS/CAPS or you may be referred to an off-campus
psychiatrist.
At first, you may be able to arrange
to get additional prescriptions from your doctor at home. However, he or she may recommend that you find a physician in Tucson
to take over prescribing and monitoring your medications. Some physicians may have a referral recommendation
in Tucson for you. If so,
make the appointment with that doctor as soon as possible, since
it may take several weeks for an initial appointment. Bring a good initial supply of medication with you when you
first come to the UA.
Your evaluation with the CAPS psychiatrist will
be expedited if you have a copy of your prior doctor’s notes or
letter regarding your treatment and his recommendations. You can bring in a copy of those records or arrange for your doctor
to mail or FAX them to CAPS before your appointment. If you do not bring these records with you,
you may bring in your previous prescribing physician’s name, address,
FAX and phone number, and we can FAX your signed Release of Information
Form to that office in order to obtain your records prior to your
appointment.
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How do I get refills for medication previously prescribed at CAPS?
After
you have seen a CAPS psychiatrist for a medical evaluation and been
prescribed psychotropic medication, you will be asked to come in at certain intervals for brief "medication checks" and/or prescription renewals. These "med-check" appointments are generally made by calling the CAPS secretary at 621-3334.
Because there is a lot of demand for these appointments, and it could take a week or more to get an appointment at a time that is convenient for you, we suggest:
*Call early in the week
- We begin to schedule "med check" appointments for each week first thing Monday morning. You may call as early as 8:00 a.m. to schedule an appointment for some time later in that same week.
*AfterCall early in the day - A few appointment slots are held for same-day access, so if all of the slots for the week are already filled when you call, you might be asked to call back early the next morning to try for a "same-day" appointment. These are assigned first-call, first-filled, so call as early as 8:00 a.m.
*Please call well in advance of running out of your medication(s).
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Can I get tested or treated for ADD/ADHD at CAPS?
CHS may write
prescriptions for patients who are stablized on their ADD/ADHD medications. Patients are required to present their test results, including the conclusion portion of their testing, and six months of clinical notes from their previous provider indicating that they are stabilized on their medications and the dosages of their most recent prescriptions.
If you have not been previously evaluated for ADD/ADHD, but think you
may have this problem, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) located on
the second floor of Highland Commons can direct you to community
providers who will do testing and provide documentation for ADD/ADHD
and other learning disabilities. The DRC website is http://drc.arizona.edu/info/staffdirectory.html.
s a lot of demand for these appointments, and it could take a week or more to get an appointment at a time that is convenient for you, we suggest:
Don’t just bring an empty prescription bottle!
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What if I can't afford my prescription medication?
The
Campus Health Service is sensitive to the needs of some patients
who simply cannot afford certain critical medications. Some pharmaceutical
companies offer Patient Assistance Programs that
can enable you to obtain certain name brand medications at little
or no cost, if you do not currently have a prescription benefit
included as a part of your health insurance and if you meet the
other requirements. Note that not everyone will qualify for these
programs, even if you believe you have a legitimate financial need.
Each
of the pharmaceutical manufacturers that offer Patient Assistance
Programs may have very different criteria for participation.
Certain clinical parameters, as well as financial parameters will
apply in determining eligibility.
If
you think you may be eligible for one of these prescription medication Patient Assistance Programs, talk with your Campus
Health provider. If they think you are a candidate, they will give
you the information, including directions on what to do to apply.
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How do I get tested or treated for ADHD or
ADD or Learning Disabilities?
If you have not been previously evaluated for
ADHD or ADD or Learning Disabilities, check with the Disability
Resource Center, which is in the same building as Campus Health. It also has a listing of providers in the Tucson
community who, for a fee, will do testing for ADHD, ADD, and Learning
Disabilities. Go to the
following website: http://http://drc.arizona.edu/info/staffdirectory.html
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What if I am already on a
psychotropic medication prescribed by my doctor at home?
At first, you may be able to arrange to get
additional prescriptions from your doctor at home. However, he or
she may recommmend that you find a physician in Tucson to take over
prescribing and monitoring your medications. Some physicians may
have a referral recommendation in Tucson for you. If so, make the
appointment with that doctor as soon as possible, since it may take
several weeks for an initial appointment. Bring a good initial
supply of medication with you when you first come to the UA.
You may come to CAPS triage to discuss your
options for continuing your medications. CAPS has limited
psychiatric medication services available. Depending on your
medication mangement needs, you may be able to obtain prescriptions for
psychotropic medications at CHS/CAPS or you may be referred to an
off-campus psychiatrist.
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How do I get refills for medication
previously prescribed at CAPS?
Please do not arrive at CAPS with your
current prescription bottle expecting your prescription to be
automatically refilled.
In order to expedite the
transfer of your treatment, please have a copy of your prior doctor's
clinical notes or a letter from your doctor regarding continued
treatment recommendations.
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Can I get tested or treated for ADD/ADHD at CAPS?
Currently, CHS is unable to write
prescriptions for ADD/ADHD medications. A referral list of
psychiatrists in the community who provide these services can be
obtained at CHS.
If you have not been previously evaluated for ADD/ADHD, but think you
may have this problem, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) located on
the second floor of Highland Commons can direct you to community
providers who will do testing and provide documentation for ADD/ADHD
and other learning disabilities. The DRC website is http://drc.arizona.edu/info/staffdirectory.html.
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