UCLA
Counseling and Psychological Services
Students walking in between classes on Bruin Walk

Specialty Services

CAPS offers specialized services in the following areas:

ADHD Services

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessments are available at CAPS for students with SHIP insurance. Students without SHIP insurance are referred to providers in their private insurance network for assessment and/or medication management. Assessments are tailored to the student’s presenting complaints and include:

  • Clinical interview
  • Standardized structured adult ADHD interview
  • Formal psychological assessment tests
  • Assessment review with treatment recommendations

CAPS will provide internal referrals as indicated for psychological, psychiatric, and psychopharmacological treatments to ameliorate ADHD symptoms. Additional CAPS skills building and support services may be included in an individual student’s comprehensive treatment plan for ADHD and for additional conditions identified in the extended assessment.

Students requiring accommodations related to diagnosed ADHD are referred to the Center for Accessible Education following the diagnostic assessment. Medication management may be provided in partnership with a student’s primary care provider at the Ashe Center.

For student athletes seeking ADHD treatment:

Download the Athletics ADHD Referral form for further instructions.

For an ADHD evaluation or to transfer care for a previous ADHD diagnosis:

  1. Visit CAPS for a Triage Assessment
  2. Complete proper documentation and assessments (see table below)
  3. Schedule a Document Review meeting with CAPS Front Desk staff
  4. Schedule an intake with a CAPS psychologist, during which discussions regarding a referral to a CAPS psychiatrist for medication options may occur if appropriate.

If you have prior diagnosis of ADHD:

  1. Provide documentation of previous ADHD evaluation. (e.g. test reports, clinician records)
  2. Complete a CAPS Authorization for Release of Information to permit consultation with your previous provider.

If you do not have a prior diagnosis of ADHD:

  1. Ask two individuals to complete the CAARS Forms - 1) Observer CAARS Forms (Parent/ Legal Guardian that knew you when you were younger and 2) Self Report CAARS Forms (filled out about yourself).
  2. Complete a CAPS Authorization to Release Information to permit consultation with the parent/guardian who completed the Childhood Symptom Scale.
  3. Complete the ADHD Screening Questionnaire which is available at the CAPS front desk and can be completed at the time of your scheduled Document Review meeting.
  4. Schedule and complete the computer-based ADHD assessment at CAPS at any time prior to your scheduled Document Review meeting

    ADHD Medication Management and Refills

    Students who have not established care at CAPS and are requesting ADHD medication refills will be required to go through the above steps to initiate care.

    • Refills cannot be provided at the time of a Triage Assessment. Students will be required to have an intake with a CAPS psychologist prior to a referral to a staff psychiatrist for evaluation.
    • Visit CAPS as soon as possible to initiate services as there can often be a wait time of one month to meet with a staff psychiatrist.
    • Students may be referred to their previous prescribing provider for transitional refills as they await their CAPS psychiatry intake appointment. Students may also be referred to community providers in the SHIP-Anthem network for expedited care.

    Disordered Eating Services

    The CAPS Eating Disorder Team is comprised of clinicians with experience and interest in the complexities of eating disorders. Our team is multidisciplinary to provide evidence-based care for our students. Since eating disorders have serious medical complications, we coordinate care closely with medical providers and dieticians at UCLA Ashe Center or with outside treatment providers. For students who require more intensive or long-term eating disorder treatment, we help students connect to treatment in Los Angeles or near their homes. We welcome parent and family involvement in treatment planning as appropriate.

    CAPS Eating Disorder Services:

    • Clinical assessment and treatment recommendations
    • Short term individual therapy
    • Psychiatry
    • Group therapy
      • Disordered Eating I
      • Disordered Eating II
    • Case management/treatment planning to help students connect with outside services.

    Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center

    • Primary and specialty medical care
    • Nutritional counseling
    • Laboratory
    • Pharmacy

    UCLA Health Nourished for Life Outpatient Program

    • Interdisciplinary assessment and treatment recommendations
    • Medical assessment and consultation
    • Psychotherapy
    • Nutritional counseling

    UCLA Health Medical Stabilization Program for Disordered Eating, UCLA Santa Monica Hospital

    Information on Eating Disorders:

    Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses with significant, life-threatening physical and psychological complications.

    Common Types of Eating Disorders:

    • Anorexia Nervosa: characterized by food restriction, weight loss and intense fear of gaining weight and often a denial of the severity of weight loss or low weight.
    • Bulimia Nervosa: characterized by a cycle of bingeing (a feeling of loss of control while eating large quantities of food) and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.
    • Binge Eating Disorder: characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards
    • Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED): a feeding or eating disorder characterized by some of the above symptoms, causes significant distress or impairment, but does not meet the criteria for another feeding or eating disorder.

    For more information on eating or feeding disorders, visit https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/what-are-eating-disorders

    Important Facts about Eating Disorders:

    • EDs affect people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds; and people with a variety of body shapes, weights and sizes
    • People who are normal weight can have EDs
    • Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder
    • The serious medical consequences of EDs can go unrecognized
    • Some people struggling with EDs may not understand the severity of their condition

    Signs & Symptoms of Eating Disorders:

    Individuals with EDs may present in a variety of ways. An ED may occur without obvious physical signs & symptoms

    Psychological symptoms:

    • Preoccupation with thoughts about weight, shape, and food
    • Self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape
    • Excessive exercise or exercising despite being injured or sick
    • Dieting, fasting, refusing to eat certain foods
    • Periods of loss of control of eating
    • Guilt, shame, and distress
    • Denial of hunger
    • Social withdrawal
    • Denial of severity of low weight or other ED behaviors

    Physical symptoms:

    • Significant weight loss, gain or fluctuations
    • Constantly feeling cold
    • Weakness
    • Fatigue or lethargy
    • Dizziness
    • Fainting
    • Hot flashes, sweating
    • Irregular heart beat
    • Irregular periods for women
    • Poor concentration/memory difficulties
    • Acid reflux
    • Dry hair and skin
    • Hair loss or growth of fine, soft hair on the body
    • Puffy cheeks

    Treatment is available. Recovery is possible.

    Ideal standard of care includes early recognition and timely intervention using an evidence-based, multidisciplinary team approach (medical, psychological, & nutritional). Treatment plans often are tailored to individual needs and may include on or more of the following:

    • Individual group, and/or family psychotherapy
    • Medical care and monitoring
    • Nutritional counseling
    • Medications
    • Hospitalization for severe illness

    Additional Resources:

    https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml#part_145410

    https://www.aedweb.org/home

    Students interested in learning more about CAPS services for Disordered Eating Services can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment. Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm and Fridays 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.

    International Student Specialty Services

    Understanding that many of our students hail from different countries and backgrounds, CAPS is committed to serving students with individually-tailored approaches that best suit their needs. All clinicians are trained to provide culturally-sensitive treatment, which means clinicians strive to understand, respect, and accommodate the student’s cultural values, belief systems, and preferred language, among many other factors. Like our student population, CAPS clinicians are highly diverse. They also speak a range of languages: American Sign Language, Chinese-Cantonese, Chinese-Mandarin, Farsi, Serbian, Spanish, and Tagalog. The CAPS Front Desk will have a comprehensive list of available languages – the proficiency level for each language varies between conversational to fluent (able to conduct therapy in another language).

    Services at CAPS:

    • Individual counseling and psychotherapy for international students
    • International Student Workshop Series
      • Previous topics included Time and Stress Management, Interpersonal Communication 101, Body Image and Positivity, Creating a Home Away from Home
    • Mental Health education and awareness programming specific to International Students in collaboration with Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars and International Student clubs and organizations

    Additional Resources on Campus:

    Students interested in learning more about CAPS services for international students can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment: Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.

    LGBQ Student Services

    All of our licensed therapists have completed specialized training in sexual orientation and gender identity concerns. We are committed to providing compassionate and high-quality LGBTQ-affirmative services.

    Services at CAPS:

    • Individual counseling and psychotherapy for students who are LGBTQ+
    • Therapy Groups
      • Gender Identity Spectrum Group
      • Thriving with Pride
    • Virtual Drop-in Hours with the LGBT Campus Resource Center

    CAPS LGBT Mental Health Team

    • Dee Chappelear, Ph.D.
    • Jason Tomasian, L.C.S.W.
    • Jennifer Beckwith, L.M.F.T.
    • JohnDavid Barton, M.A.
    • Saeromi Kim, Ph.D.
    • Sarah Segal, L.C.S.W.
    • Steven Sager, M.D.
    • Tara Tehrani, Psy.D.

    Additional Resources on Campus

    Students interested in learning more about CAPS LGBQ Specialty Services can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment: Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.

    Transgender Care at CAPS

    CAPS has multiple mental health providers who are experienced and knowledgeable in providing gender affirming care to transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming (TGNC) students. You can also request a counselor in the LGBTQ Mental Health team [link to LGBTQ services page which may include staff names and pics] by indicating that you are interested in transgender care during your brief screen appointment. CAPS provides short term therapy, and when appropriate, can refer students to more intensive, specialized, or long term treatments off campus.

    Gender affirming therapy can address a wide range of concerns including:

    • Exploration of gender identity and gender expression
    • Challenges related to social and physical transitioning
    • General mental health issues, possibly unrelated to gender identity
    • Intersectional identity concerns (e.g. how specific culture and gender norms affect each individual)
    • Assistance in navigating medical, legal, social opportunities and barriers on campus (i.e. linking to social supports, legal services, health care providers, UC SHIP covered gender affirming medical services)

    Services at CAPS:

    • Affirmative Individual counseling and psychotherapy for students who are LGBTQ+
      • Please see LGBQ Student Services section to see CAPS LGBT Mental Health Team
    • Therapy Groups
      • Gender Identity Spectrum Group
      • Thriving with Pride
    • Virtual Drop-In Hours with the LGBT Campus Resource Center

    Students Interested in Initiating Hormone Therapy:

    The Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center provides hormone therapy using an informed consent model. Under this model, a mental health evaluation is not required, (i.e. no letters, no clearance statements, no required therapy), in order to consider beginning hormone therapy with your Ashe clinician. Nevertheless, many students do access mental health care to process their readiness for hormone therapy, emotional and psychological changes related to medical transition, and impact on everyday life. In addition, in some cases, you and your Ashe clinician may consider mental health care as an important part of your transition. Please visit the Ashe website for more information about their transgender health clinic: https://www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/services/transgender-health-clinic

    Other UC SHIP covered transgender care services:

    You can find more information about what is covered and not covered by UC SHIP for transgender care in the UC SHIP Transgender Benefits flyer. Please note that many services will require pre-authorization and/or an administrative referral from your PCP.

    • If you have specific questions about insurance coverage and relevant requirements, please consult with Elvire Van Spall at the UC SHIP Insurance Office at shsins@ashe.ucla.edu Attn: Elvire Van Spall - Insurance Coordinator or Ph: 310-794-5614

    In addition, please read more about the UC SHIP Insurance ID Card Mobile App at www.studenthealth.ucla.edu.

    Letters:

    Some medical procedures require one or two letters from mental health providers. Please refer to the surgery requirements checklist on the Ashe website. CAPS counselors can provide this evaluation and letters of readiness based on WPATH (The World Professional Association for Transgender Health) recommended guidelines. Such criteria include:

    • Diagnosis of gender dysphoria
    • Capacity to consent
    • Age 18 or older (e.g. different requirements for minors)
    • If other mental health conditions are present, are they reasonably managed

    Other topics to be discussed at this meeting includes pre and post-op preparation as recommended by your surgeon and the presence of adequate support during recovery time.

    Additional resources on campus:

    In addition to mental health support, UCLA offers many resources for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming students, including changing your name, gender, and sexual orientation in University records; gender inclusive housing options, gender inclusive restrooms and facilities; many student organizations and groups, and more.

    To learn more about additional resources available for transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming students at UCLA, please visit the Trans @ UCLA section of the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center website or visit the Center in the Student Activities Center. If you’d like to speak directly to an out trans staff member, email Andy Cofino (he/him), the Director of the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center at acofino@lgbt.ucla.edu

    If you are seeking social space, Transgender UCLA Pride (TransUP) is a social organization for trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, agender, and gender questioning undergraduate and graduate students of the UCLA community. TransUP hosts bi-weekly social meetings, and has a group chat for members to stay connected. They can be contacted at transuclapride@gmail.com, facebook.com/transuclapride and on Instagram @uclatransup

    Students interested in learning more about Transgender Care at CAPS can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment: Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.

    Underrepresented Students

    CAPS is committed to promoting inclusion and the affirmation of individual and cultural diversity. Our services and training foster the development of healthy behaviors necessary for success in a complex global environment.

    Services at CAPS:

    • Affirmative individual counseling and psychotherapy for students of color
    • Therapy Groups
      • Asian American Community Support Group
      • Black and Bruin
      • Confiar Support Group
      • Graduate Students of Color

    Additional Resources on Campus:

    Students interested in learning more about CAPS services for Underrepresented Students can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment: Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.

    Undocumented Student Program (USP) Specialty Services

    CAPS, in partnership with the Undocumented Student Program at the Bruin Resource Center (BRC), hope to increase access to care for UCLA undocumented students and students in mixed status families. The USP team at CAPS is comprised of clinicians focused on social justice who provide UndocuAlly trainings to our campus partners in addition to the following services.

    Services at CAPS:

    • Individual counseling and psychotherapy for undocumented students and students in mixed-status families
    • Therapy Group:
      • Immigration Impacted Student Support Group
    • Virtual Drop-In Hours in collaboration with USP at the BRC
    • Support of immigration matters and liaison services with the UC Immigrant Legal Services Department
    • Outreach and Prevention programming (or Wellness Workshops) specific to undocumented students

    Additional Resources on Campus:

    Students interested in learning more about CAPS services for Undocumented Student Program (USP) Specialty Services can call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or ask during a same day Triage Appointment: Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.