Off Campus Referrals & Resources

Off-campus services may be preferred by students and made upon request or it may be recommended following initial consultation from a CAPS counselor. Students who need long-term or more intensive or specialized services will be referred to off-campus resources. Students who would like more services than brief individual or group therapy or whom may request direct referrals to local Ithaca therapists, are asked to meet with a CAPS counselor for a brief initial consultation. This will allow your CAPS counselor to provide several referrals selected specifically for each student's needs, resources, and of availability. Students are responsible for the cost of services received outside of CAPS. 

If you would like to find a therapist yourself, the Psychology Today website is an excellent resource that allows you to search for providers by location, insurance provider, types of therapy, gender preference, and so forth. Innopsych and Therapy for Black Girls provides a directory of therapists of color. Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a nonprofit networking with therapists to provide affordable and reduced rates. International students may find the International Therapist Directory useful.

Useful Tips for Finding Therapy Off-Campus

You will probably get a voicemail for your first call; you can leave a simple inquiry message such as:

"Hi, my name is [your name] and I'm calling you on [today's date].  My phone number is [phone number] and I am looking for a therapist.  Can you please call me back so I can see if we are a good match?  Here are some good times to call me [list availability]."

If you like a therapist on the phone, that is a promising sign, but if you meet with them at least once in person and don't like their style, try to find someone else.  Off-campus therapy will cost money, so when you call you might want to ask:

  1. "Do you have room for a new client?  Could you describe your therapeutic approach for my situation?"
  2.  "What is your fee?  Is it based on income?" (that's called a sliding scale)
  3.  "How much of your fee do you expect my insurance to cover?"

Your insurance company is the best source of information about cost. Some questions to ask your insurer:

  1. Am I covered for therapy and are there any restrictions?
  2. How much of the fee will I be expected to pay? (This is known as copay and/or deductible, often $15-$40 per session)
  3. Do you pay the therapists directly or will I pay the full fee and then you pay me back a portion?

In Ithaca, the range of full-price fees before insurance is roughly $60-$125.  Agencies are more likely to have sliding scale fees or may be able to see you regardless of income.

Ithaca College's Hammond Health Center has a FREE Medi-car service that transports students to and from off-campus medical and counseling appointments on a limited basis (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM). You can call the Health Center at 607-274-3177 for information or to reserve a ride. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. 

Ithaca's bus system (TCAT) is also an inexpensive way to get to The Commons, where most therapists are located (buses leave IC every half-hour).

Off-Campus Referrals & Resources

Advocacy Center 24/7 Confidential Hotline: (607) 277-5000, info@actompkins.org

  • Advocacy Center provides support groups and meaningful resources for students around domestic or dating violence, sexual assault or rape, child sexual abuse, parents whose children have experienced domestic or sexual violence, friends or intimate partners of individuals who have survived domestic or sexual violence   

Cayuga Medical Center (607) 274-4011

  • CMC’s Behavioral Services Units offer a thorough mental health evaluation in order to provide individualized care and develop appropriate treatment plans 

  • Patients who seek support for a mental health crisis are being screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in accordance with NYS and CDC guidelines as part of the normal medical screening process 

Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca  (607) 273-7494, info@fcsith.org

  • F&CS Offers outpatient counseling and psychiatry services to college students remotely at the present time 

  • Presenting issues of concern may include alcohol/drug use, bullying or social isolation, depression, anxiety, difficulty with loss of other life transitions, gender identity and/or LGBTQ issues, onset of mental illness, relationship concerns and/or sex choices, unhealthy body image or social media habits  

Ithaca Community Recovery

  • Provides a safe, affordable, drug/alcohol free meeting and event space for 12 Step and other recovery-oriented groups, individuals, and their families  

  • Meetings held include the following: Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon/Alateen, ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics), Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, meditation meetings, Narcotic Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Recovering Couples Anonymous, Recover from Food Addiction, Survivors of Incest Anonymous  

Tompkins County Department of Mental Health (607) 274-6200

  • Clinical services include therapy, psychiatry, care management
  • Crisis services are provided by a small rotating team onsite with mandated safety protocols in place
  • 24/7 Mobile Crisis team available still with safety protocols in place 
  • Care management include assessment for immediate needs such as assistance with food or pharmacy, provide all necessary supports to help members navigate through this difficult time, adult with severe and persistent mental illness is matched one-to-one with a caseworker that can offer or provide access to a variety of services related to the individual client’s needs, can be either short or long term  
  • PROS (Personalized Recovery Oriented Services) classes and individual sessions for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness; nursing injectable services are being done on site with safety protocols in place
  • SPCS Warm Line:  When you just need to talk to someone. Not for crises or suicidal thoughts.

Upstate New York Eating Disorder Service (607) 732-5646

  • Upstate NY Eating Disorder Services include: outpatient services through The Nutrition Clinic, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization program through Sol Stone Center, free community case management relating to eating disorder needs.  

  • Initial appointments offer extensive metabolic and body-composition testing in Elmira, NY about 50 minutes from Ithaca College. There is financial support for students who experience financial barriers to receiving this service.  

Out for Health (607) 216-0021 ext. 2308,  lgbt@ppgreaterny.org

  • Out for Health works to remove barriers, increase access, and create a community in which health and wellness are an accessible norm for LGBT+ people.
  •  Ithaca Transgender Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Finger Lakes

  • Provides peer-led support groups via Zoom for friends and family whose loved ones who experience symptoms of mental health conditions 

  • NAMI provides support, education, and advocacy for individuals to increase understanding of mental health diagnoses and how to support their loved ones, while also maintaining their own sense of wellness 

Headspace Mindfulness and Meditation

  • New York State is partnering with Headspace, a global leader in mindfulness and meditation, to offer free meditation and mindfulness content for all New Yorkers as a mental health resource for residents coping with the unprecedented public health crisis. New Yorkers can access a collection of science-backed, evidence-based guided meditations, along with at-home mindful workouts, sleep, and kids content to help address rising stress and anxiety. 

Sleep Disorders Center (607) 882-2277)

  • The Sleep Disorders Center at Cayuga Medical Center is the only nationally accredited center in our region. Overnight as well as home testing available for those who cannot come to our center.

Tompkins County Health Department  (607) 274-6600

  • Addresses the following topic areas: COVID related concerns, children with special care needs, community health services, environmental health, Health Promotion program, immunizations and vaccines, MOMS program (Medicaid Obstetrical and Maternal Services), public health preparedness, WIC Program (Women, Infants and Children Program)