The center supports and enhances student health and wellness by providing person-centered
and strengths-based mental health services.
Mental health services are a collaborative effort between counselor and client that
involve the development of a unique, confidential helping relationship.
We serve students by assisting with problem resolution, enhancing coping skills, providing
support during times of crisis, enhancing personal growth and supporting academic
success.
Mental Health Services
Individual & Couples Therapy
Our primary focus is on short-term, goal-oriented therapy. Counseling sessions are
scheduled every other week. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, all services are being offered through Telehealth;
either as video conferencing on the Zoom platform or as phone sessions. If students need or want weekly therapy, referrals to alternative resources will
be made. Wait times for initial appointments average five to seven business days during
the first half of the semester. After mid-semester, however, wait times can increase
up to 15 to 20 business days.
We view our role as counselors as helping you to gain insight into your situation,
strategize solutions, and develop valuable coping skills that will allow you to more
effectively manage the challenges of college and life.
We believe your role as a client is to form a partnership with us, identifying specific
goals for yourself and help us help you find solutions to the challenges you face.
Couples are welcome for therapy. However, both members of the couple must be SUNY
Plattsburgh students.
Group Therapy
Group therapy focuses on developing insight, changing behavior and improving relationship
skills. In the group setting, students struggling with similar concerns can share
feedback with each other and learn new ways of coping. Group members typically meet
weekly for 45 to 60 minutes with one to two group facilitators for the duration of
scheduled groups.
Groups can change from semester to semester based on student and staff interests.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be NO in-person therapy group offerings for
Fall 2020. However, we are planning to offer online support opportunities. Dates and
times are TBD. Please check your email, our social media platforms and/or call us
at 518-564-2187 (Option 2) for more information. All calls are strictly confidential.
Crisis Service
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or are in immediate danger, call
911.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, daytime crisis services are accessible by calling the counseling center, Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the academic year (except when campus offices
are closed for the holidays). The phone number is: 518-564-2187 (option 3).
We are located in the Health Services Building behind the book store.
Examples of reasons to be seen for a mental health crisis include:
You are having thoughts of suicide
You are having serious thoughts of wanting to harm or kill someone else
You are seeing things or hearing things that others do not see or hear
You are not able to take care of daily living skills (e.g., eating, sleeping, bathing,
etc.)
After hours and on weekends, students in need of mental health emergency services
should contact University Police at 518-564-2022, dial 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
In Plattsburgh, the nearest emergency room is located at:
University of Vermont Medical Center – Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital (UVMHC –
CVPH) 75 Beekman Street Plattsburgh, NY 12901
You are free to call the office to speak to a counselor and remain anonymous. Contact
us at 518-564-3086.
Consultation
A consultation is a first-time appointment with a counselor in the Student Health
& Counseling Center. During this appointment you will provide information about your
presenting concerns and history relevant to your presenting issue(s). You and the
therapist will then determine a plan for moving forward. For issues that might be
better served by on-going long-term therapy, a referral to a community provider might
be explored.
Confidentiality
All contacts with the counseling center are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
In general, mental health ethics and law protect the privacy of all communications
between a client and a counselor, and a counselor can only release information about
you with your written permission.
Due to legal and ethical guidelines, there are certain situations in which all counselors
will break confidentiality and are obligated to take action to protect a client and
others from harm. These situations include the following:
Your counselor has any cause to believe that you are at imminent risk of killing yourself
or someone else.
If your counselor believes that a child, an elderly person, or a member of a vulnerable
population is being abused or neglected, he or she will be required to file a report
with the appropriate state agency.
In the event of a legal proceeding, a judge may order or subpoena your counseling
records if the judge determines that the case demands it.
Mental Health Referral Options
Both on- and off-campus referral options exist for students.
A non-profit community mental health agency. BHSN operates a NYS Office of Mental
Health licensed mental health satellite clinic as part of their school-based mental
health services.
Students can receive services at the on-campus satellite office in the Student Health
and Counseling Center by receiving a referral from Student Health and Counseling Center
providers/counselors/psychiatrist. Students may also self-refer.
For additional information regarding BHSN or to make a self-referral, call 518-563-8000 and ask to speak to the intake coordinator for school-based services.
Please be sure to identify yourself as a SUNY Plattsburgh student and make sure you
have a copy of your health insurance card when you call.
How to self-refer for BHSN school-based services at SUNY Plattsburgh:
Call BHSN at 518-563-8000 and ask for the intake coordinator. State that you are a student at SUNY Plattsburgh and would like to set up services
with a counselor.
Please be prepared to state your insurance information, demographics (date of birth,
address, phone number), description of presenting concerns, and any past history of
mental health services.
If the intake coordinator is not available, please leave a message with your name,
phone number, and that you are interested in school-based services at SUNY Plattsburgh.
They will return your call as soon as possible.
An online therapy counseling resource available to SUNY Plattsburgh students through
a partnership between the college and BetterMynd.
BetterMynd is an additional resource to our on-campus counseling services and is committed
to improving the mental health of our students by providing private, convenient and
secure mental health counseling to you right from your laptop or smartphone.
An online therapy counseling resource available to the public and SUNY Plattsburgh
students through a partnership with campus health insurance and the campus. BetterHelp
offers free consultations to anyone who holds United Health Care health insurance.
If you are Plattsburgh student who purchases the school's health insurance, you may
be eligible for free tele-counseling through this services. International students carrying United Health Care student resources health insurance
are entitled to FREE BetterHelp services at: www.counseling4students.com
A student counselor-training clinic. Faculty in the Department of Counselor Education
supervises the clinic. Students working toward their master’s degree in mental health
counseling provide counseling under the supervision of their faculty members.
A variety of off-campus mental health resources are available to you if you are interested
or would prefer to be seen off-campus.
Behavioral Health Services North 2155 NY-22B Morrisonville, NY 12962 518-563-8000
Clinton County Mental Health and Addiction Services 130 Arizona Ave #1500 Plattsburgh, NY 12903 518-565-4060
National Alliance of Mental Illness-Champlain Valley NAMI-CV 304 New York Road Plattsburgh, NY 12903 518-561-2685
UVM Health Network-CVPH Adult Mental Health Unit 75 Beekman Street Plattsburgh, NY 12901 518-561-2000
For a current list of resources, please contact our office.
Outreach
Counseling staff are available to provide interviews, training and educational outreach
on a variety of mental health topics. Requests for interviews and outreach should
be directed to the Assistant Director of Counseling, Christy Minck at [email protected] at least 10 business days prior to your event.
Please also understand that in regard to trainings and programs, during certain times
of the year the clinical demands of our students take precedence. If we cannot meet
your request, we will make attempts to assist you in considering alternative options.
The counseling center is staffed by trained professionals from different mental health
disciplines. All staff are licensed mental health professionals in their respective
disciples.
Individual and couples counseling services are available by appointment Monday through
Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters. A listing of group
offerings is also available each semester by contacting our office at 518-564-3086.
Crisis services are offered in our office during the business day by calling or coming
in on a walk-in basis.
After hours and on weekends, students experiencing mental health emergencies should
contact University Police at 518-564-2022, dial 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. In Plattsburgh, the nearest
hospital emergency room is located at UVM Health Center-Champlain Valley Physician's
Hospital, 75 Beekman Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.
Services at the counseling center are free to all currently enrolled students of SUNY
Plattsburgh who have paid the student health fee. The only additional fee is a no-show
fee of $30/hour for a counseling appointment and $60 for an initial psychiatrist appointment;
$30/hour after. No-show fees are charged when students do not provide at least a 24-hour
business day notice for cancellation or rescheduling or fail to attend a scheduled
individual or couples appointment.
No. The counseling center strives to see all students every semester. However, the
wait time for appointments will vary at different times during the semester. The wait
time for an initial appointment can vary anywhere from 3 business days to 15 business
days, depending on what time in the semester a student calls for an appointment. Emergency
appointments, however, are seen same day.
The length of counseling depends on the needs of the student. Some students need only
a few sessions to meet their particular needs. You and your counselor will decide
what length of time is right for you. If a student requires long-term counseling or
their issues are beyond the scope of the counseling center, a referral to an off-campus
mental health provider may become necessary. If this is the case, the counseling center
will work with the student on locating and transitioning to an off-campus provider.
What you discuss with your counselor at the counseling center is confidential. We
cannot share information with other parties without your prior informed consent. The
only exception to this is in situations where your safety, or that of someone else,
is at risk. In such situations our first priority must be to ensure student safety.
Yes. We coordinate medication evaluations and ongoing medication management with our
health center medical providers as well as our center psychiatrist. Our center can
prescribe psychiatric medications for a range of emotional or psychiatric issues,
if necessary.
If you are concerned about a friend and are not sure about how to help them, we'd
like to help you. Feel free to stop by to talk with one of our counselors — your conversation
will be confidential. We'll explore ways on how you can talk with your friend about
your concerns in a way that will be helpful, and how to refer them to the counseling
center.
Headspace: a digital service that provides guided meditation sessions and mindfulness training.
Its content can be accessed online, or via their mobile apps
Mental health associations in New York state: not-for-profit organizations that addresses mental health needs in counties across
the state of New York.
Therapistaid: a website designed by therapist where you can find worksheets, videos, guides, and
other tools to aid you in working on mental health issues.