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Get started

After your Central counselor gives you the names and numbers of off-campus providers (which are also available at ), make your first calls as soon as possible to get the process started. If you need company or support making these calls, you might ask a friend or Central counselor to sit with you as you do so.

Leave messages

Don't be surprised if you get an answering machine. Leave a message something like this:

"Hello, my name is Lee and I was referred to you by ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ's Counseling and Wellness Center. I'd like to discuss the possibility of working with you. Please call me back at (860) 885-0000. The best time to reach me is before 10am or after 7pm. Thank you."

Ask Questions

Here are some good questions to ask a potential provider during your first phone call:

• I have Aetna Student Health insurance. How would we handle my insurance claims? What are your fees and payment policies?
• My concerns have to do with (anxiety, depression, grief/etc.). Is this something you work with?
• Would you please give me directions to your office?

Plan Ahead

Get directions and determine in advance your mode of transportation. Leave plenty of extra travel time for your first appointment.

Be in Touch

If, for any reason, you are going to be late or miss the appointment, call your provider to let them know. In many cases, if you do not give your provider 24 hours notice you, not your insurance company, will be charged the entire fee for session. If you have trouble connecting with a provider, contact your Central counselor for assistance or additional referrals.

Know Your Insurance Plan

You are not required to use your insurance to pay for private care, but most people do. Keep in mind that you are responsible for paying any fees you incur that are not paid by your insurance. If you have some other insurance policy, determine your policy's requirements by contacting your insurer directly. If you are on your parents' plan, you may have to speak with your parents to gain access to your insurance. Your Central counselor can help you think through how to have such a conversation with your parents, or he/she can speak to your parents for you (with your written permission).

Work With Your Insurance Company

You must work directly with your insurance company and your off-campus provider to file insurance claims. Every insurance policy is different, so you must take responsibility for finding out how your insurance policy works. Policies differ in terms of which providers you can see or how often, whether a referral is required, the amount of your coverage, etc. Good ways to find out about your insurance policy include calling your insurance company on the phone, looking them up on the web, or reviewing your policy brochure.

Below are some general descriptions of insurance terms. Refer to your own in Provider - the professional or facility providing you with a service.

Claim - The request submitted to your insurance company by either you or your provider, asking them to help pay for the services you receive. Some policies require that the provider submit the claim and be reimbursed directly by the insurance company; other policies require that you pay your provider then submit a claim.

Deductible - The amount you must pay out-of-pocket before your insurance company will begin to help cover your bills. For example, if your policy has a $100 deductible, you must pay the first $100 of the fees you incur for that insurance year.

Co-pay - The amount you pay for a service in addition to whatever your insurance company pays. For example, your insurance company may require that you co-pay a certain amount (e.g., $20) or a certain percentage (e.g., 20% of the bill) per visit, while the company pays the rest.

Benefits - The types of services and costs that your insurance policy covers. For example, some policies have no outpatient mental health benefits, or require a referral/approval in advance, or have a "cap" or upper limit of payment, or require that you use only their "preferred" providers. You must determine the benefits of your policy by contacting your insurance company or by reading your policy carefully.

Will my health insurance pay for off-campus care?

Health insurance, whether through Aetna or some other plan, can often help with the cost of off-campus services. Your counselor can help you with insurance referrals. The best source for information about your coverage and benefits, however, is your particular insurer.

Why can't I always see a counselor/psychiatrist on campus?

The Central Counseling and Wellness Center is intended to provide short-term counseling, referral and crisis management. If a student needs services that the Counseling & Wellness Center is unable to provide, that student will be referred to other resources. Your mental health support may need to be more specialized, extensive, or immediately available than the services that can be provided on campus. The Counseling & Wellness Center has access to a psychiatrist on the premises for a limited amount of hours each month. If a student is already taking medication or there is some question about the medication, your counselor will work with you and your insurance company to locate a referral source in the community for you.

Additionally, counselor availability is limited during the summer sessions. You may want to independently seek an outside referral for the sake of immediacy.

Why do some students prefer off-campus care?

Some students prefer to go off-campus rather than see a counselor at the Counseling Center. It can feel more private to have your own therapist off-campus rather than to come in to the Counseling Center. There is a wider choice of therapists off-campus. Some services simply aren't available at the Counseling Center, such as neurological services, intensive individual psychotherapy, alcohol and drug detoxification/treatment, impatient services, etc.

All I need is a prescription refill - why can't I get that at the Counseling Center or Student Health Services?

If you are on medication for a psychological/psychiatric condition, it is important that your medication be well-supervised, even if your condition has been stable for a long time. Excellent psychiatric services are available to students throughout Connecticut and in many cases insurance can help with the cost or sliding fees can be arranged. The Counseling Center can help with referrals for psychiatric services.

Although we ask that all students carry private insurance of some kind, we recognize that some do not. The CSU Student Accident and Sickness Plan offers good mental health coverage at a reasonable price. Please go to their website at  for more information. You may find  website useful before proceeding further.

The following agencies offer one-on-one counseling or psychiatric services on a sliding scale basis; in other words, the fee is based on the student's (or student's family) income and/or ability to pay:

Children must be under age 19 and reside in Connecticut.
The number of people in your family (children and adults combined) and your total family income determine which part of the HUSKY Plan is for your child.
Parents, Relatives, Caregives and Pregnant Women are included.

Psychiatric Out-Patient Services
10 Talcott Notch
Farmington, CT 06032
(860) 679-6700
Rates are determined at time appointment is made.

21 Grand Street
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 550-7500
Rates are based on a sliding scale.

1022 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06107
Individual/Family and Group Therapy
Rates are on a sliding scale only and do not take insurance.

896 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
(860) 522-8241
Rates are based on a sliding scale.

740 North Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06117
(860) 236-1927
Rates are based on a sliding scale.

91 Northwest Drive
Plainville, CT 06062
1-800-793-3500
Rates are based on a sliding scale.

Rates: Clients earn therapy by volunteering at a charity of his or her choice.

Prior to scheduling an appointment with a therapist, it is important for you to contact your insurance company and find out what they will pay for and what your financial responsibilities will be. The questions below will help you to gather important information about your mental health insurance benefits, which will assist you with making informed decisions about therapy.

• Does my plan cover mental health outpatient visits?
• Do I have to see someone on the provider list?
• If yes, where can I get a copy of the provider list for providers in my area?
• Is there anything I need to do to have my counseling sessions covered by insurance, if I am living out of state?
• How does my coverage differ if I see a participating provider versus a provider "outside of network"?
• For how many sessions can I be seen?
• What is the percentage co-pay for sessions?
• Do I have a deductible that I have to satisfy? If yes, how much?
• Is there a pre-existing conditions clause for my plan? If yes, what is the length of time I have to wait prior to my insurance covering a pre-existing problem?
• What is the effective date of the plan?
• Do I have to fill out any paperwork to be pre-certified prior to seeing a therapist?

If you will be submitting claims:

• What information will you need from my therapist in order for my claims to be paid?
• Where do I send my claims?
• Approximately how long does it take to receive reimbursement?

When you contact therapists, ask them if they are accepting clients who are insured by your insurance plan. Also find out if they will require you to pay for sessions when you are seen or if they will bill your insurance company.

Outside of your provider, your primary resource for prescription drug and health insurance information in the state of Connecticut is the . Their mission is to assist consumers with health care issues through the establishment of effective outreach programs and the development of communications related to consumer rights and responsibilities as members of managed health care plans. They also have information on prescription coverage questions available .

Some medications are available to persons with or without insurance at reduced rates at retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart. For Target Corp.'s list of medications in their $4 Generic Drug Program . For medications available through Wal-Mart Corporation's $4 Generic 30-Day Supply and $10 Generic 90 Day Supply programs,  to view their list.

You may also find help with the cost of medicine through . Another resource available is , a Patient Assistance Program Center. RxHope, which advocates helping people who are in critical need of medications that they cannot afford may be of informational use to you.