About Us

• We are IACS Accredited
• Mission Statement
• Solidarity Statement
• Overview
• Who comes to CAPS?
• Our services are...
• Informed Consent and Notice of Privacy Practices

We Are IACS Accredited

International Accreditation of Counseling Services hereby declares that the Counseling and Psychological Services clinic at California State University Channel Islands a fully accredited service in good standing having been evaluated and approved by the IACS Board of Directors. Please see the benefits of IACS accreditation: https://iacsinc.org/benefits-and-value/.

Mission Statement

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides short-term mental health services and same-day crisis intervention in a confidential setting to assist students in achieving their academic goals and overall well-being. Common experiences include relationship problems, academic challenges, grief, anxiety, depression, body image, substance misuse, homesickness, suicidal thoughts, interpersonal violence, identity intersectionality, cultural trauma, and other personal concerns. Services are provided in a safe and welcoming environment to our diverse campus community.

Solidarity Statement

Message to the CI Community from the

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Team:

CAPS strongly condemns and rejects acts of racism, police brutality, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, classism, religious and ethnic persecution and discrimination against Indigenous peoples and veterans. We condemn white supremacy and all systems of oppression.

CAPS pledges to adhere to the following practices in order to actively work towards eliminating systemic discrimination of any kind:

• Provide a safe and supportive environment where students can share their individual experiences of discrimination.

• Engage in ongoing professional development, self-reflection and open dialogue to identify personal biases and additional opportunities towards developing anti-discriminatory growth and self-awareness.
• Advocate on behalf of students experiencing inequities and support them through the grievance process.

Acts of violence against our communities leave scars.  We know there are psychological consequences of such trauma, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, grief, and substance abuse, and want to remind the campus community that we are here for you. CAPS is committed to providing affirmative, supportive and safe healing spaces for you. Please contact us at 805-437-2088 to speak with a clinician (select option 2 for 24/7 phone counseling after hours).  You can also reach us by email - caps@csuci.edu and review resources on our website - https://www.csuci.edu/caps/ and https://www.csuci.edu/caps/info-and-resources.htm.

Statement in Support of Students Following the Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) wants to express our support for our campus community after the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. We understand and acknowledge that there are a wide range of thoughts and feelings about this decision. As mental health professionals we are acutely aware that for many this change has created an atmosphere of fear, sadness, anger, and worry about the stripping of rights in many parts of the country that had been afforded to women and people who can become pregnant for the past 50 years. Per Governor Newsom’s statement on June 27, 2022, California remains committed to protecting reproductive rights and no laws about reproductive services have changed in our state. We recognize that decisions involving health and families are deeply personal and made with thoughtful consideration. 

We affirm the right of all people to advocate for their healthcare needs and have access to the services they deem essential to their well-being. We also acknowledge the most restrictive laws disproportionately impact our marginalized communities, including communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

We want CSUCI students impacted by this decision to know that CAPS is here to support you through these tumultuous times. We are committed as a center to provide a supportive space for any student who may need or desire one. We will work to the best of our ability to help students navigate challenges in their personal lives, community, and in our country. 

Our office is open for in-person and virtual appointments. Scheduled and walk-in crisis appointments are available. We offer 24/7 urgent care service: 805-437-2088 - Option 2. CAPS is in Bell Tower East Room 1867 - caps@csuci.edu - https://www.csuci.edu/caps/

[Adapted from CSU Northridge's statement.]

Counseling & Psychological Services Overview

The CAPS purpose is tied directly to the educational mission of the University, Division of Student Affairs, and Student Life & Support Programs. By helping students learn skills to improve their overall mental health, academic performance, and quality of life, we hope to enhance the likelihood they will succeed at CSU Channel Islands (CI).

We accomplish our purpose by practicing our knowledge of the science of human behavior as we make biopsychosocial interventions, teach, mentor, and consult with our students, faculty, staff, and other contributors to student success. The biopsychosocial model is a general model or approach stating that biological, psychological (which entails thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), and social (socio-economical, socio-environmental, and cultural) factors, all play a significant role in human functioning in the context of disease or illness. We further accomplish our purpose by evaluating the effectiveness of our services as it relates to student success.

Who comes to Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)?

Anyone enrolled as a student at CI. Your roommate, friend, or partner, athletes, student leaders, RA’s, EOP and DASS students, your Chemistry lab partner, athletes, and veterans.

We work with a range of students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Students who want to talk about a new relationship or a recent break-up, homesickness, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, and poor academic performance are all welcome. We also see students with painful, abusive life experiences they have never talked about before.

We offer CRISIS INTERVENTION.

We offer a particular kind of listening and an expertise in human development along with strategies to support your personal, social, emotional, and academic growth.

We have a skilled team of clinicians committed to ethical, respectful, and professional care. Our staff is diverse in interests, areas of specialty, and backgrounds with clinical training as:

• Licensed Psychologists (PhD & PsyD)
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)
• Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC)
• Psychiatrists (MD)
• Practicum Trainees
• Administrative Support Coordinators

Our services are

• available to all currently enrolled students
• covered under student health fees with no additional cost, and
• confidential.

Informed Consent and Notice of Privacy Practices

Informed Consent and Notice of Privacy Practices (PDF, 66KB) (updated Jan 2021)

You might be surprised how much talking with a professional can help. We look forward to working with you. Further, CAPS is constantly evolving. If you have any feedback on how to improve our program or further assist and meet the needs of our students, please contact CAPS at caps@csuci.edu or call us at 805-437-2088.

NOTICE: Emails (including attachments) are covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C._2510-2521, is confidential, and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please be aware that any retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. Please reply to the sender that you have received this message in error, then delete it. Thank you for helping to maintain privacy. Email messages typically reside on various servers even after all parties have deleted the messages. Therefore, email should not be considered a secure form of communication. We cannot guarantee confidentiality in an email message.