First Appointment Process

Starting April 1, 2023 face masks will be optional at CAPS.

Currently enrolled KU students can now schedule first time appointments online!

Initial appointments are for students who:

  • Have never been seen at CAPS
  • Have been seen but services were ended
  • Have not been seen this academic year

To schedule a first time appointment, go to capsportal.ku.edu, log-in with your KU credentials, and click the "Appts" tab. 

The appointments shown are for the next 5 days 

You may also call (785) 864-2277 to schedule. 

    Initial appointments are not for crises or urgent needs. If you are in crisis or your needs are urgent, please call or come into CAPS. See below for more information regarding crisis or urgent appointments. 

    If you are already connected to a clinician or service, please call to schedule an appointment.

    CAPS Portal - Online Scheduling
    Crises and Urgent Needs

    Counseling and Psychological Services' therapists are available weekdays from 8:00am - 5:00pm. If you feel like you are in crisis or your needs are urgent, call (785) 864-2277 or come in to our office on the 2nd floor of Watkins Health Services and request an urgent appointment. Please be aware that if all of our therapists are in sessions with other students, there may be a slight wait. We will make every effort to have you be seen as quickly as possible.

    Some examples of urgent concerns include:

    • Experiencing extreme distress
    • Contemplating suicide
    • Strong desire to harm someone else
    • Not able to guarantee keeping yourself or others safe
    • Recent traumatic event
    • Recent death of a loved one
    • Hearing voices or seeing things that others are not

    After Hours Crisis Resources

    What should I expect during my visit?

    The first visit usually lasts about 30-45 minutes. It is focused on understanding the nature of your concern and clarifying goals and expectations. Students are encouraged to participate actively in determining the services that may be most useful to accomplish their goals. The therapist will be glad to respond to any questions. Usually by the end of the first session an agreement is reached regarding the next steps to take. In some instances, students will continue with the initial therapist; however students may be referred to another therapist or service that better addresses their needs.

    In-Person Appointments

    To maintain safety, the following are some of the precautions that you need to take for in-person appointments:

    • You will only keep your in-person appointment if you are symptom free and feel well.
    • You agree that you will NOT come to CAPS:
      •  if you are ill with any contagious illness,
      • if you have a fever, shortness of breath, coughing, or any other symptoms associated with COVID-19,
      • if you have been exposed to another person who is showing signs of infection or has confirmed COVID-19 within the past two weeks.
      • Please call to let us know you are ill and you will not be billed for a missed session. If you are feeling well enough for a session and are calling greater than 24 hours prior to your appointment time, please ask to have your appointment changed to a telehealth visit.
    • If you have had a fever, you will only keep your in-person appointment if you have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
    • You will cancel or reschedule your appointment if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
    • If you have traveled, you will only attend in-person appointments if you have adhered to the current Kansas Department of Health and Education (KDHE) travel guidelines.

    Zoom for Healthcare Appointments

    To help verify your identity, you will be instructed to upload a selfie of you holding your KU ID.  You will also be asked to complete the required documentation, which will take approximately 30 minutes. Once you have completed the forms and uploaded your selfie, you will receive a message in your CAPS Portal with the URL link and passcode to access your first Zoom for Healthcare appointment with your provider.  Conveniently, you may also receive an automated text message notifying you that a new message is in your inbox in your CAPS Portal.

    Before your first appointment, please have the Zoom for Healthcare meeting open and ready.  You will be placed in a virtual "waiting room".  Please wait until you are admitted to your appointment with your provider.

    COVID-19: Guidance on When to Request a Telehealth Appointment or Reschedule an Appointment

    1. Do you feel unwell?
    2. Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms?
      1. Cough
      2. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
      3. Chest pain
      4. Fever or chills
      5. Headache
      6. Muscle pain
      7. Sore throat
      8. New loss of taste or smell
      9. Diarrhea
    3. Are you waiting for test results for COVID-19?

    If you answer yes to any of the above, please ask to have your appointment converted to a telehealth visit.

    If you have been exposed to COVID, please get tested after 5 days and have telehealth visits with CAPS until you have a negative test result

    If you have tested positive for COVID, please have telehealth visits or reschedule with CAPS until either:

    • You have isolated for 5 days (start counting with day zero being the first day you had symptoms), have improved symptoms, have been fever-free for 24 hours and have had a negative COVID Antigen test.
    • You have isolated for 10 days (day zero is the first day you had symptoms)