If you don't see an answer to your question below, please feel free to call us at (406) 994-4531, or come visit us on the 3rd floor of the Student Wellness Center at 950 W. Grant St.

CAPS offers a variety of services to meet the mental health needs of MSU students. We provide group counseling, couples counseling, and short-term individual counseling. In addition to counseling services, we also offer educational workshops and trainings for students, staff, and faculty. Our staff is also available to provide consultation services to members of the MSU community on issues and topics related to mental health. To learn more about each of these services please visit Our Services page.

If you have never used our services before, an initial intake appointment can be scheduled to discuss your needs and the services offered. Intake appointments can be made by calling our office at 406-994-4531, stopping by our office on the 3rd floor of the Student Wellness Center (Suite 3212), or online scheduling. 

If you are returning for services, please call the front desk to make an appointment. They will locate your previous information and determine if an intake with updated paperwork is needed. If an updated intake is needed, you can schedule this appointment over the phone and will then meet with a counselor to discuss current concerns and services. Following your intake appointment, our assignment team will then schedule you for on-going services based on the availability you provided, and you will be contacted with information about your next appointment.

If an updated intake is not needed, the front desk can assist you with being placed on our assignment list.

 Your first appointment will be an intake appointment with one of our providers to determine what, if any, services are appropriate for you. During this meeting, you'll talk about your current concerns and share some background information about yourself. Based on the information provided, your intake counselor will work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps. These might include group counseling, individual counseling, on a weekly or every-other-week basis, or a referral to an off-campus provider. CAPS utilizes a short-term counseling model. The number of sessions is based upon the unique needs of each student and the available resources at the time. If a student needs a level of care beyond what CAPS can provide, we will assist with a referral to other campus or community resources. Just like a family doctor may refer a patient to a specialist when necessary, CAPS may refer students to other resources when the services needed are beyond our scope of practice.

Your appointment time is held for you on a weekly or every other week basis. If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us at least 24 hours’ notice so we can use those times to see other students. If you are unable to provide 24 hours' notice, please contact us at 406-994-4531 as soon as possible to cancel and to schedule your next ongoing appointment. 

CAPS operates on a short-term counseling model. However, we recognize that students have differing needs and we work to tailor treatment to the unique needs of each student. For those who desire or need longer term treatment, CAPS can provide referrals to community providers. Additionally, CAPS offers unlimited group therapy sessions with many students reporting that group is extremely helpful in addressing common concerns including depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. Please discuss treatment options with your intake ongoing counselor to determine your individual treatment needs. 

If you are in crisis or distress, please call:

Bozeman Help Center

406-586-3333

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24 hr, call, text or chat)

988

University Police Dept.

Dial 911 for emergencies.

Dial 406-994-2121 for non-emergencies.

If you simply need to leave a message about an upcoming appointment, please call 406-994-4531 and leave a voicemail.

You can explore self-help options.

If you are in crisis or distress and need to speak with someone before you are assigned to your ongoing counselor, call our office at 406-994-4531 or utilize after-hours services listed above.  

CAPS does not provide documentation to acquire Emotional Support Animals. To obtain a community referral to providers who may be able to assist you, please call our office at 406-994-4531 to speak with our Care Manager. If you are a current CAPS client, you can speak with your current counselor to obtain community referrals. You can also contact the Office of Disability Services to review the necessary documentation requirements.

CAPS provides counseling to about 10% of the student population annually. Many students discuss concerns related to anxiety, depression, relationships, family, past trauma, adjusting to college, acculturation, suicidal thoughts, sexuality, eating issues, substance use, and/or aspects of their identity. Virtually any issue that you would like to explore and behaviors that you would like to change are appropriate for counseling. At CAPS, we see students of all ages, academic departments, student organizations, and demographic groups.