Policy & Procedures

Scope of Services

Although most services are provided by CAPS, there are times when the students’ needs are not within the scope of services.

Please review our Scope of Services (pdf).

Attendance Policy

The intent of the Attendance Policy is to prevent appointments from going unused.

Each time a student misses an appointment without providing notice, another student is prevented from receiving care. When students promptly cancel or reschedule their appointments they cannot attend, that appointment time is then made available for another student.

With this policy, CAPS encourages each student to be responsible and to understand the impact they have on other students.

Policy

As a participant in counseling, it is your responsibility to remember your scheduled appointment.

Canceling an Appointment

If you are unable to make a scheduled appointment, we request that you cancel or reschedule one day (24 hours) in advance.

You can cancel or reschedule your appointment by:

(A) Calling CAPS at (434)395-2409
(B) Emailing [email protected]
(C) In person at CAPS, on the top floor of Pierson Hall

If a student establishes a pattern of cancellations or rescheduled appointment and/or no shows, they will receive a notification from CAPS asking them to make an appointment with the Associate Vice President for Health & Well-Being before counseling services can resume.

Late Arrivals

If a student arrives more than 10 minutes after the scheduled appointment time, the appointment will be rescheduled for another date.

Cell Phone Policy

The purpose of this policy is to promote a safe and productive treatment environment that maintains confidentiality and minimizes distractions towards others. This policy applies to the use of cellular devices.

Scope

Scope This policy applies to all students and visitors.

Policy

1. Cell phones shall be turned off or set to silent mode upon entry into CAPS. While waiting for your counseling session silent phone use such as texting and internet browsing is permitted, however, incoming and outgoing calls are discouraged in order to minimize any distractions of others.

2. Photography, video, & audio recordings are not permitted.

3. Cell phone use during individual or group counseling sessions is a distraction to the counseling process and is not permitted. Inform your counselor prior to the start of your session if there is a possible emergency or urgent situation that may require you to utilize your phone.

Emotion Support Animals (ESA) Policy

Longwood University allows Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) to live with students in their University-managed housing upon approval by the Accessibility Resources Office.

Verification Requirements

The student will be asked to provide documentation verifying the following:

(1) The student has a disability
(2) The animal is necessary to afford the student with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling
(3) There is a clear and identifiable relationship between the disability and the assistance the animal provides

However, the mental health field at this time recommends that psychologists/counselors be wary of providing ESA-related documentation, citing issues of dual relationships and potential interference with or damage to the therapeutic relationship.

Third Party Recommendations

The current recommendation is “this type of service and any recommendations stemming from it should be made by competent third-party evaluators who can objectively view the issue and whose recommendations and conclusions have limited impact on the therapeutic alliance” (Younggren et al., 2016).

For this reason, CAPS professionals receiving requests for documentation will refer the student to an off-campus professional to make this assessment.

The following articles were reviewed before establishing this policy:

• Chandler, C. K. (2015). Confirming the benefits of emotional support animals. Retrieved from https://ctarchive.counseling.org/2015/04/confirming-the-benefits-of-emotional-support-animals/ 
• Clay, R. A. (2016). Is that a pet or therapeutic aid? Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/09/pet-aid.aspx
• Kogan, L.R., Schaefer, K., Erdman, P., & Schoenfeld-Tacher, R. (2016). University Counseling Centers’ Perceptions and Experiences Pertaining to Emotional Support Animals. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. 30(4), 268-283.
• Younggren, J.N., Boisvert, J.A., & Boness, C.L. (2016) Examining Emotional Support Animals and Role Conflicts in Professional Psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 47(4), 255-260.

Parameters for Telemental Health Services

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CAPS pivoted to telemental health services.

Currently, CAPS prioritizes the in-person experience and rarely utilizes telemental health.  HIPAA-compatible Zoom platform could be available to a student who is enrolled in partnership or student teaching or internship and for timely response in conjunction with RCL and/or Longwood Police.