- How can I access Mental Health Services?
Individual sessions are free and confidential and can be worked around your busy schedule for your convenience. Appointments are generally offered Monday – Friday 8am-5pm. Hours are subject to change to accommodate a student-athlete’s schedule. Services are by appointment only. Drop-in appointments may be available but cannot be guaranteed. Our offices are conveniently located in Wagnon Student Athlete Center (first floor, in the hallway between the spiral staircase and the athletic training and equipment rooms). We are pleased to offer both in-person and telehealth (video virtual) services.
You can schedule an appointment with our Mental Health Team in one of several ways:
- Book online! Visit our website – com/wellness
- Reach out directly to a Mental Health Team member through email, phone call, text message, or Teamworks
- Talk with your Athletic Trainer and/or Team Doctor, they can connect you to our Mental Health Team
Student-athletes may utilize Mental Health Services while they are an eligible student-athlete enrolled at The University of Kansas. Student-athletes who terminate their sport career for any reason (e.g., graduate, quit, enter transfer portal) but remain at KU, may continue to receive services until the end of the current semester. Services may be utilized anytime during the calendar year, both in and out of season, and regardless of academic eligibility.
- What can I expect during an initial appointment (first session)?
All student-athletes begin their work with Kansas Mental Health Services through an initial assessment. This brief consultation involves meeting with a member of the Mental Health Team, either a licensed psychologist or clinical social worker (“therapist”) and will involve a comprehensive evaluation of your needs. You will be asked to review and sign the Informed Consent/Treatment Agreement form and complete a questionnaire (expected to take 10-15 minutes). Your therapist will ask questions to understand the concerns that bring you to seek counseling services. We will discuss goals and options to help you with your concerns. Initial appointments are scheduled for 60 minutes and generally take between 30-50 minutes.
Your therapist will work with you to determine which, if any, of our services are appropriate for you. In some cases, longer-term or specialized therapy is in the student-athlete’s best interest. If it is determined that your treatment needs require resources beyond what the Mental Health Team can provide, we will assist you with a referral to appropriate services and Kansas Team Health will cover the cost for your treatment.
- Who has access to my mental health records? Who will know if I see a mental health provider?
All individual counseling and mental health services are confidential. No client information is released to anyone outside Kansas Team Health. The Mental Health Team will only share relevant information about your counseling with KTH personnel (e.g., athletic trainers, sports dieticians, strength and conditioning, team doctors) to make the best care decisions. Your clinic records are part of the KTH electronic medical record and are therefore accessible to all your KTH providers and through EPIC CareEverywhere. This allows all providers on your healthcare team to stay in touch with each other regarding your care. If you have any concerns about this, please discuss them with your therapist.
Any information shared between the student-athlete and therapist will remain confidential and will not be shared with parents, coaches, teammates, administrators, academic advisors, etc. Information will only be shared with your written permission or when required by law. Mental health professionals are required by law to report cases of suspected child abuse, animal abuse, or abuse of a vulnerable adult (e.g., elderly or person with a disability). We may disclose information when it is necessary to protect a client or others from imminent danger. Although rare, information may be disclosed when an appropriate court order or subpoena is received.
Student-athletes can sign a Release of Information form to allow a provider to speak to others about their treatment.
- What do I do if I am concerned about the mental health of a student-athlete?
If you have imminent concerns of safety, please call 911 or contact KU Campus Police at (785) 864-5900.
If there are no imminent concerns, consider speaking with a Mental Health Team member, an athletic trainer, another member of KTH medical staff, or submit a Real Response. Please see the Kansas Team Health Mental Health Emergency Action Plan for more information.
Mental Health Services offers support to coaches and staff members around strategies for how to support a student-athlete’s mental health. Each member of the Mental Health Team works with specific sport teams to provide coach consultation, team talks, and team support around a variety of mental health and wellness topics. Coaches and staff members can schedule a consultation with a Mental Health Team provider the same way student-athletes can (see FAQ #1 answer).
