For Immediate Release March 14, 2005

For More Information Contact: Diane Brown, 317-274-7711 habrown@iupui.edu

Counseling and Psychological Services to Change Fee/Service Rates

INDIANAPOLIS - Due to budgetary constraints and an increased demand for services, IUPUI Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will change its fee rate beginning fall semester 2005. CAPS will also initiate a new service structure.

Beginning August 24, the application fee assessed when a person seeks counseling services for the first time will increase from $10 to $15. This fee covers the initial processing of paperwork and assessment tools.

Intake and evaluation sessions will continue to be free of charge.

Under the new rate structure for i ndividual counseling sessions, each student is eligible for six free individual counseling sessions during his or her career at IUPUI. Subsequent to the initial six counseling sessions, a fee of $10 will be assessed for each one-hour counseling session.

Previously students could receive 12 free sessions each calendar year, with subsequent sessions charged at $20 a session.

For couples seeking counseling, all sessions following intake are subject to a fee under the new fee structure. Couple counseling sessions, typically 90-minutes in length, will be charged at a rate of $30 per session.

Unlike counterparts on many other campuses, IUPUI CAPS, a division of Student Life and Diversity, is not supported by any of the currently assessed student fees. Student fees typically fully fund 22.5 percent and partially fund 36 percent of university counseling centers, according to a 2004 survey.

"CAPS staff have worked diligently for several months discussing, brainstorming, figuring out ways to maintain and continue to deliver quality and affordable services to students and to the campus community while facing the budgetary constraints and a consistent increased demand for services over the past 4 years," said CAPS staff counselor Unchana Thamasak. "Great care and effort has been placed in considering the changes and their potential impact on students."

The fee and service changes are based on data collected from internal reviews, external reviews and student surveys, Thamasak said.

Visit the Web site http://www.life.iupui.edu/caps for additional detailed information.

For questions or concerns, contact IUPUI Vice Chancellor Karen Whitney by phone, (317) 274-8990, or e-mail whitney@iupui.edu.

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