Schedule an Appointment

Appointment Scheduling

Eligibility

Counseling Services provides free mental health services for all eligible undergraduate and graduate students. The following are the specific eligibility requirements for students to access services:

• Eligibility begins when a student arrives on campus to begin their educational role at Elon, even if this occurs prior to the start of class for their first enrolled semester (e.g., student-athletes arriving on campus prior to the semester for pre-season activities). Incoming students who are simply visiting campus or seeking to begin therapy before arriving at campus for the start of the academic term are not eligible.

• Elon counselors provide services under North Carolina state licenses therefore, eligible students must be physically located in the state of North Carolina to receive services.

• Students under the age of 18 seeking services typically require parental consent to engage in treatment. For more information about accessing services as a minor, please call the office.

Appointment Availability

Clinical appointments are generally available, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

During the summer (June and July), appointments are available, Monday-Thursday, 9:00am-4:00pm; Friday, 9:00am-1:00pm.

Elon University has partnered with TimelyCare to enhance student access to mental health care. TimelyCare offers free, virtual mental health services, including evening and weekend appointments and 24/7 on-demand mental health support. To learn more, please review the TimelyCare Virtual Services webpage.

To schedule your First Appointment of this academic year (June 2024-May 2025):

1. Go to http://www.elon.edu/titanium.
2. Log in using your Elon computing ID and password.
3. Select “Request a First Appointment of the Academic Year (June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025)”
4. Select from available appointment times.
   1. To search by Provider, enter provider name in text box.
   2. To search by Day or Date, enter Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri or “mm/dd”
   3. To search by Appointment Location, enter “virtual” or “in person” in the text box. Appointment Location may be able to be changed from virtual to in-person or vice versa. To request a change in appointment location, complete the online request then call our front desk for assistance, 336-278-7280.
5. Once your submission is reviewed, you will receive a notice of confirmation via text and/or email. Online appointment requests are reviewed only during regular business hours when the office is open.

If the following situations apply, please call the office for scheduling assistance at 336-278-7280:

• You have requested a time online but realize you need to change the request. Please do not request multiple appointment times through this online system as it delays response and prevents other students from accessing available appointment times.
• You need to cancel or reschedule an already confirmed first appointment, or to schedule a follow up appointment with your counselor.
• You have already met with a counselor for a first appointment this academic year.

First Appointment

The first appointment with a counselor each academic year is referred to as an initial clinical assessment. Clinical assessment appointments typically last 45-50 minutes. During this appointment, the counselor will review the paperwork you submit, listen to understand the reason for your visit, and gather information about your personal history and current goals. In consideration of this information, you and the counselor will discuss next steps to best address your concerns, this may include one or more of the following referrals: 1) services available through our office (e.g., group or individual counseling, workshops, etc.), 2) resources available through another campus office, and/or 3) an off-campus resource or provider.

In most instances, a recommendation for off-campus services for clinical needs beyond the Scope of Clinical Care means the student will not be able to access clinical services at the counseling center within the same semester as the assessment and referral recommendation. If you have questions about the recommendations, discuss them with the counselor. If you are not interested in pursuing these recommendations, you may decline.

See Overview of Services and Scope of Clinical Care for more details.

Follow-up Appointments

Individual counseling appointments typically last 30-45 minutes. The frequency of individual therapy appointments will be determined by your counselor with consideration of your clinical needs and appointment availability. Some students may only need one visit, others may work with a counselor for multiple sessions. Group counseling appointments may last 60-90 minutes. Groups meet at a regular frequency over a specified period. Counseling Services does not implement session limits; we do operate within the defined Scope of Clinical Care and with a brief therapy approach.

Off-Campus Referrals

Counseling Services is committed to ensuring students have access to the services that would best address your emotional health needs. If your needs are outside of our Scope of Clinical Care, we will offer care coordination services to help you navigate the process of connecting with provider options off-campus. If you are specifically seeking an off-campus referral, call the office to request a Care Coordination appointment. While staff can provide some guidance in the referral process, Counseling Services does not endorse or promote any community agency or provider routinely.

Attendance & Missed Appointment Policy

It is important that you take note of your appointment times when scheduling. Appointment reminders are typically sent out two business days prior to your scheduled appointment as a courtesy. Please arrive on time for your scheduled appointments with all required paperwork completed prior to the start of your appointment time.

We require at least 24 business hours in advance notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Messages left over the weekend for Monday or Tuesday appointments do not meet this requirement.

Our missed appointment policy applies to missed appointments, which include:

• No-show: You do not attend your appointment.
• Late arrival: Your arrival or time required to complete required forms is 15 or more minutes past your appointment time.
• Late cancellation/reschedule: You cancel or reschedule your appointment less than 24 business hours before your appointment time.

There will be a charge of $35.00 for missed appointments. The missed appointment charge will be billed to your student bursar account as, “Missed Appointment Fee”. Please cancel or reschedule appointments in advance by calling the office at (336) 278-7280; it is important that you leave a message if your call is unanswered. If you do not show for a scheduled appointment, you may be impacting another student’s access to care.

We do understand that there are times when you must miss an appointment due to acute illness or urgent obligations for school, work, or family. To request a waiver of the missed appointment charge, you may complete the “Missed Appointment Fee Waiver Request” available through the online forms portal or using the form on the Counseling Services webpage. Fee waiver requests must be submitted within 10 business days of the missed appointment for consideration.

Two (2) missed initial clinical assessment appointments in a semester, or 3 or more missed ongoing therapy appointments in a semester may result in suspension of services.

Email Communication

Email is not a confidential medium for communication. Because we are concerned about protecting our clients’ privacy, Counseling Services does not use email to discuss clients’ clinical issues. Counseling Services staff members do not maintain 24/7 access to email accounts and may check e-mail infrequently.

Transportation to/from Appointments

Health Services and Counseling Services, located in the R.N. Ellington Center, are a short walk from most areas on campus (within 15 minutes). For students who are ill (but ambulatory) or have a scheduled appointment, there are parking and shuttle transportation options. The Ellington Center Transport shuttle is a small 4-passenger electric car.

Parking: Students who have cars or access to cars may park in the South Campus lot adjacent to the Ellington Center. No permit is needed in the large South Campus (Ellington Center) Lot at the end of O’Kelly Avenue.

Elon University Ellington Center Shuttle: Students who have an appointment at Health Services or Counseling Services can arrange for shuttle transportation from anywhere on campus owned or operated property to the Ellington Center by calling The Office of The Dean of Students at (336) 278-7200, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am until 3:00 pm on Friday. Faculty and staff may also utilize the service for appointments at Faculty/Staff Wellness in the Ellington Center.

• Students, faculty and staff should call at least one hour prior to their scheduled appointment time to make arrangements for transport. Return shuttles will be provided as available. There may be a wait time for pick-ups and returns depending on demand.
  Students must schedule their appointment with Health Services or Counseling Services before calling for transportation.
• Students/faculty/staff who are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency or who cannot walk without assistance should call 9-1-1. The Ellington Center Shuttle cannot transport riders who are experiencing a medical or psychological emergency or who are unable to walk without assistance.
• To better prevent the spread of illness, riders who exhibit signs of illness may be asked to use preventive measures before boarding the shuttle (hand sanitizer, mask, etc.)
  Every effort is made to run the shuttle on schedule. The Ellington Center Shuttle may not be available at all times including severe weather, university breaks, or when drivers are not available.