Mental Health Resources
Dean of Students Offices
- Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence, Dr. Jennah Jones, (949) 824-1304.
- Assistant Dean for Student Services, Kyle Jones, (949) 824-1384.
On-Site Counseling at the Law School
The Counseling Center has a law school satellite office located in MPAA 210F, where Dr. Diana Chan will provide short-term therapy to help you address your concerns. Therapy is provided virtually and in-person (masks may be required, as it depends on the preference of the individual therapist) during the academic year. Common concerns include relationship issues, academic concerns, trouble adjusting to law school, anxiety, depression, etc.
You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Chan by calling (949) 824-6457. Please specify that you would like to see Dr. Chan at the law school.
See additional information on Dr. Chan and the services offered through the law school satellite office.
Counseling and Psychological Services at UCI's Main Counseling Center
Alternatively, you have the option of seeking out short-term therapy and other services at the UCI Counseling Center's main location. The Counseling Center has diverse, culturally sensitive staff that can work with a variety of concerns.
The UCI Counseling Center is located at Student Services 1 (203 Student Services 1, Irvine, CA 92697-2200), across Ring Road from the Starbucks adjacent to the campus bookstore. There are also annex locations in the Student Center. Clients are being seen virtually and in-person (masks may be required, as it depends on the preference of the individual therapist) during the academic year.
The Counseling Center provides brief individual and relationship counseling, groups, and workshops on a variety of personal and academic issues. The Center also assists students with crisis intervention/crisis care and some psychological testing. A wide range of groups and workshops related to interpersonal and developmental issues including relationship and family concerns, social anxiety, body image, academic skills, and coping and resiliency are offered each academic quarter.
In addition, the Counseling Center provides support to the University community through crisis intervention, training regarding mental health issues, and outreach and consultation services. The Center’s services are available and free of charge to currently registered students. Students needing long-term and/or specialized treatment are referred to other appropriate community providers.
Making an Appointment
Call the Counseling Center at (949) 824-6457 to make an appointment. The Center’s lobby hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while phone support and routinely scheduled appointments are available on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The receptionist will help you identify the type of appointment that best fits your needs, including one-session counseling appointments, short-term therapy, group and relationship therapy, referral and resource support, and crisis care.
The law school satellite location focuses on short-term therapy, which requires an “Initial Assessment Appointment.” The information gathered during this initial appointment will assist the counselor in determining what next steps would be most appropriate for you.
If your situation requires immediate attention, you may request to see the crisis care therapist. Crisis services are available 24/7 by calling (949) 824-6457 or by dropping into our Main Counseling Center location during lobby hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Fees
Access to counseling services is free to all registered UC Irvine students. Students do not need to have purchased the Student Health Insurance Plan to see a counselor. Initial appointments, crisis care, and all other services offered through the Counseling Center are supported through student registration fees.
After Hours Assistance
In the event of an emergency, during or after hours, go to:
UCI Psychiatry Health Services
Students may also receive therapy and psychiatric services through the UCI Medical Center’s branch office near campus. Most insurance policies are accepted. Students with GSHIP must get a referral through the procedure described in “Off-Campus Counseling Through GSHIP” below. More information on services and appointments is available on the UCI Health Psychiatry Services web page.
Off-Campus Counseling
Are you looking for long-term therapy off-campus? The UCI Counseling Center has partnered with Welltrack Connect. It is a web-based referral directory that you can use to search for and message off-campus providers directly on your own. Please note you will have to create a login with an email address to access the full functionality of the directory. They have powerful filters that allow you to search based on location, availability, identity, specialty, insurance provider, and more!
For students with SHIP Insurance: Once logged in to Welltrack Connect and you're on the search results page, set the drop-down menu "In Network Insurance" to "Anthem" and make sure to select "APPLY" at the bottom right of the drop-down menu to accurately filter results. This will refine the results to only show you those therapists that are in-network with your SHIP plan, which is an Anthem Blue Cross PPO plan.
Once you have selected a therapist and made your first appointment, you need to contact the Student Health Center Insurance Office to request a referral PRIOR to attending your first appointment. Their phone number is (949) 824-2388 or you can email them at shc-insurance@uci.edu, but please note email is not a secure method of communication. You will need the name, address, phone number, and fax number (if they have one) of the therapist you are going to see.
If you need to download a copy of your SHIP insurance card, view these instructions (PDF) on how to access SHIP info through the mobile Student Health app (PDF)
For Referral and Resource Support: The Counseling Center staff includes Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) who work as Case Managers and are available to help students with referrals for mental health services off-campus, including students with private insurance other than SHIP and students seeking specialized care (e.g., eating disorders, addiction, or other mental health needs). Any registered UCI student can call the Counseling Center at (949) 824-6457 and request to speak with a Case Manager for referral and resource support.
Lawyer Assistance Program
The California State Bar's Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) helps lawyers, State Bar applicants, and law students who are grappling with stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse or concerns about their career. Counselors offer a free assessment of the situation and help participants get the help they need, whether it is for a mental health issue, substance abuse, or a medical condition.
LAP promises confidentiality. No information is released about participation in the program without the person’s knowledge or consent. Participation is confidential as mandated by Business and Professions Code §6234.
Additional Resources
UCI:
- If you need accommodations for a diagnosed psychological or learning disability, contact UC Irvine’s Disability Service Center.
- In addition to individual counseling, the Counseling Center offers group support for a variety of issues. They offer workshops as well, including a graduate student workshop series that is offered both in-person and virtually on a variety of topics (stress management, time management, imposter syndrome, navigating academic relationships).
- The Counseling Center also provides a number of virtual resources, some of which include stress management; mindfulness and meditation; mental wellness through art, nature, movement, and sound.
- UCI CARE provides free and confidential support services to members of the UCI community impacted by sexual assault, relationship abuse, family violence and/or stalking. UCI CARE aims to end these forms of power-based personal violence by engaging the campus community in education, programming, and transformative action.
- The ARC offers a number of fitness and well-being programs.
- Written especially for UC Irvine graduate and professional school students, Keeping the Balance: A Resource Guide for Well-Being in Graduate and Professional School, contains information and resources that can be helpful in balancing the demands and challenges of graduate school.
- UCI Student Wellness & Health Promotion provides several services that can help prevent addiction.
Grief Counseling:
If you are experiencing grief or loss, whether through death of a friend or loved one, loss of a job, a relationship, or home, remember that grief has its own timeline that is different for everyone. Be kind to yourself and don’t hesitate to reach out to Student Affairs or the Counseling Center if you need additional support.
General Mental Health Resources:
UC Irvine Law provides the following Wellness Resources for law students.
The ABA has a helpful resource list for law student mental health resources.
Depression:
The Lawyers with Depression blogsite has up-to-date articles on coping with depression.
Sexual Assault:
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. It operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline [(800) 656.HOPE, online.rainn.org, and rainn.org/es] in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country.
Substance Abuse:
The Other Bar is a network of recovering lawyers, law students, and judges throughout California dedicated to assisting others within the legal profession who are suffering from alcohol and substance abuse problems. Information about meetings in Orange County can be found here.
The ABA has a substance abuse toolkit (PDF) especially for law students.
UCI has self-assessment tools if you are concerned about excessive use of alcohol or marijuana.
