Scheduling

Where to start

Welcome Panthers!

Let us help you take care of your mental health. Students can schedule counseling appointments by calling 319-273-2676. Your first session is a solution-focused interaction focused on your current pressing situational stressor or mental health related concern. During this session you will collaborate with the clinician to develop insight, options, and possible solutions to your current pressing concern. This collaboration may involve psychoeducation, therapeutic strategies, skill-developing tools, and recommended resources for further and continued support.

Counseling Center
Patient Portal

Open call and Open Chat

UNI Counseling Services has partnered with TELUS Health Student Support to offer this confidential service.  Students can access services through any of the following pathways

Call 1-866-661-2544
Download the TELUS Health Student Support app for android
Download the TELUS Health Student Support app for IOS

Creating a TELUS Health Student Support Profile

  • Under “Search for your School” look for the University of Northern Iowa
  • Create your account
  • You’ll be asked to fill in your name, preferred language and basic informed consent for this service.
  • View resources and schedule an appointment
  • Your home screen will offer Open Call and Chat, scheduling functions for a telehealth appointment, mental health articles and mental health screening tools
  • Connect with emotional health and well-being support, when you need it
  • UNI Counseling Center Open Call and Open Chat offers simple access to connect with emotional health and well-being support that are confidential and free of charge for UNI students

Your home screen will offer Open Call and Chat, scheduling functions for a telehealth appointment, mental health articles and mental health screening tools.

What languages are available on Open Call and Open Chat? Call and chat services are available in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin & Cantonese Simplified Chinese chat

The app is ADA compliant and TTY accessible.

Peer-to-peer support: Community

TELUS Health offers peer-to-peer support through Social Connection:

  • Immediately share the ups and downs in a safe and encouraging environment among other students
  • Receive in-language support within seconds without fear of judgment or stigma 
  • Real people - no bots, 24/7/365

Three layers of support

  1. Student peers
  2. Trained Buddies
  3. Clinical support

Counseling Services now offers 24/7 Open Call and Open Chat services and telehealth appointments for you at any time, anywhere across the world. This service can offer brief individual tele-therapy to you wherever you are in the world at both traditional and non-traditional times of day. You can follow directions on our Open Call Open Chat service page, and this is what you should expect:

  • Communicate your request to schedule an appointment with a counselor.
  • A Client Care Representative will gather your needs and preferences, including your availability. You can schedule with someone when it is most convenient for you! This service extends beyond traditional office hours to meet your availability.
  • Open Call and Open Chat clinicians will find a match for you, and keep communication with you, according to your preferred communication path (call, email, message).
  • You can expect an appointment offered within five business days of when you call us.
  • Open Call and Open Chat clinicians will help connect you to UNI Counseling or UNI Student Health Services if that is the right next step for your care.

Urgent Access Services

For a life threatening mental health emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.  

24/7 Real-time early intervention support via telephone or chat via the TELUS Health app.  This provides exclusive ability to provide crisis & in-the-moment support in 5 languages, English, French, Spanish, Mandarin/Cantonese (simplified Chinese by chat) and 150+ languages by teletherapy appointments. Students call in or initiate a chat via the TELUS Health app.  An intake will launch asking basic demographic information for first time users and a needs and risk assessment for all users, and support preference i.e. real-time single session or short-term scheduled services. Students are then connected to a counselor in real-time support or scheduled counseling booked, via phone, video or IP.  Additional resources are offered including campus/community resources. 

Outside of regular office hours, call the Counseling Center at 319-273-2676 and press 2 to speak to a crisis counselor.

Elevate 
Elevate Mobile Crisis Response team runs 24/7/365! They offer onsite and in-person interventions to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Elevate is available to help you at your home or any other location. Elevate is offered Black Hawk , Butler, Grundy, Tama, Mitchell, Floyd, Winneshiek,  Allamakee, Chickasaw, Howard, Fayette, and Clayton counties.

How to access services?
Call or text our partners at 988 or YOUR LIFE IOWA (855) 581-8111 or TEXT:
(855) 895-8398 and they will dispatch our mobile crisis responders directly to your location. 

Crisis Call, text or chat 
If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org 
Crisis Text Line Text HELLO to 741741

During business hours 
UnityPoint Mental Health walk-in clinic
Students in the Waterloo or Cedar Falls area can access services at UnityPoint Mental Health walk-in clinic.  Licensed behavioral health professionals offer mental health services including:

  • Crisis counseling
  • Medication prescribing
  • Referral to other outpatient mental health services or community resources
  • Triage for emergent/critical behavioral health intervention
  • The clinic is open to individuals aged 18 and over. Patients are advised to go to the Allen Hospital Emergency Department if they are needing immediate medical attention, demonstrating aggressive behavior or experiencing a crisis when the walk-in clinic is closed.