Student Frequently Asked Questions

Michigan Tech Mental Health Services is a department within the Division of Student Affairs that provides a wide range of mental health services to Michigan Tech students.

All currently enrolled Michigan Tech students are eligible for free services through Mental Health Services.

We provide individual, group, and couples counseling. Additional services include workshops and presentations on mental health topics for student organizations, residence halls, and the University community.

All appointments with Mental Health Services are held online via Zoom until further notice.

Mental Health Services has a diverse staff of mental health professionals, including social workers, a limited licensed psychologist, and graduate practicum students. All full-time clinicians in Mental Health Services are licensed within their respected profession—all non-licensed personnel (graduate practicum students) are directly supervised by licensed clinical staff members.

Students come to Mental Health Services for a wide variety of reasons. Many of our students have a specific concern they are seeking services for, such as depression, anxiety, and eating concerns to name a few. Students additionally seek services to address academic difficulties, challenges with adjusting to college, and interpersonal relationship concerns.

We are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the academic year and Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer. Academic and summer schedules are based on the University’s outlined calendar year.

During the academic year we offer "drop-in" hours. Drop-in hours will be held via Zoom until further notice. To reserve a spot during drop-in hours, email counseling@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2538.

Drop-in hours are used primarily to complete an initial evaluation with a counselor or for crisis appointments. During the summer semester we do not offer drop-in hours, so students can contact the office to schedule an appointment. 

Drop-in hours are offered daily on a first-come, first-served basis, but traditionally students are able to meet with a counselor that same day. 
If you are experiencing a crisis, please let the administrative staff know to ensure that you are able to meet with a counselor.

When you schedule your initial appointment during drop-in hours, you will receive an email from the counselor you are scheduled with containing a Zoom link to your meeting. During that initial appointment, you will discuss the concerns you want to address in counseling and your counselor will walk you through our stepped-care plan to assist you in establishing a preliminary treatment plan, which may include referrals for individual counseling, group counseling, workshop, or Husky Hour. 

Students who are seeking weekly or intensive care will discuss the limitations of services available through Mental Health Services with their counselor.

Mental Health Services records are not included in any of your other University records. All information about you, even acknowledgments of your visits, is confidential and cannot be released without your written permission except under specific circumstances outlined in our confidentiality policy.

No. Your clinician will not speak to your parents, professors, friends, or anyone else about your confidential concerns without your permission. There are rare exceptions, which are outlined in our confidentiality policy.

In any emergency involving physical harm or a threat to life, call Public Safety at 906-487-2216 or dial 911 (if you are out of the area, dial 866-411-0018 to reach Negaunee Central Dispatch). If you are in a residence building on campus, you can contact your RA or RLC. In cases of psychological emergencies, contact Mental Health Services during our business hours or Public Safety. Before or after business hours, contact Public Safety directly to request assistance from the on-call counselor.

To help a student get connected with services, you can provide them with information on our available services and encourage them to reach out to schedule an appointment during drop-in hours. Follow-up appointments for established students can only be done by the student receiving services. If the student is unwilling to contact our office and you are concerned about their safety, please use the Report a Concern tool to report your concern.

Mental Health Services provides limited access to a nurse practitioner on staff who has the ability to prescribe medication and manage currently prescribed medications. However, access to these services are only available to students who are receiving counseling through Mental Health Services and have been referred by their primary counselor. Many medications work best in conjunction with psychotherapy. Mental Health Services clinicians work together with the nurse practitioner on staff to monitor progress and concerns of each student.
Prescriptions for ADD/ADHD medications are not prescribed or managed through our office. Please contact a local medical provider's office for management of these medications.

My Student Support or My SSP is a free, confidential, telehealth program that provides mental health and well-being support to Michigan Tech students. All mental health counseling is provided by a licensed mental health provider.

My SSP offers real-time chat or telephone support 24/7, short-term counseling sessions with a dedicated counselor, health assessments, self-help materials on health and well-being topics, and access to virtual fitness sessions.

Counselors can help common concerns including, but not limited to: relationship troubles, feeling isolated, lonely or depressed, general stress and anxiety, frustration or uncertainty related to studies or post-grad plans, creating balance between personal and academic priorities, building better communication and time management skills, or adapting to a new campus culture, learning style or city.

No. Services through My SSP are free of charge to all currently enrolled Michigan Tech students.

My SSP offers the unique ability for you to request a language, cultural, or identity match with a counselor. This simply means that a student can request a counselor who identifies similarly to them, which they may find more comfortable. Additionally, they have 24/7 access to licensed mental health providers and there is more flexibility in times to meet for short-term counseling sessions.

Yes. CSMHW still offers mental health and well-being support to all students. Students can utilize individual therapy, group therapy, or participate in workshops and events through CSMHW. If a student is receiving individual counseling through My SSP
they can utilize all the services but the individual therapy option as outlined above. Regardless of who they are receiving individual counseling through, they still have the availability to utilize walk-in hours or immediate one-time support through My SSP.

Yes. The app and website are available in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese. When a student calls in to request short-term counseling they can request the language they prefer (those listed above as well as others) and My SSP will work to match them with a counselor. If a student is seeking immediate support that would be provided in English with the option to schedule with a counselor.

No. Students are able to utilize services through My SSP for pressing concerns or emergencies that they feel they can’t wait to talk to their established counselor about. A limitation to all services is that a student must retain only one counselor and not participate in individual therapy with more than one counselor at a time.

Real-time (immediate support) is available via chat or telephone 24/7. Scheduled counseling sessions are typically scheduled between 8am and 8pm M-F.

Students can access real-time chat or telephone support through the My SSP app by clicking the desired icons, they can call them directly, or go to their website and use the chat feature there. For scheduled sessions with a counselor the student would meet via telephone or through a secure video-counseling platform.

My SSP can be used for a single use, on an as needed basis, or a student could schedule an appointment with a counselor for additional sessions. If a student uses it as needed, it is not guaranteed that they will speak to the same counselor

No. If you need your medication managed or are interested in starting medication your My SSP counselor will refer you to a local health care provider.

My SSP is an extension of CSMHW and follows the same procedure and documentation process for accommodations, this includes documentation for an emotional support animal.

Yes. My SSP is available 24/7 to all enrolled students. 

No.  If a student meets with a counselor through My SSP no one will know unless they tell someone or provide permission for the counselor to share. There are rare exceptions when there is imminent risk to life.

My SSP has the option for students to provide feedback or submit a complaint through the website or app.