Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is eligible for our services?
Services at our Clinic are open to the community. You do not need to be affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley to receive our services. We welcome clients of all ages, nationalities, gender identities, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, economic statuses, and abilities/disabilities; however it is important to note that:
- UC Berkeley students may be eligible for services at the Tang Center on campus, which is separate from our Clinic.
- We do not accept walk-ins because we do not have the staff on hand to provide immediate assessment and intervention. Please give us a call at (510) 642-4459 if you are interested in our services.
- There may be limitations to the types of assessments, evaluations, and interventions we provide which will depend on the expertise of our clinicians.
- Please note that we are not an intensive outpatient mental health center, substance abuse treatment center, or crisis center.
- If you are looking for these services in Alameda County, please contact the ACCESS line at 1-800-491-9099. Information can also be found at http://www.acbhcs.org/
- If you have a crisis or are otherwise in an emergency, please call 988, 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call the toll-free and confidential 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-309-2131. Additional support and resources can be found at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
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Here are a few additional crisis related services:
- Crisis Text Line: text 741741 (For Spanish: text HOLA to 741741 or text 442-AYUDAME in Whatsapp)
- Trevor Project for LGBTQ youth: 1-866-488-7386
- Teen to teen peer counseling hotline: 1-877-YOUTHLINE (1-877-968-8454)
- Spanish speaking suicide hotline: 1-800-SUICIDA (1-800-784-2432)
- Post-partum depression hotline: 1-800-PPD-MOMS (1-800-773-6667)
- Youth safety planning tool: https://ucla.chsprc.com/#
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What can I expect when I call the Clinic for the first time?
If you are interested in our services, please give us a call at 510-642-4459. Our Clinic staff will ask you to leave a voicemail with your name, phone number and a brief description of your interest and goals for our services. One of our clinicians will call you back to answer your questions and learn more about whether we are able to serve your needs and discuss next steps for setting up an initial session. If, for some reason, the clinical team decides that we may not be able to take on new clients or we may not be a good fit for your needs, the clinician will provide you with referral options. A waitlist may also be available.
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Do you accept insurance?
- Unfortunately, we do not currently accept insurance, including MediCal, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and/or other insurance plans.
- Clients are expected to pay for services themselves at the time they are provided. Those who want to use their health insurance for services can contact their health plans for information about providers who accept those plans.
- We offer a sliding scale for reduced fees for therapy & assessment services based on household income.
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What is the cost?
- We are committed to providing our services to the community at an affordable cost. For this reason, we provide therapy & assessment services at a reduced cost on a sliding scale fee schedule based on household income.
- Clients are expected to pay for services themselves at the time they are provided. Those who want to use their health insurance for services can contact their health plans for information about providers who accept those plans.
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What does it mean that the UC Berkeley Psychology Clinic is a training clinic?
Our clinicians are graduate students in the UC Berkeley Clinical Science Ph.D. program and affiliated programs. They are closely supervised by experienced licensed clinicians who are clinical faculty members. Your care may include video or audio recordings to ensure that our clinicians are providing the best care possible. These recordings are confidential, used for training purposes only, and deleted immediately after their use for training purposes. If at any time you are uncomfortable with this arrangement, we can provide you with referrals to another community-based agency.
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Do you offer telehealth & in-person services?
Yes! However, please note that as a training clinic, we are prioritizing in-person services. While we currently offer both in-person and telehealth (or hybrid) therapy and assessment services, telehealth is only available on a limited basis. Telehealth therapy and assessment services can only be provided to those residing in California.