Mental health is an essential part of overall wellness.  Along with physical health, it can have a profound influence on daily life- from academic to professional to personal experiences.  CSU Health Network offers psychiatry services to support student’s emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs.  Psychiatry services consists of a dedicated, onsite team of psychiatrists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.  Psychiatry staff members also serve on professional teams throughout CSU Health Network, including eating disorder care, DAY programs, and iTeam.

People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack, frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing voices. The problems may be more long-term, such as feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiousness that never seem to lift, or problems functioning that cause everyday life to feel distorted or out of control.

CSU Health Network Providers can assess these concerns and determine a possible medication solution, if appropriate, to support ongoing stability and student success.

After completing thorough evaluations, our providers can prescribe medications to help treat mental disorders. While the precise mechanism of action of many psychiatric medications is not fully understood, they beneficially modulate chemical signaling and communication within the brain, which may reduce some symptoms of psychiatric disorders.

Students interested in accessing Psychiatry services can call (970) 491-7121 to schedule a psychiatric triage appointment.  If a psychotropic medication evaluation is needed, we will assist you in setting up an appointment.  For students already receiving psychiatric care before coming to CSU, please read more on transition of care.  Please see Medical Records to have copies of your records sent from your previous provider.

Services provided by CSU Health Network Psychiatry

We provide evidence-based medication management for psychiatric conditions. Our treatment is integrated with primary care providers such that we provide consultation and accept referrals, and we maximize the impact for our student body by assigning students with highest need to the most specialized providers.

Initial Evaluation

We provide diagnostic evaluation and management of psychiatric conditions for students with the following conditions:

• Previous documented treatment (at least 6 months) for ADHD
• Mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Thought disorders
• Psychiatric conditions due to general medical conditions
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Co-occurring mental health conditions including substance use disorders

Follow-up Management

Psychiatry services follows students with:

• Comorbid and multiple diagnoses
• Relapsing conditions
• Worsening mental health

Collaborative and Integrated Management

Psychiatry services refers patients to medical  or counseling services with psychiatry availability for consultation for students with:

• Chronic and stable conditions
• ADHD (previous treatment outside of CSU Health Network for at least six months)
• Psychotherapy needs (see Scope of Care Counseling Services)

Services Outside our Scope of Care

Students whose needs fall outside our scope of care or have a preference we are unable to meet are primarily referred to outside providers.  Some common reasons students are referred to services in the community include:

• Evaluation for new diagnosis for ADHD.
• The need or desire for intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, or inpatient care.
• Comprehensive psychological assessment to identify concerns such asLearning Disorders, Autism Spectrum disorders, etc.
• A need for court mandated or forensic assessment.
• Students needing medical detoxification and/or medical stabilization, including initiating buprenorphine or methadone maintenance.
• Students seeking treatment with Esketamine, psilocybin or other plant-based psychedelics, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), or Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).
• Students seeking certification for medical cannabis registry card.
• Students seeking documentation for Emotional Support/Service Animals (ESAs).

The cost for psychiatry services at CSU Health Network is dependent on your specific health insurance plan. Learn more about using health insurance at CSU Health Network.