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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The University of Arizona will eliminate the $25-per-session fee for counseling services beginning July 1, making appointments through Campus Health’s Counseling and Psychological Services available to students at no cost.
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Any student enrolled on the university’s main campus will be eligible for both in-person and telehealth appointments under the new model.
A 2025 report from the American Council on Education found 65 percent of college students said they needed help for emotional or mental health problems in the past year.
Dr. Aaron Barnes, who has led Counseling and Psychological Services — known as CAPS — since 2019, said the $25 fee was enough to deter students already managing tight budgets.
“There’s a lot of things to be stressed about in college, but not just academically. Forming your identity, differentiating from your parents, making new friends, figuring out your own personal values,” Barnes said. “The last thing I want is for a student to choose between getting their mental health supported and having something to eat.”
Barnes said demand for mental health services surged following the pandemic, as students arrived on campus less prepared to cope. He said 65 percent of CAPS cases involve anxiety and adjustment disorders, which he said can spiral into depression and suicidal ideation if left untreated.
Barnes said marginalized students face an even higher risk. A post-pandemic National Institutes of Health study found students experiencing food insecurity report anxiety at nearly twice the rate of their peers.
Barnes said he expects spots to fill fast, but that the goal is for no student to wait even one day to get help.
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“How many times will a student attempt to access our services before they give up?” Barnes said. “What I would encourage any student that’s having any trouble getting in through our doors is to just give us a call.”
The university said the no-cost model has been in development for several years and reflects collaboration between university and student leadership. The university has allocated resources to sustain the program going forward.
Psychiatry, the ADHD Clinic and the Intensive Outpatient Program will continue to carry a cost. CAPS said financial assistance is available, and the office also accepts insurance.
Students who accessed services before July 1 can also apply for assistance funding to help offset prior costs, according to the university.
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