If you are in crisis right now, start here. Call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), any hour. In Utah, the free SafeUT app or safeut.org connects you to a licensed counselor 24/7 by chat or call. Wasatch Behavioral Health's Receiving and Outreach Center, 1175 E. 300 N., Provo, is open 24 hours for adults in crisis, 801-852-2131. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Our full crisis resources guide explains each of these in detail, including the mobile crisis team.
The rest of this page is for the days that are hard but not an emergency, when you want to know which door is yours.
This page lists resources; it is not medical advice. A licensed professional can help you decide what kind of care fits.
The map, in one table
The single biggest factor in where you go is not how you feel. It is your enrollment status. Campus counseling is tied to credit hours, and the line is easy to fall below in exactly the semester you are struggling.
| If you are... | Your first door | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| BYU, 9+ semester hours (fall/winter), daytime | BYU CAPS: individual, couples, group | Free |
| BYU, fewer hours | CAPS biofeedback; BYU Comprehensive Clinic | Free / BYU students not charged |
| UVU, 9+ credits (6+ summer) | UVU Student Health Services: individual, couples, group; TimelyCare | $10 a session (individual/couples); groups free |
| UVU, 1 to 8 credits | UVU therapy groups; TimelyCare | Free |
| Graduated, on a break, or never enrolled | BYU Comprehensive Clinic; Wasatch Behavioral Health; community therapists | Sliding scale, insurance or Medicaid |
| Any of the above, at 2 a.m. | 988, SafeUT, Receiving Center | Free |
Every detail in that table comes from the services' own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Read on for the details that change the answer.
BYU: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
1500 Wilkinson Student Center · 801-422-3035
Who qualifies. Individual and group therapy are for "three-quarter-time, daytime" students, which CAPS defines as 9 or more semester hours in fall and winter. Biofeedback and stress management are open to students enrolled in any amount of daytime credit hours. SilverCloud, the online program described below, is for full-time students.
How to start. Fill out the "First Counseling Appointment" paperwork at capsintake.byu.edu, then call 801-422-3035. CAPS is clear that appointments cannot be made online; the call is the step people skip.
The wait, plainly. CAPS says the wait for individual counseling "is often a couple of weeks to a couple of months," usually shorter in spring and summer, and that most students are scheduled within 3 to 6 weeks. Three ways in that do not wait in that line:
- Quick Care. A single consultation with a psychologist "within the week," used to sign up for group therapy, talk through options at BYU and in the community, request letters or supporting petitions, or work on a difficult situation.
- Group therapy. More than 20 groups each semester, no session limit, and CAPS says its own research found groups "just as effective as individual therapy." Topics in its catalog include anxiety, perfectionism, OCD, grief and loss, eating and body image, dating and relationship concerns, autism, a women's group, a multicultural process group, mindfulness, a compassion-focused group and even Dungeons and Dragons. You get into a group through a Quick Care appointment.
- Daytime crisis walk-ins, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., depending on counselor availability.
Session limits. Individual and couples therapy are "generally" up to 7 sessions per academic year (September to August), and CAPS says most students finish in four or fewer. When you need longer-term care, CAPS case managers help you find a community therapist that works with your insurance; you can ask for a case manager if the wait feels too long.
After hours. This changed, and older guides (including some of ours) still describe the old system. CAPS now says that between 4:15 p.m. and 8 a.m. you call 801-422-3035 and follow the recorded instructions to reach a crisis specialist through ProtoCall. It also lists the Wasatch Behavioral Health Receiving Center and the emergency room at Utah Valley Hospital (1034 N. 500 W., Provo).
What CAPS does not do. It does not provide ADHD assessments (it refers students to the University Accessibility Center), and it lists situations that need a higher level of care than it provides, such as inpatient treatment or medical stabilization. In those cases it refers out.
Free workshops, no appointment. CAPS runs drop-in "Quicker Care" workshops. On its calendar when we checked: anxiety on Friday, October 30, 4 p.m., MARB 128; depression on Monday, November 2, 1 p.m., JKB 1103; and anxiety on Wednesday, November 11, noon, JFSB B152. "No registration required." CAPS also offers QPR suicide-prevention trainings for students who want to know how to help a friend; registration details are on its calendar.
SilverCloud. A free, eight-week online program for anxiety, depression, stress and body image, about half an hour a week, with a CAPS clinician or trained graduate student reviewing your progress. You keep access for a year after enrolling, even if you graduate.
UVU: Student Health Services, Mental Health
Sorensen Center, SC 221 · 801-863-8876
Who qualifies and what it costs. UVU's page is specific:
- Individual therapy: $10 a session, 9 or more credit hours (6 in summer), with proof of enrollment.
- Couples therapy: $10 a session, same credit rule.
- Group therapy: free for any student enrolled in at least one credit hour.
- Services are only for currently enrolled students. UVU does not serve students under 18 or full-time UVU employees at Student Health; it points both to community resources.
New clients book their first appointment through UVU's online portal; returning clients call.
Crisis during the day. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., call the front desk at 801-863-8876 and ask for a UVU Crisis Therapist. If you are in a suicide crisis, UVU asks you to say it is an emergency for priority scheduling.
After hours. UVU points students to 988, the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), SafeUT and UVU Police at 801-863-5555.
TimelyCare. Every UVU student has free 24/7 TalkNow support by logging in with a UVID, and UVU says students can request a license from Student Health for six free virtual therapy sessions. For a student whose hard hours are at night, this is the most useful option UVU has.
Medication. UVU's psychiatric nurse practitioners require 9 or more credits (6 in summer), and UVU says it has "limited psychiatric services and a wait time." New patients now request an appointment by email to Psychiatric Services, not by phone. UVU's page names a community practice for faster psychiatric care.
When you do not fit the campus rules
These are the gaps people fall into, and where to go.
You dropped below full time. At BYU, you lose individual and group therapy but keep biofeedback, and you can use the BYU Comprehensive Clinic, which does not charge BYU students for therapy. At UVU, groups stay free with a single credit, and TimelyCare stays available.
It is summer, or between semesters. UVU's individual-therapy threshold drops to 6 credits in summer. CAPS says its waits are usually shorter in spring and summer.
You graduated, left school or never enrolled. Three community options carry most of the load for young adults here:
- BYU Comprehensive Clinic, 1190 N. 900 E., Provo, 801-422-7759. Counseling for individuals, couples and families in Utah County by graduate student interns supervised by licensed faculty, with a sliding fee of $0 to $20 a session based on income, and no charge to BYU students for therapy.
- Wasatch Behavioral Health, the public behavioral health center for Utah and Wasatch counties, 801-373-4760. It runs family clinics, the 24-hour Receiving Center, mobile crisis outreach and Mountain Peaks Counseling, its clinic for people with private insurance.
- UVU Community Mental Health Clinic, on UVU's Orem campus. Free therapy by supervised graduate students for community members and students. In October 2026 its page said it was not accepting new clients, with immediate openings for couples and family therapy and a waitlist for individual therapy.
For finding a private therapist, understanding the license letters, and what insurance does and does not cover, our guide to finding a therapist in Utah Valley goes much further than this page. If insurance itself is the obstacle, see health insurance in Utah, explained.
Not a crisis, but you need to talk
- Utah Warm Line, 833-SPEAKUT, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, staffed by certified peer support specialists who have their own experience with mental health or substance use, as UVU's clinic page describes it.
- 2-1-1 connects you with United Way's directory of local services, including low-cost mental health care.
- NAMI Utah offers family support groups, Connection support groups for people living with a mental illness, and mental health education classes.
If you are worried about someone
A roommate or friend. CAPS offers consultation to anyone worried about a student, by phone at 801-422-3035 or through help.byu.edu. It cannot schedule an appointment for someone else or confirm whether they are a client. SafeUT lets you submit a confidential tip if you think someone may be in danger.
A parent far away. BYU CAPS has a page for parents, and UVU's Student Health page lists the same crisis lines a parent can share. The first-semester survival guide covers the other parts of the adjustment that families ask about.
A returned missionary. Coming home early or on schedule can be its own adjustment; our post-mission guide speaks to it.
Specific situations
International students. CAPS has a page for international students, and our international students guide covers insurance and campus support more broadly.
Married students and couples. Both campuses offer couples therapy to eligible students: free at BYU CAPS, $10 a session at UVU. The BYU Comprehensive Clinic also sees couples and families.
New parents. Postpartum depression and anxiety have their own resources and screening; see our postpartum mental health guide.
Faith and counseling. Many students want a counselor who understands their faith, and some want one who will not bring it up. BYU CAPS lists a group on reconciling faith and sexuality, and our therapist guide has a section on faith fit.
Save these now
| Who | Number or address |
|---|---|
| Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 |
| SafeUT | App or safeut.org, 24/7 |
| WBH Receiving and Outreach Center (adults, 24/7) | 1175 E. 300 N., Provo · 801-852-2131 |
| BYU CAPS, including after hours | 801-422-3035 |
| UVU Student Health Services | 801-863-8876 · SC 221 |
| UVU Police | 801-863-5555 |
| Utah Warm Line | 833-SPEAKUT, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
If you are reading this for yourself on a bad day: reaching out is the step that matters, and every number above was set up for exactly that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call if I am in a mental health crisis in Utah Valley?
Is counseling free at BYU?
Is counseling free at UVU?
How long is the wait for BYU CAPS?
What can BYU students do after hours?
Where can I get therapy in Utah Valley if I am not a student or do not qualify?
What if I just need someone to talk to, not a crisis line?
Can I make a CAPS appointment for my roommate or my child?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Crisis Services at Wasatch Behavioral Health, Wasatch Behavioral Health. Checked October 20, 2026.
- For Students in Crisis, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- CAPS Frequently Asked Questions, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Individual Therapy, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- BYU Counseling and Psychological Services: Group Therapy, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- BYU Counseling and Psychological Services: Quick Care, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- BYU Counseling and Psychological Services: SilverCloud, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- CAPS home page and events calendar, BYU Counseling and Psychological Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Student Health Services home (crisis services, TimelyCare, hours), Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mental Health Services (eligibility and cost), Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Psychiatric Services, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- UVU Community Mental Health Clinic, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- BYU Comprehensive Clinic: Payments and Fees, BYU Comprehensive Clinic. Checked October 20, 2026.
- NAMI Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- SafeUT / Huntsman Mental Health Institute: SafeUT, SafeUT / Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Checked October 20, 2026.
