Next Steps Fund

OCTOBER 2022 UPDATE: The Next Steps Fund, to assist students in overcoming financial barriers to access outpatient mental health care, is expanding the number of free therapy appointments offered from 4 to 6 appointments! Visit this link to learn more about how to access the fund and ease the burden of accessing mental health care.

What is it?

The Next Steps Fund provides two fully subsidized therapy sessions for University of Virginia students with community therapists.

Students are referred to the Next Steps Fund at the discretion of a CAPS clinician or care manager. In order to access funding, students need to verify that their chosen provider is willing to participate*. After verification:

  1. A CAPS Care manager will provide students with an invoice form and review the form items to be completed together with a chosen therapist in the community. This therapist must be an accepted vendor with our Next Steps fund. This form helps outline expected and projected costs, based on your insurance or payment agreement with the therapist.

  2. The therapist would bill the Next Steps Fund the allotted amount, as normal, based on their insurance plan agreement. This fund pays for the student’s portion of the bill for up to 4 visits, including copayment costs.

  3. The student is responsible for emailing or sending in the completed invoice form to CAPS Care Manager Karen Painter. Once received, CAPS will process the invoices so that the provider is paid.

*Community providers must become registered as a vendor with the UVA Fund by sending/emailing a copy of their W9 to Karen Painter, LPC, Clinical Care Manager. Providers are asked to file claims with insurance and bill the student as they normally would. Students must submit their initial two therapy bills to CAPS in order to get funded. Once the bill is received by CAPS, the student’s portion of the bill will be paid directly to the provider from the UVA fund for up to two initial visits. Student information is kept confidential and only CAPS and the community therapist have access to the student’s name.

Student council’s future proposals:

  1. Increase the number of sessions paid with co-pay.

  2. Fund additional TimelyMD appointments past the allotted 12 through Student Health.

  3. Replenish funding availability to students annually.

For more information, contact Maille Bowerman & Anya Majji (studco-next-steps@virginia.edu).