For urgent mental health concerns, call 212-854-2878 (available 24/7)
Another resource available is the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline—988.
In any life-threatening situation, call 911.
Columbia Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS)
Counseling and Psychological Services supports the psychological and emotional wellbeing of the Columbia community by providing wrap-around services and resources including, individual counseling and referrals, support groups, and coping tools.
To schedule an appointment with a counselor, contact:
- For students within the United States looking to schedule a new virtual appointment, please call 212-854-2878 (available Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- For students residing outside the United States interested in counseling services, click here and use "Columbia University" as your student code when logging in.
Emergency:
911
Columbia Public Safety (24/7):
Dial 99 on-campus
212-854-5555 off-campus
Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital:
212-523-4000
NYC Well is your connection to free, confidential crisis counseling, mental health, and substance misuse support, information, and referral. You can reach the toll-free helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week by phone, text, and online chat. Mental health professionals there can link you to the services you need.
Call/Text 988
Free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Available 24/7.
Call/Text: 988
Chat online or videochat: https://988lifeline.org/
Connect with a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm through active listening and collaborative problem solving. Available 24/7.
Text HOME to 741741
Columbia Health
Students can access comprehensive health services, through Columbia Health. Services include:
- Alice! Health Promotion
- Counseling and Psychological Services
- Disability Services
- Gay Health Advocacy Project
- Medical Services
- Sexual Violence Response
Appointments:
212-854-7426
If you are not feeling well, please call and speak with a Nurse before coming to the office.
After Hours Clinician-on-Call:
212-854-9797
In the event of a medical emergency, call 911 or contact your nearest emergency room.
Health-Related Questions:
Visit Ask Alice!, Columbia University’s health Q&A site managed by health promotion specialists, health care providers, and other health professionals.
On-Campus
Alice! Health Promotion, led by Alic Czachowski, is a branch of Columbia Health dedicated to fostering a healthy university community where students can thrive personally and academically. Alice! offers a wide range of services, including health education drop-ins, sexual and reproductive health consultations, wellbeing workshops, and more.
Learn more about their services here. Some noteworthy programs and offers include:
- BASICS—Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students—is a program designed to assist students in examining their alcohol and other substance-use behavior. Services provided through this program are non-judgmental, non-labeling, and confidential.
- Nicotine Cessation Visits offer support and accountability for students seeking to quit their tobacco and nicotine usage. (Side note: we had a record number of vapes in our vape drop in May - this is definitely a program that students are actively seeking!)
Not sure where to start? Wayfinding Guides help students at Columbia University and its affiliated schools navigate and identify resources and systems of support on a variety of health and well-being topics. These guides compile high-quality health information for on- and off-campus resources.
Recovery Meetings
The Columbia Recovery Coalition (RC) is a recognized undergraduate student group serving the entire Columbia community, including Barnard and all graduate schools. RC currently hosts two meetings per week and posts daily articles, videos, and other posts on Facebook that are related to different types of recovery.
Monday: 12-step style meeting
Time: 7-8pm
Location: Guastavino Room in the basement of St. Paul's chapel
Open meeting. All are welcome to attend.
Wednesday: Support group style meeting
Time: 7-8pm
Location: Guastavino Room in the basement of St. Paul's chapel
Open meeting. All are welcome to attend.
Friday: 12-step style meeting for women and non-binary individuals
Time: 7-8pm
Location: Guastavino Room in the basement of St. Paul's chapel
For more questions or information, email [email protected] or visit https://www.columbiarecoverycoalition.com/.
Off-Campus
Lawyer Assistance Program
LAP provides education and confidential assistance to lawyers, judges, law school students, and immediate family members who are affected by substance abuse, stress, depression, or other mental health issues. Its goal is to assist in the prevention, early identification, and intervention of problems that can affect professional conduct and quality of life.
The Jed Foundation
Find resources and support via The Jed Foundation. The Jed Foundation provides resources for emotional and mental health support for young adults.
NYC-Based Addiction and Recovery Services
- Alcohol abuse or addiction
- Narcotics abuse or addiction
- Gambling problem
- Sex addiction
- If you are being affected by someone else’s drinking
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Information and Referral Services
- Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS): 518-434-0439
- NYCWell: Call/text 988
- Drug Strategies: 845-247-5704
- 24-hour addiction hotline: 800-407-7295
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Referral Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357)
Procedure
If you or a member of the community needs support please take the time to complete a report so we may provide support, care, and accountability. You can access the reports here. You may also meet with Student Services, but all staff and faculty at Columbia Law School are mandated reporters who, depending on the situation, may need to file a report with the University as well.
Please also find information about support resources below:
Confidential resources do not share identifying information with anyone except as required by law in emergencies.
Non-confidential resources disclose information only when necessary to help students get additional services or to protect community safety. All efforts are made to protect your privacy to the greatest extent possible.
Please visit the resource page for more on-campus and off-campus resources available to students, faculty, researchers, and staff.
Confidential Resources include, but are not limited to:
- The Ombuds Office
- Sexual Violence Response (SVR)
- Counseling and Psychological Services (Morningside/Manhattanville)
- Office of Disability Services (ODS)
Additional Resources
Campus Resources in Times of Crisis
The University compiled a list of campus resources that can be helpful in navigating challenging times. They’ve also included a list of policies and procedures regarding conduct and behavior—that are the foundation of our values and our culture of empathy and respect at the University—as well as a final note on the importance of mental and emotional health.
Suspected Maltreatment of a Minor
If you suspect child abuse or maltreatment involving a minor (under the age of 18 in New York state), call the New York State Child Abuse & Maltreatment Hotline (800-342-3720) and notify Public Safety (Morningside: 212-854-5555; CUMC: 212-305-7979).
Grievance Procedure
Two basic kinds of incidents may require review and, in some cases, discipline:
- Complaints by an individual student against a questionable form of academic treatment or involvement by a faculty member.
- Behavior or uses of language that appear to step beyond the established bounds of academic decorum and appear to threaten or arbitrarily dismiss either a collective group in our midst or seriously undermine basic understandings and recognized standards of conduct within our community.
For more information about the Grievance Procedure, please visit this page. If you would like to proceed with a Grievance Procedure, have questions about any of the above policies, or are looking for advice or support to think through a difficult issue, please contact Associate Dean Andrea Saavedra.
Please review the Office of University Life’s “Blue Folder” for campus and community resources!
Dave Nee Foundation
The foundation is a nonprofit corporation that aims to fight depression and prevent suicide by promoting and encouraging the diagnosis and treatment of depression among adolescents, young adults, and law students.
Lawyers with Depression
Dan Lukasik created the first website and blog of its kind in the country to help law students, lawyers, and judges cope with and heal from depression. He is a managing partner at the law firm of Bernhardi Lukasik PLLC in Buffalo, listed in the publications Best Lawyers in America, SuperLawyers, and The Buffalo Law Journal’s Who’s Who in Law as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Buffalo.
Columbia Undergraduate Well-Being at Columbia
Live Well | Learn Well aims to create a campus culture that values and promotes individual well-being and a healthy community for undergraduates at Columbia University.
