About the Clinic

The Community Counseling and Assessment Clinic is the service, training, and research center of the Counseling Psychology graduate programs in the Department of Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi. Services are provided by master's and doctoral students under the close supervision of program faculty members.  

We are dedicated to providing affordable, quality psychological services to the University of Southern Mississippi and greater Hattiesburg communities. Assessment and treatment services are available for adults, adolescents, and children. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 601-266-4601.

Appointments

All services are provided by appointment only. To schedule an appointment or obtain more information about our services, call 601-266-4601. If you are not able to reach our receptionist directly, you can leave a confidential message and someone will return your call as soon as possible. Except for children, appointments are generally made only for the caller actually on the telephone line. However, we will be glad to provide any caller with information pertaining to our services and referral options which could be conveyed to someone else.

Fees

As a community service, we offer our services at affordable rates. There is a $10 charge for the initial interview session. Following this interview, our Case Assignment Team will determine whether the treatment available at the Clinic is appropriate for you. A counselor will contact you to schedule the service you have requested or refer you to another agency if we are unable to meet your needs. Fees for counseling services range from $10 to $35 per session and are based on family income. Fees for assessment services are based on the nature of the evaluation and the amount of time typically required to complete such an evaluation. General diagnostic/personality, substance use, and vocational assessments typically cost between $50 and $150. Discounts are available to USM students and persons with financial hardship.

Insurance Coverage: The clinic operates on a cash basis. Payment is expected at the time services are rendered. We do not accept direct assignment of Medicare, Medicaid, or other insurance benefits, nor can we bill insurance companies directly. Most insurance providers do not reimburse clients for services provided by students, trainees, interns or other unlicensed individuals even when that person is under direct supervision by licensed personnel.

Confidentiality

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act of 1996, the Clinic is required to protect the privacy of client information (see our Notice of Privacy Practices). For purposes of supervision, counseling and/or testing sessions are recorded. However, recordings are used only for training/supervision purposes, will be used only within the strict guidelines of professional ethics to maintain confidentiality, and will be erased or destroyed when no longer necessary.

Under Mississippi law, counselors cannot disclose privileged communication unless the client or legal representative gives written consent except as mandated by law, such as in situations of suspected child abuse/neglect, of potential harm to oneself or others, or of court-order of records.