Counseling – Student Assistance Program

Balancing the demands of school, family, and work can be overwhelming. Managing life events can be even more challenging when our time and energy is heavily committed to multiple priorities. As a result, students can experience significant amounts of stress during their education. 

The Johns Hopkins Student Assistance Program (JHSAP) provides support to students dealing with pressures and problems they encounter during their academic careers. Services are free and confidential.

What Is JHSAP?

JHSAP is a life management tool that can help students identify stressors and manage them in healthy ways before more significant problems develop. Some common concerns are:

• Family/marital
• Depression
• Interpersonal relationships
• Life transitions
• School and work troubles
• Adapting to a new environment
• Stress and anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Academic performance
• Grief and mourning

How Does JHSAP Work?

Getting help is easy, convenient, and confidential. Just call 443-997-7000 or 866-764-2317. You can also email [email protected]. Crisis counseling is always available to ensure that you get the assistance you need when you need it. Staff will talk to you briefly to understand the reason for your call. In most cases, they will then schedule an appointment for you to come in and speak with a JHSAP counselor. The goal is to get to know you, understand what’s going on, and talk about how to move forward in a healthy way.

JHSAP offers the following services:

• Brief counseling for assistance with problems of daily living
• Consultation that supports academic and/or professional development
• Immediate support and management for crisis situations
• Identification and assessment of a mental health problem
• Referral to appropriate and accessible services and resources

Confidentiality

All counseling sessions, except as required by law, are confidential. No one will know you are using the program unless you share this information with others, either by verbally discussing your participation or by signing a release of information requesting the program to share information with another party. JHSAP carefully follows state and federal guidelines pertaining to confidentiality whereby if a counselor becomes aware of harm to self or others, a duty to warn and/or protect may be applicable.

Eligibility and Cost

Services are offered to all active, for-credit students of the Johns Hopkins School of Education. Student eligibility is confirmed by checking JHED. There is no cost to students for using the program, and there is no limit on the number of times you may access services. Each time you contact the program, a counselor will listen to you and assess your concerns. Together, you will develop a plan to address the concerns. If longer term assistance is appropriate, you may be referred outside of the program for additional support; this can be through your health plan or community resources. In these circumstances, there may be fees associated with the other services and resources to which you are referred.