{
  "title": "California university student mental-health insurance directory",
  "last_verified": "2026-08-22",
  "privacy": "Institution-level public information only. No student, clinician, referral, message, or other personal information.",
  "selection_note": "Twenty-five prominent California institutions selected for therapist search usefulness; this is not a quality ranking.",
  "institutions": [
    {"school":"UC Berkeley","system":"UC","plan":"Berkeley SHIP","network":"Aetna Open Choice PPO","referral":"No UHS referral required for medical or mental-health care","year":"2026-27","source":"https://uhs.berkeley.edu/insurance-ship/ship-benefits"},
    {"school":"UC Davis","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Campus referral generally required before non-emergency off-campus care","year":"2026-27","source":"https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance/uc-ship"},
    {"school":"UC Irvine","system":"UC","plan":"UC Irvine SHIP","network":"Verify the current carrier/network from the member card","referral":"Care starts at the Student Health Center; verify off-campus referral","year":"2026-27","source":"https://studenthealth.uci.edu/how-to-use-uc-irvine-ship/"},
    {"school":"UCLA","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Start with Ashe Center or CAPS; verify referral before outside care","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/insurance"},
    {"school":"UC Merced","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Verify campus referral before non-emergency off-campus care","year":"2026-27","source":"https://health.ucmerced.edu/insurance"},
    {"school":"UC Riverside","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Campus referral generally applies; LiveHealth Online is a stated exception","year":"2026-27","source":"https://studenthealth.ucr.edu/ucship"},
    {"school":"UC San Diego","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Written SHS or CAPS referral required before non-emergency outside mental-health treatment","year":"2026-27","source":"https://shwadmin.ucsd.edu/uc-ship/use/medical-plan.html"},
    {"school":"UC San Francisco","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Verify Student Health and Counseling referral requirements","year":"2026-27","source":"https://studenthealth.ucsf.edu/insurance"},
    {"school":"UC Santa Barbara","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Start with Student Health or CAPS; verify off-campus referral","year":"2026-27","source":"https://studenthealth.sa.ucsb.edu/insurance"},
    {"school":"UC Santa Cruz","system":"UC","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross PPO","referral":"Verify CAPS/Student Health referral before outside care","year":"2026-27","source":"https://healthcenter.ucsc.edu/billing-insurance/uc-ship.html"},
    {"school":"Stanford University","system":"Private","plan":"Cardinal Care","network":"Wellfleet; Blue Shield of California PPO in California","referral":"Verify 2026-27 plan rules and member eligibility","year":"2026-27","source":"https://vaden.stanford.edu/student-and-dependent-health-insurance/2026-2027-student-health-insurance-cardinal-care-and-0"},
    {"school":"University of Southern California","system":"Private","plan":"USC SHIP","network":"Aetna; USC Tier 1 plus Aetna Preferred Care","referral":"Campus services and outside insurance benefits are separate","year":"2026-27","source":"https://sites.usc.edu/ship/about/"},
    {"school":"California Institute of Technology","system":"Private","plan":"Caltech Student Medical","network":"Anthem Blue Cross","referral":"Verify benefits; first 25 in-network mental-health office visits stated at $0","year":"2026-27","source":"https://orientation.caltech.edu/documents/34671/2026_New_Student_Handbook.pdf"},
    {"school":"Pomona College","system":"Claremont","plan":"The Claremont Colleges SHIP","network":"Aetna EPO","referral":"MCAPS is separate and available to students; verify outside-network eligibility","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.pomona.edu/ship/faqs"},
    {"school":"Claremont McKenna College","system":"Claremont","plan":"The Claremont Colleges SHIP","network":"Aetna EPO","referral":"MCAPS is separate; verify outside-network eligibility from the card","year":"2026-27","source":"https://services.claremont.edu/student-health-services/health-insurance/"},
    {"school":"Harvey Mudd College","system":"Claremont","plan":"The Claremont Colleges SHIP","network":"Aetna EPO","referral":"MCAPS is separate; verify outside-network eligibility from the card","year":"2026-27","source":"https://services.claremont.edu/student-health-services/health-insurance/"},
    {"school":"Scripps College","system":"Claremont","plan":"The Claremont Colleges SHIP","network":"Aetna EPO","referral":"MCAPS is separate; verify outside-network eligibility from the card","year":"2026-27","source":"https://services.claremont.edu/student-health-services/health-insurance/"},
    {"school":"Pitzer College","system":"Claremont","plan":"The Claremont Colleges SHIP","network":"Aetna EPO","referral":"MCAPS is separate; verify outside-network eligibility from the card","year":"2026-27","source":"https://services.claremont.edu/student-health-services/health-insurance/"},
    {"school":"Santa Clara University","system":"Private","plan":"SCU SHIP","network":"Aetna Open Choice PPO","referral":"CAPS/campus care is separate; verify outside benefits with Aetna","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.scu.edu/bewell/insurance/ship/"},
    {"school":"Loyola Marymount University","system":"Private","plan":"LMU-endorsed student plan","network":"Aetna preferred-provider network","referral":"Non-preferred behavioral health is generally not covered; verify the exact network","year":"2026-27","source":"https://finance.lmu.edu/controller/osfs/studentaccounts/tuitionothercostsbudgetworksheet/studenthealthinsurance/"},
    {"school":"University of San Diego","system":"Private","plan":"USD SHIP","network":"Aetna OA Managed Choice POS","referral":"Referral can waive the in-network deductible; verify current terms","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.sandiego.edu/health-insurance/benefits.php"},
    {"school":"Pepperdine University","system":"Private","plan":"Pepperdine SHIP","network":"Anthem Blue Cross","referral":"Applies to eligible Malibu-campus students; verify program and card","year":"2026-27","source":"https://community.pepperdine.edu/healthcenter/healthinsurance/"},
    {"school":"Occidental College","system":"Private","plan":"OSHIP","network":"Aetna PPO","referral":"Outside behavioral health is covered; verify eligibility and benefits","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.oxy.edu/student-life/resources-support/emmons-wellness-center/student-health-insurance"},
    {"school":"University of San Francisco","system":"Private","plan":"USF student plan","network":"Aetna OA Elect Choice EPO","referral":"No campus-clinic referral required; out-of-network care generally not covered","year":"2026-27","source":"https://myusf.usfca.edu/hps/insurance/student-plan"},
    {"school":"UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings)","system":"Public law","plan":"UC SHIP","network":"Verify current UC SHIP member card; school also provides Carbon Health access","referral":"Student insurance and Carbon Health campus access are distinct","year":"2026-27","source":"https://www.uclawsf.edu/campus-life/student-health-services/uc-ship/"}
  ]
}