Pilots Prevent
Health Center
February 16, 2021
The Health and Counseling Center provides an abundance of care and knowledge for the campus community to treat, educate, and empower individuals. HCC staff are dedicated to providing care for students with physical health concerns, COVID-related or not, and connecting them to mental health resources.
HCC can help students with a variety of illnesses and injuries—anything you would see your primary care provider for. It’s simple to schedule appointments—call 503.943.7134 or email hcc@up.edu. If a student does need to be seen in-person, there are some restrictions on appointment times to reduce COVID exposure, but the majority of issues can be handled over a phone or video call. Appointments are available every day, Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30, and after hours. Once students reach out, HCC staff will help guide them to the right type of appointment for their need.
All appointments are free, for part-time or full-time, on-campus or off, graduate or undergraduate students. There might be small charges for medications, equipment, or tests, but costs are minimal and students are informed ahead of time. “Cost shouldn’t be a barrier, and we work with students to be transparent and find creative ways to help them if there are financial issues,” says Kaylin Soldat, director of primary care services. They also provide referrals, working with a student’s insurance and making sure they’re connected with the right kind of care.
Health Center director Carol Dell’Oliver reports that while some mental health treatment capabilities have been affected by the pandemic, individual counseling appointments are available via phone or Zoom, and they’ve added a successful group therapy session through Zoom, with another to come in the Fall. Same-day appointments are available for urgent mental health concerns—if a student has experienced suicidal ideation, sexual assault, is considering harming themselves or others, or if they’ve experienced discrimination or injustice. “We’re living in a double pandemic of social injustice and COVID,” says Dell’Oliver, “so if a student has experienced some form of discrimination or prejudice, we want to offer easier access for support. We offer crisis intervention services and referral services for more specialized care.” Schedule a counseling appointment the same you would a primary care appointment call 503.943.7134 or email hcc@up.edu. In case of a mental or physical health emergency, call 911 and alert Campus Safety right away.
Beyond treatment, HCC connects students to health resources and offers proactive education and training to the UP community on crisis intervention. They also partner with student groups to provide education on managing anxiety and other health issues. “We hope that with outreach, students can be more proactive and advocate for their own health,” Dell’Oliver says. “This is the first time for many students to be taking care of their own health, and we want to help them choose and be informed about evidence-based best practices.”
In addition to on-campus care and education, the HCC offers tools and resources online for students located anywhere. There are mental health emergency resources, COVID-19 self-help resources—including a thoughtfully curated list of links to helpful podcasts, mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and educational articles. The screening tool offers confidential self-assessments on a variety of health conditions and immediate-follow up with ways to seek help. Community referral support is available through The Shrink Space, which is especially useful for remote students who aren’t located in the Portland area. HCC staff can also work directly with students to provide referrals, and connect international students with resources.
HCC partners with a variety of departments on campus to bring the most mindful and holistic support to students. The Care Team is an excellent resource for anyone who has concerns about a student’s safety and well-being. Campus Ministry provides emotional and spiritual support to anyone in need. Whatever the health concern may be, Soldat, Dell’Oliver, and the HCC team are here to care for and empower the UP community. “Our only priority is taking care of students,” says Soldat, “everything else is secondary.”
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
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