Mission Statement:
The Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center supports the mission of the College in preparing its graduates to “better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world.” We are committed to assisting students in overcoming personal, emotional, and psychological issues that may negatively impact their ability to reach their academic goals and to live successfully at K and in our richly diverse and complex world. We are committed to assisting students in acquiring the skills and strategies requisite to becoming responsible decision makers, effective problem solvers, and enlightened leaders.
Mission Statement Objectives:
- Provide a wide range of services in order to best meet student needs, including individual and group therapy
- Maintain a standard of excellence in the provision of services
- Assist students in mastering the developmental tasks appropriate to their maturation level
- Educate student and other college constituencies about the emerging issues relevant to college student mental health through outreach, training, and psychoeducational programs
- Serve as consultants to the college community
Diversity Statement:
The staff members of the Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center value awareness and understanding of everyone’s difference and similarities. We recognize that prejudice, discrimination, and oppression are detrimental to all people and we strive to take personal responsibility for educating ourselves and being culturally responsive in our work with students. We pledge to provide an open and trusting environment in which all students feel valued, safe, and respected.
Number of Visits:
Students will receive individual counseling under a customized clinical care model, which means the number of sessions needed to address the student’s presenting concern will be determined during the initial intake session. Our customized clinical care model enables us to prioritize keeping counseling services accessible to all students in a timely manner. Most issues that arise during the college years are conducive to a short-term therapeutic model. Sessions are generally 30-45 minutes in length and can occur weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or on a “check-in” basis. If a student’s issues are determined to require long-term therapy or specialty treatment, a therapist will help facilitate a referral to professionals in the community with that expertise (i.e., a student with an eating disorder or a student with substance use concerns). In addition, students seeking ADHD or learning disability assessment will be referred to a clinic or psychologist in the community.
Students are encouraged to utilize the Student Health and Counseling Center services at any time while they are a student at K and many students return at different times during their college career to seek counseling support. The Student Health and Counseling Center offers a range of groups that students can attend as desired.
Cancelations and No-Show Policy:
If you cannot keep your appointment, cancel the appointment as soon as possible so that another student may be seen. Failure to keep an appointment without prior notification may result in a charge to your student account.
Confidentiality:
The confidentiality of your visit and your medical records are essential to providing the highest quality health care. Visits to the Student Health and Counseling Center are confidential and are completely separate from the rest of your Kalamazoo College records. We do not give this information out—even to faculty members, coaches, parents, or RAs—unless you give us your consent. There is an exception to this policy of strict confidentiality. It involves those situations where we believe that you are unable to continue functioning, are a threat to yourself or the safety of others or inform of us others in potential danger (e.g., current abuse of children or vulnerable adults). In those cases, we are ethically and legally bound as psychologists and counselors to inform persons who can help reduce the risks of harm. Most often, those people are family members and/or the residence hall staff. The Dean of Students is also informed of these very serious situations.
The Student Health and Counseling Center uses Epic Electronic Medical Records. This involves separate but integrated healthcare providers, delivering healthcare together, and sharing personal health information for clinical care services and related healthcare operations and activities. Only authorized individuals may access and use protected health information in Epic. Registered nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physicians, therapists, clinical staff, and consultants giving direct care may read and enter data on a chart. All staff sign a confidentiality form. Those employees with access to medical information shall respect the doctrine of confidentiality and not divulge any information contained in the medical record unless they are authorized to do so by the student.
Your medical records or any information about you may be released with your authorization by submitting the Records Release form.
Fees:
As long as you are enrolled as a student at Kalamazoo College, you are eligible for free counseling at the Student Health and Counseling Center.
Email/Social Media:
Counseling Center staff may not check their email or phone messages every day. In the event that you are in a crisis, email, phone and/or social media are not an appropriate way to contact the Counseling Center staff.