The University of Alabama Student Health Center caters to a wide range of students’ health and medical needs while promoting healthy lifestyle education in innovative ways.
“We consider ourselves the students’ medical home away from home,” said Margaret Garner, interim executive director of the SHC and assistant dean for health education and outreach.
The SHC, located near the UA Recreation Center, services UA students, offering immunizations, nutrition therapy, medical care, allergy care, ADHD care as well as substance abuse assessments paired with treatment.
Garner said this year the SHC expanded its substance abuse specialists from one to three to better aid students. It also offers services for students going abroad.
If a student has a greater need, the SHC offers automatic referral to the University Medical Center, which is open to anyone, not just UA students, and is located on the other side of the SHC building.
The medical center offers services such as women’s health needs, OB-GYN, psychiatry, pediatrics, family medicine, and behavioral or community health.
Any co-pay fees for visits to the SHC can be paid through student accounts so students don’t have to worry about cash.
Health providers have already catered to more than 10,000 students this semester, Garner said.
The SHC is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. to accommodate students’ schedules.
Garner said the SHC pharmacy, lovated in the building, fills up to 100,000 prescriptions a year. “We live and work and talk about the theme of student focus, student friendly and student first,” Garner said.
The Counseling Center, located at 1101 Jackson Ave., also offers UA students group therapy and individual counseling.
Garner said they have a collaborating relationship and that the center refers students to the SHC so psychiatrists can medically assist them.
Project Health, another organization on campus promoting student health, is made up of seven strategic health teams that are composed of staff and faculty and meet monthly. They deliberate on issues that affect health and well-being. The staff works directly with students who are Project Health ambassadors, greek ambassadors or Health Hut interns. These students provide the campus with 60 hours of health peer education throughout the week.
Garner said the peer education is the “outreach arm for student services.” Its goal is to maximize promoting successful, healthy choices while students are at college.
“We are trying to innovate and get students involved in all different ways,” Jessica Vickory, assistant director of health education and promotion, said.
If a student has questions or needs concerning the SHC or about health peer education, the SHC encourages them to schedule an appointment or drop by.
