Health & Wellness Information for Parents
What You Should Know
SUNY Plattsburgh is a Safe Campus
Our faculty and staff get to know and interact with students every day, and develop personal relationships that further enhance their well-being.
We want you to know we are here to care for each student and to serve their needs. In the event of a serious illness or injury after hours, the Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital is easily accessible only a few blocks away from campus.
We have a professional staff made up of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, counselors, a medical laboratory technologist, and administrative personnel. Services include counseling, diagnosis and treatment of common medical illnesses, care of students with more chronic medical conditions and a wide range of other medical and health educational services.
Health Insurance
The college’s mandatory student health fee supports direct health and counseling services, as well as health education and outreach on our campus. It is NOT health insurance and does NOT cover the cost of x-rays, some laboratory procedures, referral to outside clinicians or medications not provided by the center. Unfortunately, many of our students are discovering their health insurance plans will not provide coverage for routine laboratory tests or medications outside their home areas.
Parents and students are encouraged to contact their insurance/health care plans prior to arrival on campus to be sure students understand what type of coverage they have while at SUNY Plattsburgh.
Immunizations
Current COVID-19 Vaccine information can be found on the college’s COVID-19 Campus Updates page.
All students are required to be immunized against Measles/Mumps/Rubella. All students are encouraged to receive a yearly influenza vaccination, unless it is medically contraindicated. Although influenza is generally a self-limiting illness, medical complications can occur. Also, influenza is often severe enough to keep students out of class. This can be disruptive during finals or when papers/projects are due. Please encourage your student to take advantage of the influenza immunizations in the fall.
Although meningococcal meningitis is extremely rare, there is evidence that students living in dormitories are at increased risk for this disease. The meningococcal vaccine can reduce this risk. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College Health Association recommend college students consider vaccination against potentially fatal meningococcal disease. The New York State Department of Health requires all students enrolled in college to sign a form in response to the availability of the meningococcal vaccination.
Students who do not want to have the shot MUST complete and sign the form and return it to the center upon arrival to campus. Other more routine immunizations are also available at the Center.
Confidentiality
We take the confidentiality of medical and counseling records very seriously. As you may know, confidentiality is mandated by law. We cannot release any student medical information to parents of non-minor children unless the student requests us to do so. We assure you however, that in case of a medical emergency where there is an issue of life or death, we will contact you immediately.
We hope that when your student needs our services, they will find them accessible and of high quality. But, if there are problems, we want you to give us a call and let us know what we can do to improve. Also if you are in town and would like to take a tour, stop in and we will be happy to show you our facility. If your student has a special medical condition, we would like to meet them before problems arise, so please have them make an appointment to see one of our providers and let us get to know them.
Do not hesitate to give us a call if you ever need to communicate with us for any reason.
Mental Health Concerns
Signs My Student Is Experiencing Mental Health Concerns
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Withdrawing socially
- Avoidance of certain places or situations
- Eating too much or too little
- Feeling too low or too high energy
- Change in academic performance
- Abusing alcohol and/or other substances
- Frequent sadness
- Expressions of hopelessness
- Inappropriate or exaggerated emotional reactions
- Direct or indirect statements about death or suicide
- Increased irritability or restlessness
- Paranoid thinking or incoherent speech
How to Encourage Your Student to Seek Help
Express your concern about your student’s well being. Be specific about the concerns you have noticed. Listen and validate their concerns. Assure them it is okay to ask for help and remind them that many students seek counseling when they are in college. Explain that counseling services are confidential. You can always refer your student to the counseling center website so they can learn more about our services or explore off-campus options.
If you have tried all of these things and your student is still reluctant to seek services, you can call 518-564-3086 and ask to consult with a counseling center therapist. Please do keep in mind that should your student choose to begin therapy, the counseling center is legally and ethically required to maintain mental health standards of confidentiality for all individuals age 18 and over. We are therefore not permitted to release any information, including whether or not a student has ever attended an appointment, without the written consent from that student.
Can I Schedule an Appointment for My Student?
No. Your student will need to call or come to our office to make their appointment on their own. They can reach us at 518-564-3086.