Students will have access to health services on campus when the new student center is complete.
USFSP offers up to 12 free counseling sessions. General medicine health services are only available on the USF Tampa campus, and students often have to pay an additional fee to access those services.
“A recent study of the student population found that 30 percent of students at USFSP are uninsured,” said Diane McKinstry, director of the Center for Counseling, Health and Wellness.
USF’s Lakeland campus recently partnered with the local health department to offer services to students. New College partnered with the USF Sarasota campus. USFSP has a referral process for general medicine, but nothing on campus.
“We were up there with best practices as far as psychological services were concerned,” McKinstry said. “But it was unusual that we didn’t have health services on campus.”
Students pay $2.64 per credit hour in fees to fund the new health services plans.
“We needed to raise fees in order to build funds to start and run the facility,” McKinstry said. “We were approved to raise the health fees two years ago.”
McKinstry said that would only be enough to get the facility started.
“The student health fees now are only half of what we need to maintain it,” McKinstry said.
No formal contracts have been setup for the actual services.
“We are at the exploration stages and looking at possibilities at the current time,” said Julie Wong, regional vice chancellor of Student Affairs.
They hope to have a nurse’s station, nurse practitioner, several exam rooms and a diagnostic lab. Basic health services and prescriptions will be available to students with or without health insurance.
“My hope is that we treat not just cold or flu patients, but all ailments and wellness needs, like birth control and well women exams,” McKinstry said.
Once the program takes off, provided fees increase to cover cost, they hope to expand to two physicians and more exam rooms. Counseling services will be part of the health center.
