Show Making health healthcare healthcare healthcare care affordable for students I Melissa Martin Contributing Writer I j 1 I Its It's a cliche the poor and starving college student Unfortunately for many students it is also true But instead of food some students are starving for affordable medical care I Thirty three percent of I Americans ages 29 19 are uninsured according to a report in 2000 by the Common Wealth Fund Many students hold down full- full fullor or time part-time jobs while attending school at 1 but still do not have insurance benefits Health and Wellness Services is a department of that can help those students without insurance receive basic Health and andI medical care I I li i f r 4 r rj I j Wellness provides medical and mental health services to all students We do basically anything that a primary care office would do said Jackie Farnsworth director of Health and Wellness Services Health and Wellness Services has locations on i the Redwood and South City Campus Students can receive basic medical care at these facilities andare andare and andare are charged only the cost of supplies Students are never charged for office visit even if they are referred to one of the Uie medical assistants or nurse practitioners We charge a lot less than thana a lot of other places We try Health Care Continued on page 5 t HealthCare HealthCare Health HealthCare I Care Continued from page 1 to keep it really minimal said Farnsworth Health and Wellness Services offers tests immunizations annual physical examinations and procedures They also offer family planning pregnancy tests the Depo shot prescriptions for oral contraceptives and much more Farnsworth says Health and Wellness Services believes that students should look at their overall health which includes social physical intellectual t emotional al and and spiritual health Beyond offering at cost what is offered at a primary care office Health and Wellness Services provides much more to students Massages and counseling arc are offered to help students reach all areas of wellness Students can receive up to 10 free minute 15 I J chair massages and four fre free counseling sessions Farnsworth notes that she and her staff have definitely seen a correlation between stress and sickness and sickness and stress She believes a massage or counseling session can help students in these areas We Ye want students to tobe tobe tobe be well rather than just seeing them when they're sick said Farnsworth She believes by offering such services as massage and counseling students can stay healthy in all areas Students trying to quit or reduce smoking can attend a free 8 week program offered by Health and Wellness Students can also participate in alcohol and drug screenings are available to students who feel their alcohol or drug use is a problem or who wish to find out if they have havea a problem Farnsworth encourages students interested in Health and Wellness Services to goto go goto to their Web site for a full ful li list t of services and information tion at t I 1 |