Santa Rosa Junior College offers health care services each semester for all SRJC students but only a quarter of students use the in-person services.
Student Health Services (SHS) assistant director Bert Epstein said only 25.5 percent of students use SHS even though they all pay the required $18 fee at the start of the semester.
SHS offers a wide range of services such as: flu shots, birth control, antibiotics, over-the-counter medications, psychological services and feminine hygiene products. SHS also holds two workshops every month.
Students automatically pay for the services when they enroll in credit classes at the beginning of each semester. There are no additional charges or co-pays at the clinic, which accepts both walk-ins and appointments.
Chad DeLarca has been with the Petaluma Campus health clinic for three years. He works as a medical assistant and also trains faculty and students in CPR. DeLaca said that the clinic is “tight lipped,” meaning that students do not need to feel fearful of their personal information being given away to others.
SRJC student Whitney Lucas said she “had a very positive experience” at Student Health Services on the Santa Rosa campus. Her friend had sprained his ankle and the clinic staff members quickly assisted him with ice and Advil.
They offered her friend more than they had expected.
“They were very helpful,” said Lucas, who plans to use SHS again.
Student Health Services may only reach one-fourth of the student body through face-to-face visits, but it reaches thousands more through its online magazine, “Student 101.” Accessible through students’ online cubby, the online magazine gives students facts and information regarding personal health. Epstein said Student 101 had 5,000 hits throughout last year.
The Student Health Center has reached out to more than 1,500 students through in-class presentations and hundreds of more students through the workshops it conducts twice a month. Recently, SHS received a government grant for a peer support program. The peer support program is a group of SRJC students who will reach out to other students to support and counsel them. The peer support group had its first meeting Oct. 3 and hopes to reach a great number of students, Epstein said.
“Simply accessing any part (of SHS) can help, even if students are not in need of immediate health care,” Epstein said. “Studies have shown that students with good health and resources for good health, do better in school.”
DeLarca said, “I hope even more students will start coming and utilizing our services.” Student Health Services is located in the Race building on the Santa Rosa Campus and in building 600 on the Petaluma Campus.