Health & Well-being Programs and Workshops

The health and well-being units in Student Affairs offer a range of workshops and programs for student organizations and academic classes.

Below is a list of the workshops that you can request from Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW), Campus Recreation, University Health Services (UHS), and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

You will find links below to each unit’s webpage where you can submit a formal request.

• Please submit your request at least two weeks before the program date.

Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches campus community members like yourself about mental health and substance use challenges.

Identify. Understand. Respond.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an eight-hour program that teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use concerns, and gives you the skills to reach out and provide initial help and support. Role playing and simulations are used to demonstrate and practice skills for identifying and responding to mental health concerns and crises.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training

Just like CPR, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is an emergency response to someone experiencing a mental health crisis and can save lives. 

Question. Persuade. Refer.

In a 90-minute (1.5 hour) QPR training course you will learn common causes of suicidal behavior, the warning signs of suicide, how to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis, and more.

Health Promotion and Wellness

Our goal is to provide you with education and resources to live your healthiest. Connect with Health Promotion and Wellness for a variety of programs about mindful and balanced living. Topics can include:

• Alcohol Workshop (60 minutes, professional staff)
• How to Help a Friend with an Eating Disorder (90 minutes, professional staff)
• Flourish Penn State: Live Well, Learn Well Workshop (50 minutes, professional staff)
• Mindfulness and Compassion Workshop (60 minutes, professional staff)
• Got Sleep? (50 minutes, peer education staff)
• Mission: Nutrition (50 minutes, peer education staff)
• Safer Sex Party (50 minutes, peer education staff)
• Stress Less (50 minutes, peer education staff)

Campus Recreation

Campus Recreation facilities and programs serve our students, faculty, staff, and community with a diverse offering of wellbeing opportunities to enhance the student experience at University Park.

• Request a Fitness and Well-being workshop
• Request a custom group program or outdoor trip with Outdoor Adventures
• Email for information about custom group swim lessons with Aquatics
• Email to request a customized CPR certification class
• Email to request a tour, presentation or resource fair table representative with a date and time for confirmation

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS offers psychoeducational services to the campus community focused on mental health awareness and prevention efforts, as well as group-level support and response to critical events affecting the campus community. Program topics can include:

• Mood Management
• Nurture your nature
• Harm reduction and balance
• Life rhythms
• Understanding self and others
• Coping with change

University Health Services

University Health Services (UHS) is your comprehensive on-campus health care resource. We provide preventative care, education, and resources to help students live a healthy lifestyle.

• Navigating Your Health Care While at Penn State (50 minutes)
• Breast Cancer 101: Life Saving Tips (50 minutes)
• Handwashing: The BASICS (30 minutes)
• STIs - Removing Stigma (50 minutes)
• Lets’ Talk About Sex – Open Forum (90 minutes)
• Sexual Health Trends on College Campuses (50 minutes)
• Your Body Your Choice: Understanding Birth Control (50 minutes)
• What you should know about Testicular Cancer (45 minutes)
• CONSENT: A Building Block to Health Relationships (50 minutes)
• BOUNDARIES: Another Building Block to Health Relationships (50 minutes)
• Menstrual/Mental Hygiene (50 minutes)
• Gratitude (60 minutes)

University Health Services is closely monitoring national trends of mpox cases and is in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

Anybody is at risk for mpox

We strongly encourage students to learn about mpox and take steps to protect themselves. Mpox is a viral infection primarily spread through prolonged close contact. It is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and anybody can be at risk, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The most common symptoms of mpox include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.  

Individuals usually heal on their own without medical treatment. However, individuals with underlying health conditions may experience a more severe case of mpox, if contracted. 

University Health Services can test for mpox. Students who have symptoms of mpox should self-isolate and schedule an appointment through myUHS or call the 24/7 Advice Nurse at 814-865-4UHS (4847) and press 3. 

The CDC recommends mpox vaccination if:

• You had known or suspected exposure to someone with mpox.
• You had a sex partner in the past 2 weeks who was diagnosed with mpox.
• You are a gay, bisexual, or other man who has sex with men or a transgender, nonbinary, or gender-diverse person who in the past 6 months has had any of the following:
  • A new diagnosis of one or more sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis).
  • More than one sex partner.
• You have had any of the follow in the past 6 months:
  • Sex at a commercial sex venue (like a sex club or bathhouse).
  • Sex related to a large commercial event or in a geographic area (city or county for example) where mpox virus transmission is occurring. 
• You have a sex partner with any of the above risks. 
• You anticipate experiencing any of the above scenarios. 
• If you are traveling to a country with a clade I mpox outbreak and anticipate any of the following activities during travel, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation: 
  • Sex with a new partner.
  • Sex at a commercial sex venue (e.g., a sex club or bathhouse).
  • Sex in exchange for money, goods, drugs or other trade. 
  • Sex in association with a large public event (e.g., a rave, party, or festival). 
• You are at risk for occupational exposure to orthopoxviruses (e.g., certain people who work in a laboratory or a healthcare facility).

You should NOT get the vaccine if: 

• You had a severe allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) after getting a previous dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine or to a vaccine component. 

Talk to your healthcare provider if you had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics gentamicin or ciprofloxacin, or chicken or egg protein. 

The CDC currently is not encouraging vaccination against mpox for the broader public. 

Anyone who may have been in contact with a person with a case of mpox should monitor their health closely, consider mpox vaccination, and contact University Health Services to schedule an appointment if symptoms appear.  

Students who are concerned about their risk for contracting mpox, can contact University Health Services or their healthcare provider.

Students who experience any related bias or harassment may submit a report to Report Bias. For individual support related to bias or harassment, students can reach out to Student Affairs offices: Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity or Counseling and Psychological Services.  

Students are encouraged to discuss academic concerns with their individual instructor and/or academic advisors.

Thank you for your submission

We will review the information provided and follow up as appropriate. If you have additional questions, you can call Penn State Contact Tracing at 814-863-8800

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please seek medical attention at University Health Services, your campus health center, or a primary care provider. This referral is not for medical advice or treatment.

Including COVID-19, Flu, and other viruses

As of March 25, 2024, Penn State adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent recommendations and removed its five-day isolation guidelines. Students will no longer report positive test results at covidguidance@psu.edu. Students should treat COVID-19 symptoms in the same way they treat flu and other respiratory virus symptoms: Stay home and away from others if you are experiencing fever or respiratory symptoms such as but not limited to cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fatigue, headache, body aches.

Return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, AND
• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication)

Then, take these additional precautions for the next five days to limit the spread of infection:

• Wear a well-fitting mask
• Keep a distance from others and/or
• Get tested to inform your actions to prevent the spread to others

If you begin feeling worse and/or fever returns, stay home and away from others for at least 24 hours until both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication)

Testing

Testing for COVID-19 or flu can be done at University Health Services by scheduling an appointment via myUHS. However, having at-home COVID-19 tests on hand and being able to test quickly can provide useful information to help you make prevention or treatment choices.

Verification of Illness

University Health Services policy states that verification of illness forms will not be provided for routine illnesses or injuries. Students who are sick and must stay home are responsible for communicating directly with instructors if they miss class, lab, work, or assignments. 

When to seek care

For appointments, schedule via myUHS or call 814-865-4UHS (4847). Students with respiratory symptoms who have risk factors for severe illness should seek healthcare right away for testing and/or treatment. Treatment for flu and COVID-19 may be an option and should be started within a few days of symptoms beginning. Students at the Commonwealth campuses can locate their campus health center for more information.

Visit our webpage for more information on upper respiratory infections.

Uninsured?  Underinsured? Not sure about your insurance? 

When preparing for college, it’s hard to think of all the things that need your attention. One of the most important things to balance as a student is your health.  Being proactive about your health and knowing about your health insurance can help avoid distressing situations while at school. What if you have a medical emergency while away at school?  How would your medical bills be handled? Being aware of your health insurance status will alleviate confusion, should you have an accident or unexpected illness at school. 

In recognition of the importance of students having access to affordable health care, Penn State has created a position that will provide consultation on health insurance for uninsured and underinsured students and be an educational resource for students at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses. 

The Student Insurance Advocate which is part of University Health Services, a unit of Student Affairs, provides individual student consultation as well as outreach and education to students and student groups around health insurance. The student insurance advocate will assist students in identifying insurance options, including the Student Health Insurance Plan for Penn State, Medicaid or Affordable Care Act marketplace plans. This new position also will help qualified students navigate the application processes for these plans. 

How to connect

The Student Insurance Advocate is stationed in the Student Health Center on the University Park campus but will travel periodically to the Commonwealth Campuses to provide support. Commonwealth Campus students can consult with the Student Insurance Advocate via video chat, email, or phone.  Individual students, families, faculty/staff, or student groups can schedule a time to talk with the Student Insurance Advocate by emailing insuranceadvocate@psu.edu or calling 814-865-4UHS (4847). The Advocate is also available to schedule a face-to-face, or video/zoom appointment.  

Currently, the student insurance advocate is not available to World Campus students. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Waiver Requirements

Effective August 13, 2021

In order to meet the insurance requirement, the student’s current insurance plan must meet the following requirements:

1. Is in effect (or renewing) for the entire academic year;
2. Has no limitations, waiting periods, or exclusions on pre-existing conditions;
3. Has network doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other health care providers in the student’s Penn State campus area or where the student resides while attending Penn State;
4. Has coverage for emergencies and non-emergency services such as diagnostic x-ray and lab, physical therapy, urgent care visits, ambulance services, preventative vaccine, and prescription drug coverage;
5. Has coverage for inpatient and outpatient hospitalization;
6. Has coverage for inpatient and outpatient counseling and mental health services;
7. Has coverage for recreational activities (excluding intercollegiate athletics);
8. Has coverage for maternity care (applies to female students);
9. Pays benefits worldwide (Certain insurance and Medicaid plans (not from Pennsylvania) do not meet these standards and cannot be accepted. Students who have regional HMO insurance policies must request a guest membership or purchase a plan that allows the student to have coverage in the central PA area.); and
10. Has an unlimited maximum benefit per incident (ACA).

Gender Diverse Care Team

The Gender Diverse Care Team (GDCT) consists of medical providers, mental health providers, and case managers dedicated to supporting transgender and gender diverse students who are contemplating or pursuing gender-affirming care. The GDCT is a collaboration between Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and University Health Services (UHS).

Any student who experiences incongruence between their current gender identity and gender/sex assigned at birth may benefit from working with the GDCT. Whether a student desires help exploring their gender identity, is ready to start gender-affirming hormones, or wishes to pursue surgical treatments, the GDCT can help.

Consultation

The GDCT helps students understand their goals and concerns with regard to gender affirmation. The team follows the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines for practice and uses an informed consent model. To provide holistic support, a team-based approach is recommended, which can include collaboration with:

• A mental health provider to address emotional concerns and provide support around gender exploration and/or challenges unique to transitioning.
• A case manager to help with attaining past medical records, coordinating with any outside providers, and understanding insurance coverage.
• A medical provider for an evaluation of health status; support and assistance with medications, contraception, and fertility preservation options; and potential prescription of gender-affirming hormones.
• In some situations, the GDCT may recommend a student also receive a psychiatry evaluation.

Collaboration

Students’ primary GDCT members regularly communicate with one another regarding ongoing questions and concerns.  This communication may be via phone or secure message or occur in-person at team meetings. The entire GDCT meets on a routine basis to discuss students’ treatment plans, consult, and offer one another suggestions for how to best support students. 

Mental Health Evaluation

At CAPS, evaluation starts with a 15-minute phone call.  Next, students meet with a CAPS clinician for a 45-50-minute initial consultation. During this consultation, the clinician will work to better understand the student, any mental health concerns the student may have, and, when relevant, the student’s gender-related concerns. Together the clinician and student will develop a treatment plan. This may involve group therapy, assessment for a letter for gender-affirming surgery, and/or short-term individual therapy at CAPS or a referral to a community provider for longer-term individual therapy. If needed, students can meet with a case manager at CAPS or UHS to explore which community providers best fit their needs and take their health insurance. In these instances, a student’s GDCT members at UHS and CAPS will involve their community-based therapist in treatment planning and care coordination.

• Read more about resources for gender diverse students at CAPS.

Medical Evaluation

Students work with a medical provider at UHS to develop a treatment plan based on the individual’s goals for treatment and any medical and mental health care needs. The intention of the initial medical evaluation is to understand the student’s past medical history and current health status so that their medical providers can assess and discuss the risks and benefits of gender-affirming hormone therapy.

At a typical medical evaluation, a nurse will check the student’s blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. The medical provider will ask questions about the student’s medical history, health habits, and any physical symptoms the student is having. The provider may also perform a physical exam and the student may be asked to get bloodwork. 

Prior to writing a prescription, the student’s provider will review the informed consent process, discuss the student’s gender identity development history, and explain effects and possible risk factors for hormone therapy. This process normally requires a second visit. If a student begins taking gender-affirming hormones, medical visits are generally every few months to review changes, side effects, and monitor hormone levels and other labs.  Once hormone levels are stable, bloodwork and medical visits are less frequent.

Hormones

UHS providers do not require a letter from a therapist before starting gender-affirming hormones, however, a student must be able to demonstrate an understanding of both the risks and benefits of hormone therapy.

If and when a medical provider decides to move forward with treatment is dependent upon student-specific situations and needs.

Cost

There are no extra fees for the team-based, coordinated care provided by the GDCT. The individual care students receive from their treatment team members may have associated fees, however:

• Most CAPS services are provided for free to full-time students. Fees are charged for certain services (e.g., psychiatry) and for individual therapy sessions after the 6th visit.
• UHS office visit fees vary depending on the medical issues addressed. There are additional charges for some procedures and all ancillary services, such as laboratory tests and pharmacy. A students’ insurance company may cover these charges. Students should check with their insurance company to determine their coverage. If a student is having trouble paying their bill, UHS’s Billing and Finance Office may be able to assist.
• Community mental health providers accept a range of fees and insurance plans.
• If a student does not have insurance, case managers at CAPS or UHS can help them explore their options. Learn more about health insurance at Penn State.

Confidentiality

Students’ privacy is important to the GDCT.  Information shared with the GDCT is held in the strictest confidence consistent with professional and ethical standards, and state and federal law.  GDCT members will not release information without signed consent except in rare instances where sharing is required by law, such as to save a human life, report child abuse, or comply with a court order.

Get Started

To start working with a member of the GDCT, students can call 814-865-4UHS (4847) or go online to myUHS to schedule an appointment with a UHS case manager.

Expectations

• Respect and compassion regarding students’ care
• Dedication and knowledge by the professionals serving students
• Communication and collaboration with students and among their team members
• Confidentiality and privacy concerning students’ treatment

The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) for Penn State is a  comprehensive health insurance plan offered at a competitive price with a network in all 50 states. SHIP is offered and underwritten by UnitedHealthcare StudentResources.

Open enrollment dates

• Fall open enrollment runs from April 1 – September 3, 2024.
• Spring open enrollment runs from November 15, 2024 – January 21, 2025.
• Summer open enrollment runs from March 1, 2025 – July 1, 2025.

Plan Details & Eligibility