Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 Previous Edition

Health, Wellness, and Counseling Services


Student Health Center

The Student Health Center’s mission is to promote healthy students by providing health care to all enrolled UNC Charlotte students.  It provides primary medical care, disease prevention, and various specialty services, including allergy injections, immunizations, gynecology, physical therapy, and HIV screening.  The Student Health Center is staffed by a team of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and a registered dietician.  The Pharmacy fills prescriptions from outside physicians as well as the SHC’s own providers.

The Student Health Center functions by appointment; this eliminates long waits and assists students in scheduling medical services around class schedules.  Walk-ins are assessed by a nurse. 

The Student Health Center also provides After-Hours Nurse Triage by phone when it is not open including nights, weekends, and holidays.  There are a number of urgent care centers and a major hospital within a few miles of the University. 

The health fee covers the cost to see a provider and some other services.  There are charges for x-ray, pharmacy, laboratory, injections and special procedures.  Payment may be made by cash, check, credit card, or transferred to the student’s University account.  The Student Health Center only files insurance for those students who have the Student Health Insurance plan.  For more information, visit the Student Health Center website at studenthealth.uncc.edu or call 704-687-7400.

Students are required to either provide proof of insurance or purchase a University Student Health Insurance Plan.  All students will be charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan; however, students will get this charged removed when they complete a waiver.  The waiver process can be found online on the Insurance tab at studenthealth.uncc.edu .

North Carolina law requires students to have proof of immunizations.  This must be provided to the Student Health Center upon registration.  Students whose immunizations records are not complete are subject to being withdrawn from their classes.  Please see “Immunization Requirements” in the Admission to the University  section of this Catalog or visit studenthealth.uncc.edu under the Immunizations tab.

Center for Wellness Promotion

The Center for Wellness Promotion promotes, supports, and empowers students in achieving balance among multiple dimensions of wellness through health education workshops and events, campus-wide wellness promotion initiatives, and individual consultations.  The Center’s team of professional health educators address a wide range of wellness issues that impact students’ health and safety, including substance use, interpersonal violence, financial wellness, and sexual and reproductive health.  The Center also coordinates a Collegiate Recovery Community, which supports students in recovery from addiction by providing educational programming, resources, and services that serve as a pathway for recovery and academic success.

The Center offers a variety of opportunities for students to get involved with wellness promotion initiatives on campus, including undergraduate student employment, graduate assistantships, internships, and volunteer opportunities.  The Center also advises and supports the Wellness Ambassadors, which is a student peer health education group.

More information about the Center may be found by visiting wellness.uncc.edu.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at UNC Charlotte supports the holistic well-being and academic success of students and contributes to a healthy and inclusive campus climate.  This is accomplished by providing short-term individual and group counseling, crisis management, consultation, referral services, and educational and preventive initiatives for the campus community.  In addition, the Center supports the academic mission of the University by serving as a training site for graduate students and supports scholarly activity and professional development of staff.

CAPS aspires to create an affirming, accessible, and safe environment that celebrates human diversity.  The Center understands diversity, which includes but is not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender identify and expression, sexual identity, sex, age, socio-economic status, religion, ability, nationality, and language.  CAPS is dedicated to social justice through increased awareness of the effects of oppression, prejudice, and discrimination.

Counseling provides an opportunity for individuals to improve personal skills, build resiliency in the face of adversity, develop increased confidence, overcome psychological issues that can hinder personal effectiveness, learn to make better decisions, and acquire a keener awareness and appreciation of their needs and the needs of others.  In a personal interaction with a counselor, a student feels supported to validate, explore, and express feelings, examine values and ways of thinking about the world, reflect on and change patterns of behavior, and work toward making healthy changes to meet specific personal and interpersonal goals.

For many students, relationship or other developmental issues are central concerns.  Others may be experiencing specific psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, use of alcohol and other drugs, or difficulties in adjustment.  Licensed psychologists and social workers as well as advanced graduate students under the supervision of licensed staff are available to consult with students about these concerns.

All currently enrolled students are eligible for an initial assessment.  This first session is intended assess the student’s need, and the student and counselor decide how best to meet those needs.  Follow-up services may consist of individual or group counseling at the CAPS and/or a referral to an on-campus or off-campus service.  Information shared by student clients is confidential in accordance with ethical guidelines and the laws of the state of North Carolina. 

Outreach and consultation are important services provided by CAPS.  Staff members are available to consult with faculty, staff, parents, and students who have concerns about a student.  Outreach activities, usually focusing on some aspect of personal, interpersonal, or group development, include programs conducted outside CAPS to meet the needs of a class, group, or organization. 

Initial counseling appointments may be arranged by calling the Center at 704-687-0311 or visiting the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services in the Student Health complex..  More information about CAPS and its services can be obtained by visiting caps.uncc.edu.