Student Health Center
The Student Health Center provides comprehensive healthcare services to enrolled students at UNC Charlotte. Services include primary medical care, disease prevention, and various specialty services, including allergy injections, immunizations, gynecology, lab and x-ray, and STI screening. The Student Health Center is staffed by a team of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and a registered dietician. The on-site Pharmacy has over-the-counter items and fills prescriptions. Students can have their prescriptions transferred to the pharmacy to assist with continuity of care.
The Student Health Center functions by appointment; this eliminates long waits and assists students in scheduling medical services around class schedules. Students are expected to be 15 minutes early for appointments.
After-Hours Nurse Triage services are available 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, if medical care is needed when the Student Health Center is closed.
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 files insurance for those students who have the Student Blue Health Insurance plan. For more information, visit the Student Health Center website at studenthealth.charlotte.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 have this charge removed if they complete the waiver by the deadline. The waiver process can be found under the Insurance tab at studenthealth.charlotte.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 Students whose immunizations records are not complete are subject to being withdrawn from their classes.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.charlotte.edu under the Immunizations tab.
Center for Wellness Promotion
The Center operates from a public health model and utilizes prevention and health promotion strategies to empower students to make informed decisions about their personal health and well-being. The team of multidisciplinary professionals addresses issues such as alcohol use, drug use, recovery from substance use disorders, tobacco cessation, sexual health, sexual and relationship violence, and a variety of other wellness topics that affect college students.
This is done through health education workshops and events, campus-wide wellness promotion initiatives, and individual consultations with the team members. The Center also coordinates the Charlotte Recovery Program, which provides clinical services and other support to students in recovery from substance use disorders, as well as services for students who want to change their relationship with substances.
The Center for Wellness Promotion offers a variety of opportunities for students to get involved with wellness promotion initiatives, including undergraduate student employment, graduate assistantships, and internships within the department.
More information about the Center may be found by visiting wellness.charlotte.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 to 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 or psychoeducational workshops at 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, loved ones, 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 Christine F. Price Center for Counseling and Psychological Services in the Student Health complex. More information about CAPS and its services can be obtained by visiting caps.charlotte.edu.
