Cox Health and Counseling Center will open its health services to students for regular hours beginning Aug. 19 — five days before residences open to new students and about a week earlier than in the past. Counseling services will open a week later on Aug. 26 as part of this accelerated schedule
“We usually wait until classes start and that just is not soon enough. You might get here and not feel well,” said Alice Teall, the new senior director of wellness who started July 1. “It isn’t an overwhelming need, but we’re here.”
Also new this year, counselors will be expanding their use of telehealth so that almost every one offers a full day of their services remotely per week.
“It’s one more way to meet people’s needs,” Teall said. “We’re really trying to be more convenient for students to reach.”
The center handles more than 5,100 student visits each year. These include mental health counseling and treatments for physical health issues big and small, from sore throats to sprained ankles. Students should expect to be able to schedule appointments for physical health issues for the same day or the next morning, Teall said.
To further increase the center’s impact, a new program will introduce eight peer educators to campus who will lead outreach and education efforts to other students on a variety of wellness topics. These could include sexual health, alcohol and drugs, stress management, nutrition and physical activity.
The student workers will go through special training beginning Aug. 19 as part of the grant-funded program, which is intended to help clinical teams better understand what students need and provide a new way to connect students to campus resources.
Students can connect with the center by calling 740-427-5525 for health services or 740-427-5643 for counseling. Or they can request an appointment through the student health portal or by emailing the center at health@kenyon.edu or counseling@kenyon.edu.
Located at 104 West Scott Lane, Cox Health and Counseling Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the College is in session.