Listen Here
By Pulse Staff
This fall, the University of Findlay stopped offering a student health insurance plan and switched its telehealth service from TimelyCare to virtual healthcare and mental health provider Opyn.
The University set up a Student Health Insurance website to help students navigate the transition away from the university-provided health insurance and help students find health insurance options and resources. But health care on campus is still free.
Associate Vice President for Student Life Johnathan Ferraro also sent out information via email to students about the services Opyn will provide for UF students in addition to the services already offered on campus.
While the virtual care is an option, students still have access to in-person care. The Cosiano Health Center at 120 W. Foulke Ave., helps students with basic medical needs for minor illnesses or injuries, including vaccines and allergy shots, blood draws, and various tests such as pregnancy, mono, and blood sugar tests.
Cosiano is staffed with two full-time nurses, according to Tara Smith, director of health services.
“Right now, we have a nurse practitioner Tuesdays 1 to 4 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.,” Smith said. “We will always see walk-in emergent type issues Monday- Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.”
Students can also schedule appointments online. But Opyn virtual care has its advantages.
“This service is great for those on clinical rotations, after hours of on campus services, which includes weekends,” Smith said.
UF Counseling, at 307 Frazer St., is also available face-to-face, according to Senior Director of Counseling Services Jodi Firsdon.
“We have a counselor leaving at the end of August and the position is posted,” Firsdon said. “We will be operating with three counselors until we are able to get that position filled.”
They are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and offer walk-in hours Tuesdays 2 to 4 p.m. and Fridays 9 to 11 a.m. during fall and spring semesters while classes are in session. Students can schedule individual counseling sessions, couples counseling, or group counseling by going to the website or Oiler Hub page and clicking on the “schedule an appointment” button.
“This will direct them to a form that they fill out, and we triage the appointments based severity and the student’s availability,” Firsdon said.
University of Findlay Counseling Services is available to students who are physically located in the state of Ohio.
“Students can meet with us in person or through teletherapy, and we are able to work with students across a continuum of mental health concerns,” Firsdon says.
Opyn is a supplemental virtual mental health resource, according to Firsdon.
“It is available year-round and has a nationwide network of providers, which means students can access services regardless of which state they are physically located in,” Firsdon said. “This can be particularly helpful for students who are completing rotations, distance learners, or spending extended periods away from campus.”
According to Firsdon, teletherapy is generally intended for students with lower levels of clinical need and is not designed to manage higher-severity mental health concerns.
“If a University of Findlay student is experiencing a mental health crisis during business hours, they can contact UF Counseling Services to speak with a counselor about their situation and determine the appropriate next steps,” Firsdon said. “Our counselors can assess the immediate concern and help connect the student with the appropriate level of care or additional resources.”
If a crisis occurs after business hours, students can contact University of Findlay Security, which can help the student determine the appropriate next steps and contact the Director of Counseling Services for consultation if necessary, according to Firsdon.
Students can also get immediate help by calling or texting 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). If there is an immediate threat to someone’s safety or a life-threatening emergency, students should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
