STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES OPERATIONAL PLAN At SSU students remain at the center of all that we do. Our Enrollment Management and Student Life divisions will continue to support students in a multitude of ways as some return to campus this fall and others attend virtually. SSU will continue care case management to help students answer questions and connect students with supports and engagement opportunities, including counseling and health care, financial assistance, academic support, access to technology, and connection with events and programs. Additionally, SSU will provide on-campus housing for interested students at a reduced capacity. The proposed restrictions and parameters in this plan are intended to create a campus environment that allows for some face-to-face interaction, while encouraging the ongoing development of remote services and engagement options.
Counseling and Health Services (CHS) As SSU transitioned to remote learning in the spring semester, CHS quickly pivoted services to telehealth in order to continue to provide care for our students. For the fall semester, students will be able to access medical and behavioral health care in-person and remotely through telehealth. In preparation, CHS is investing in the expansion of our electronic medical record capabilities to be able to facilitate remote, confidential communication with students. Students can now upload their health and immunization forms remotely, schedule a telehealth visit, connect with a provider, and access prescriptions or follow up without having to step foot on campus. Very limited in-person medical visits are allowed over the summer and must be scheduled in advance for certain high-stakes tests or procedures, including reproductive health. This fall, most counseling visits will occur over telehealth, while there will be limited inperson visits for students who do not have access to telehealth or who are presenting in an acute psychological state that requires an in-person evaluation or intervention. At least one counselor will be present in the office during business hours, while the remainder of the clinical staff will work remotely to provide telehealth. The largest office will be designated for in-person clinical visits to accommodate physical distancing. We may also create an office where students can access technology to meet with their clinicians via telehealth in case they do not have access to the privacy and technology needed for a therapeutic visit. The counseling informed consent is being updated to include telehealth and the physical distancing protocols for in-person visits. Any students accessing care, whether it is counseling or health services, will undergo a phone health screening, as well as an in-person screening to make sure that they are not coming into the office with COVID-19 symptoms. Clinicians will be provided with PPE, and students will be expected to wear cloth masks. Students seeking health care will also be connected to telehealth for the majority of their care. Some visits will be scheduled for inperson care if an evaluation, procedure or sample is required. One office will be designated for this purpose and will have increased air flow and enhanced disinfecting protocols. Additional time will be added to the schedule between patients to allow for cleaning and to reduce potential for interactions or gatherings in the office. Students will not be permitted to bring guests into CHS unless it is an ADA accommodation.
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