The goal of this content is to provide information and resources to graduate students who may need medical care or mental health support in the coming months. Below is information about services available to students through UW Counseling Center and Hall Health, as well as about the Graduate Appointee Insurance Plan (GAIP).
The best resource for students to learn more about these resources is wellbeing.uw.edu.
“See” a medical provider or mental health counselor from home
Both the Counseling Center and Hall Health are scheduling telemedicine visits using a secure videoconferencing platform and by phone.
- The Counseling Center is not offering any in-person visits. Currently, they have availability for same-day and future appointments, but this may change based on demand.
- In-person and virtual appointments for medical care are available at Hall Health. Both types of appointments may be made for the same day or for a future date, based on availability.
Not in Washington State? Visit the Lifewise website to find in-network providers near you or call Hall Health at 206.685.1011 to discuss options.
Using your insurance
The Graduate Appointee Insurance Plan (GAIP) covers the full cost of virtual mental health services at Hall Health.
You can also get up to $1000 of virtual or in-person medical care per year at Hall Health without any out-of-pocket cost. After you’ve reached the $1000 threshold, you will be responsible for your $75 quarterly deductible.
All US insurance companies are required to cover the full cost of coronavirus testing and other care.
Urgent medical needs
Call Hall Health at 206.685.1011 to schedule an appointment the same day. When you call, we will discuss whether you should visit the clinic in-person or if a telemedicine visit is better. Please do not come to the clinic without calling first.
If you do not have a computer or phone with a camera/webcam, we can arrange for a phone call with one of our experienced nurses or providers instead.
Under the Governor’s order, an in-person appointment with a health care provider is considered an essential activity for which it is okay to leave your home.
Medical advice from a nurse
As a student, you are eligible for free, 24/7 medical advice from a nurse:
- During business hours, call the Hall Health nurses at 221.2517.
- After hours, call the Harborview Community Care Line at 744.2500 to speak with a nurse or our on-call provider.
Coronavirus concerns
Hall Health offers coronavirus-related care. If you are worried about your symptoms, please call us at 206.685.1011. We will determine whether you need to be seen for an in-person visit, talk by phone with a nurse or provider, or schedule a telemedicine visit.
Hall Health follows state and county guidelines that prioritize the following populations for testing if they have symptoms of coronavirus:
- People who are hospitalized with severe illness
- People who work in health-care settings
- People who work in public safety occupations
- People who live and/or work in institutional or group settings, such as jails, prisons and homeless shelters
- People who provide critical services, such as pharmacists, grocers, gas stations and utilities
- High-risk people (those with underlying health issues, people over the age of 60, pregnant people)
- Students who live in campus residence halls or Greek housing and who do not have a private space to self-isolate
If you have questions or concerns about coronavirus, please call us at 206.685.1011. We will ask you about your symptoms, living situation, and job (if any) to help determine whether you need to be tested and where that testing might occur.
Mental health services for students
Many of us need additional support right now. Students can access virtual mental health services by phone or videoconference through the Counseling Center or Hall Health.
Schedule an appointment for a virtual or phone mental health support by calling the Counseling Center at 206.543.1240 or Hall Health Mental Health at 206.543.5030
Let’s Talk is a free, drop-in service through which students can speak with a counselor without an appointment. We are now offering Let’s Talk virtually so that you can get support from your own home. Learn more about Let’s Talk here.
Find additional resources to cope with isolation and stress on the Counseling Center website.
Your student benefits
As a student, you can use your prepaid student benefits for remote medical or mental health care:
- Let’s Talk, UW’s drop-in counseling program, which is now offered virtually
- Counseling Center services (crisis counseling, short-term individual counseling, groups, etc.), delivered online or by phone
- Hall Health Mental Health services (crisis counseling, short-term support), delivered online or by phone
- One prepaid visit per quarter at Hall Health for a problem or concern, delivered online
- Medical advice 24/7 from a nurse by phone