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June 17 Weekly update: Health and Wellbeing

Bottom Line, Up Front

  • ICYMI: Housing Webinar Recording
  • Introduction from Deacon Health
  • Healthcare-related tasks to do this summer before your student comes to school
  • Help your student understand the basics of navigating a doctor’s appointment independently: 
  • Prepare a medicine kit for their room
  • Have important conversations about your student’s wellbeing: about alcohol and drugs, sexual health, consent, mental health

Dear parents and families of incoming students,

It’s a brand new week, and time for our Weekly Update for new. This week, we are going to focus on issues of health and wellbeing. But first we’ll share an ICYMI (In Case You Missed It).

ICYMI: Housing Webinar Recording

  • For any P’29s (or your students) who were not able to attend the housing webinar on June 12 for first year students and families, you can view the recording here.

Introduction from Deacon Health

  • CONGRATULATIONS, INCOMING FAMILIES! Your student has made it through their K-12 education and they have made it to college! You, as families and loved ones, have been a huge part of getting them here. 
  • Deacon Health is here to help keep your students as healthy as possible. When they are sick, we’ll do everything we can to get them back to 100%. But more importantly, Deacon Health will provide your students with the essential knowledge and skills to form lifelong habits that lead to sustained wellbeing.
  • Deacon Health functions as your students’ Primary Care Physicians during their time at Wake Forest. Experts in college student medicine, our board-certified providers can perform an array of services, including primary care visits, care for acute illnesses and minor injuries, STI screening and treatment. Students also have access to immunizations, X-Ray, pharmacy, and laboratory services at our facility. If a student has a complex case, we can and will collaborate with established local providers when needed. 
  • We want to help new families get your students ready to navigate their healthcare needs. We hope this information will help you – and them – with the transition to having students being in charge of their own healthcare.

Healthcare-related tasks to do this summer before your student comes to school

Ensure your student knows their medical history

  • Make sure your student is aware of their medical history, including allergies to medications, if they have seen a specialist for a certain condition, etc. Knowing their medical history will help your student be able to talk more effectively with their care providers: by giving their healthcare team accurate information about their medical history, that can help providers know what to look for re: chronic conditions, allergies, potential drug interactions, and more. 
  • If your student has ongoing chronic conditions, please have your student make an appointment with Deacon Health for a well visit to get established with our office. It is most helpful for our providers to see students managing chronic conditions when they are well, not sick; this allows us to discuss the condition, go over previous treatment/care, etc. This will also help us connect with a local specialist if needed or consult with their home specialist without managing additional illness at the same time. 

Help your student understand the basics of navigating a doctor’s appointment independently: 

  • Students must call to make their own medical appointments if they are over 18. In the event they do not see any appointments in the Deacon Health portal, they should call the office and follow the prompts to speak to the Front Desk to see if there are any additional appointments.
  • Students should always carry their insurance card to medical appointments (or have a photo of both sides of the card on their phone). While Deacon Health does not accept insurance or file claims, students must have either their insurance card (or the information from the card saved on their phone) if they go to see providers off campus (e.g., urgent care, a dermatologist, outpatient imaging, or the Emergency Department). 
  • Students must show up on time to scheduled appointments. Late arrivals could require rescheduling the appointment and/or a late charge. At Deacon Health and off-campus providers alike, medical appointments are tightly scheduled.
    • Students should arrive at Deacon Health 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment to have time to complete the check-in process. Late arrivals will incur a late charge and could be rescheduled.
  • If a student forgets an appointment or is a no-show, they will be charged a cancellation fee. While the cancellation/no show fee at Deacon Health is low, that cost can be significant at an off-campus provider. Getting students used to being responsible for remembering appointments now, while the stakes are lower (but they still have some skin in the game) will help avoid unpleasant surprises with off-campus providers.  
  • Most medical visits require payment at the time of service.
    • Most services at Deacon Health are covered by the Student Health Fee. However, there are some discounted “fee-for-service” charges for medications, laboratory tests, observation care, procedures and some supplies. Payment can be made by cash, check, credit/debit cards, Student Insurance, or charged to the student’s account.
    • For off-campus providers, students will need to bring a form of payment (typically cash or credit/debit card) to pay for their appointment.
  • Keep their receipts and paperwork. It is important to keep medical records of treatment, and if your student is on your insurance plan (as opposed to Student Blue), you will need a copy of the receipt so you can submit a claim.

Prepare a medicine kit for their room

It’s always a good idea to send essential items with them to school for when they get sick because they will get sick at some point! Here are some suggestions:

Basic first aid supplies

  • thermometer
  • Band-Aids
  • antibiotic ointment
  • gauze pads
  • eye drops
  • ice pack that can stay in their freezer
  • heating pad (or warmies that can be put in microwave)
  • A & D ointment to help with chafing

Over-the-counter medicines

  • pain medicine/fever reducer (Note: Deacon Health also has over-the-counter medications that students can purchase if needed)
  • benadryl/antihistamines
  • cold and cough medicine
  • cough drops
  • digestive meds (anti-diarrheal, heartburn, etc.)

Other items

  • A supply of any prescription medications they take regularly (may transfer Rx to Deacon Health or get refills)
  • A supply of replenishing drinks (such as Gatorade)
  • Food they could eat in the room when not feeling well: things that don’t require a lot of preparation (soup, crackers, granola bars, apple sauce cups, etc.). Those could sit, untouched, in a container in their closet or under the bed so they’d be ready when your Deac needs them (and does not want to have to go to the Pit to get lunch or dinner).
  • Liquid IV Hydration or other powder to put in water to help hydration
  • Moist wipes for the bottom (do not flush)
  • Masks (for COVID* or other respiratory illnesses)

* Note that Deacon Health will test a student if they come in to the clinic with a respiratory illness that presents a concern for COVID

Having these items on hand will help them when they are not feeling well. But of course, Deacon Health is also here to help them if they need us!

Have important conversations about your student’s wellbeing

  • There are a number of discussions families should consider having with their students about topics related to their wellbeing. Every family will have their own values and behavioral expectations; it will be important to talk about what those are – and hear your student’s thoughts about them – before college begins.

Have a conversation with your student about alcohol and drugs

Have a conversation with your student about consent

  • Consent is a very important topic in the area of health and wellbeing. Some of my colleagues on campus have created a Consent Conversation Guide to help:
  • College is a time for your student to gain new experiences, build new friendships, and make new memories that will last a lifetime. This resource will provide you with tools to help you prepare for an open dialogue with your student about consent. It includes important information on University policies and procedures, the importance of discussing consent, and how consent is affected by substance use.
  • Again, it’s important to stress that having a conversation about consent does not mean you are asking your student to be sexually active! We understand every student and family has their own values and we want to healthily support those. Consent is rooted in understanding and communicating boundaries and wants, which is important in your students every day lives!  What we want is to help students understand what consent looks like, how to give it, and how to be sure that when the time comes (whenever that may be) that both parties are consenting. You as parents, family members, and loved ones can help reinforce those concepts through this conversation guide.
  • Understanding and practicing consent is a protective factor in preventing sexual violence on college campuses. If you are interested in learning more about how Wake is addressing and preventing Interpersonal Violence, please take a look at our comprehensive website. 

Have a conversation about sexual health

  • Part of students’ wellbeing involves their sexual health, so talking about that before college begins is important. But note that simply having a conversation about sexual health does not mean you are asking your student to be sexually active.
  • Depending on your family norms, that may include having conversations about
    • Contraception (either preventative birth control or emergency contraception)
    • Pregnancy prevention
    • How to avoid STIs (sexually transmitted infections)
    • The importance of regular medical care around sexual and reproductive health, and/or
    • How to practice safer sex
  • Again, what you say to your student is up to you, but it will be important to have that conversation. If you would like more information on these topics and resources available for your student, see the sexual health page.

Have a conversation about mental health

  • Some students come to college already managing a personal issue such as stress management; interpersonal relationships with friends, family, or peers; social anxiety; depression; concerns related to alcohol or other drug use; and eating disorders and body image issues. If your student is already engaged in care for any issue, it would be helpful for them to connect with our University Counseling Center to discuss how best to continue to support their needs.
    • The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers free individual counseling and/or group counseling. Visit their website to learn about the staff, services, appointment scheduling, crisis assistance and wellbeing resources available within the WFU community and nationally. The resources listed can be used on their own and in conjunction with other mental health services.
  • For students who have not had experience with managing difficult personal issues prior to college, it is still important for families to have a conversation about mental health including any family history of mental health concerns.  Starting college provides a cascade of changes, new stressors, and potential anxieties and worries about not measuring up. Many students find their way into a rhythm of managing time and work. Some students may have stress, but largely handle it. Others struggle more, and sometimes their stress grows into distress. It is important for you to help your student understand that they should not suffer in silence and have your unwavering support to get the professional help that they may need. 
  • Parents, families, and friends are often the first individuals to notice signs of distress in students. Our We Are Wake initiative (336-758-CARE or we.wfu.edu) is a non-emergency service that ensures someone will always be available (i.e., 24/7 M-F, weekends and university holidays) to provide caring and thoughtful consultation services for Wake Forest students in need of mental health assistance or other support.
    • Families may wish to bookmark We Are Wake and save 336-758-CARE (2273) in their phones in case they have concerns about their student. This is the best place to begin to help your student get support.

Parting thoughts

We will continue sending messages to our new families each week this summer with reminders of key action items and other information we hope will be helpful. In case you missed one of our weekly messages, they are all archived here.

With best wishes,

Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (‘92, MA ‘94)
Executive Director of Family Communications

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