Behavioral Health Services

The Student Health Center provides confidential mental health evaluation to determine whether or not medications may be helpful and to discuss how to combine them with therapy and other self-care strategies.

We work closely with the Counseling and Wellness Center, where students can access counseling, group therapy, and workshops on a variety of mental health topics.

When to Seek Help

There is no wrong reason to make an appointment. Students face a wide variety of issues that cause distress and interfere with academic success. Our team will work closely with you to evaluate your mental health needs and determine a course of treatment that may include the use of psychiatric medications.

Common Concerns We Addresss

Common concerns we address include:

  • ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Depression
  • Drug and alcohol abuse
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress
  • Seasonal affective disorder
  • Other mental health concerns

Appointments

If you are interested in an appointment with a provider to explore psychiatric medications, the first step is a meeting with a mental health triage clinician to discuss your concerns and treatment options during a 20 minute brief support visit.

To schedule a brief support visit, you can either call 360-650-3400 or stop by the Student Health Center. Brief support visits can be scheduled up to 24 hours in advance. Please alert the patient services representative if you have an urgent concern.

Fees

There are no charges for behavioral health services for full-time Western students who have paid the mandatory, quarterly Counseling, Health, and Wellness fee. Part-time students may elect to pay the health fee to access services.

Crisis Support

Mental health support is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, throughout the year to current Western students by calling the Counseling and Wellness Center at 360-650-3164, or walking in to either the Counseling and Wellness Center or Student Health Center during business hours.

If the situation is more urgent, call 911 or go to the Emergency Room at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Consultation and Outreach

Members of the Student Health Center staff are available to consult with students, faculty and staff on behavioral health issues. Staff members may also give presentations to campus organizations and groups on a variety of behavioral health topics as time allows. For further information call 360-650-3400.

Emotional Support Animals

An emotional support animal is a person’s pet that has been specifically prescribed as part of a treatment plan for a diagnosed disability by a licensed therapist, psychologist, or medical provider. An animal as part of the treatment plan is to bring comfort and minimize the negative symptoms of the person’s emotional/psychological disability – in other words, the presence of the animal serves to reduce functional limitations caused by the person’s diagnosis and disability that are not being addressed by therapy and/or medication. It is rare that an emotional support animal is prescribed as the only treatment for a mental health disability.

Learn more about emotional support animals at WWU.

Related Services

The Student Health Center works closely with other campus programs to support students.

Other Helpful Links