Back to school basics: sexual and reproductive health care services at UC student health centers
By the UC Health Newsroom
Going back to school means many things: signing up for classes, finding textbooks and dorm décor – and becoming familiar with the programs and services offered on campus, like the UC student health centers.
Just as each UC campus is unique – from the Birch Aquarium at UC San Diego to the UC Davis Eggheads – so is each UC student health center. And all are attuned to the evolving health needs of its student populations.
There’s one particularly defining similarity across the nine undergraduate campuses: all UC student health centers offer a full range of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services, including medication abortion, in a student-centered environment.
UC student health centers are committed to providing access to care
Based on each campus, student health center physicians, nurses and staff are committed to delivering care and information in a compassionate, supportive manner. The student health center is a medical home for many UC students. In fact, the nine UC student health centers provided primary or urgent care services to more than 87,000 students during the 2022-2023 academic school year.
By prioritizing safety, working to establish trust and open communication, and allowing for ongoing innovation, student health centers are committed to developing and sustaining health and wellness services that adapt to students’ needs. They’re also dedicated to evaluating and enhancing services to ensure ongoing accessibility and effectiveness, allowing students to rely on high-quality care throughout their time at UC.
“We know the UC student health center is the medical home for so many students. With access and a commitment to student-centered care at the core of our health care delivery, we’re proud to offer the full range of sexual and reproductive health care services to students at our student health centers,” said Albert Chang M.D., UC Irvine Student Health Center medical director and chair of the UC Student Health Services Medical Directors Working Group.
Student health centers provide access to clinicians, pharmacy, and laboratory services, often with multiple entry pathways to care. In-person visits, phone calls, telehealth, secure messaging, and asynchronous interactions can initiate care pathways. For example, students can self-schedule appointments online, request services directly through electronic health record portals, and provide asynchronous responses to patient questionnaires. These options help expedite information collection to process requests like prescription refills, starting or refilling birth control, health tests and screenings, and other services.
Those in need of health advice or care can also call to talk with a patient service associate or nurse, and many student health centers have a 24/7 nurse advice line. Most student health center websites also include a list of after-hours resources such as telehealth services, local urgent care centers close to campus, and when needed, emergency rooms. Furthermore, student health center reproductive health clinics are routinely staffed by primary care physicians board-certified in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and women’s health and family nurse practitioners.
UC student health centers offer a full range of sexual and reproductive health care services, from birth control to LGBTIA+ care to medication abortion
UC’s student health centers offer convenient, high-quality sexual and reproductive health services to UC students. While services can differ slightly by campus, all student health centers provide a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health care services.
“We are thrilled that UC campus health centers now offer medication abortion as part of their comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care service delivery. The availability of medication abortion on campuses across California, driven in large part by student activism, has inspired other colleges and universities nationwide to follow suit. Providing access to these crucial services, along with essential health care education and information, is vital for advancing reproductive freedom for students everywhere,” says Annie Sumberg, associate vice president, capacity building at Essential Access Health.
UC student health centers are addressing barriers to care, including financial accessibility
The University believes all students should have access to high-quality, affordable and convenient health care services. All student health centers work to help students minimize or avoid unexpected health care costs. In fact, before students can enroll in classes at UC, they must have health care coverage that meets all the minimum essential health benefits as defined by the Affordable Care Act, among other elements.
UC has its own student health benefits plan, designed especially for students: the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP). Many services, including preventive care and medication abortion, are offered at no cost or for a low copay under UC SHIP or Berkeley SHIP.
There are many resources and services that are free for students not covered by UC SHIP, like free condoms, and at some campuses, even free health coaching or mental health services. Students not covered by UC SHIP can check with their campus student health center to see if it is considered “in-network” for any services they seek. If not, students receiving services at student health centers can submit their expenses to their health plans for reimbursement. UC student health centers also have referral arrangements with nearby facilities, like Planned Parenthood and Family Planning Associates, to support students who may want to receive care off-campus from another provider. UC student health centers are also continually working to ease the financial burden on students.
For students needing financial support for health care expenses, many UC campuses have health care assistance funds available to help offset the out-of-pocket costs if students meet the general eligibility requirements for support through each fund.
Connecting with students in person and on social media
All UC student health centers focus on providing student-centered care, meeting students where they are—including where they gather, socialize and live—and building trust through open and honest communication.
“We know a health promotion strategy is not ‘one-size-fits-all.’ Communication with students takes a variety of forms, each intended to provide information and resources in a supportive, student-centered manner that emphasizes safety, prevention and service availability—often delivered through peer-to-peer programs,” says Robin Mills, M.A., program director for sexuality and academics, UC Berkeley University Health Services, Tang Center Health Promotion Unit.
These communication efforts include not only individual education but also campus-wide awareness building. Grounded to empower students to make healthy decisions, sexual and reproductive health education topics include healthy sexuality and relationships, safer sex, STI/STD prevention and treatment options, and a focus on the full range of available reproductive health services on campus, such as contraception, emergency contraception and medication abortion.
Sexual and reproductive health care awareness programs can include website content, peer health education programming, partnerships with student associations/advocacy groups, student health and wellness events and workshops, engaging social media posts, drop-in clinic counseling hours, newsletters, affinity group presentations and more.
UC campuses and student health centers continue to discuss additional ways to improve access to services and information, including collaborating with student advocacy groups to expand access, awareness and promotion of services on campus.
For more information, visit the UC student health center websites and follow their social media platforms.