FAQs

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Are my medical concerns confidential? Will my parents or guardians find out?

The Health Services staff abides by professional, ethical and mandated standards of confidentiality regarding protected health information for those who seek care. When you come to the Health Services for an appointment, our providers and staff will not share protected health information with your family members, faculty or staff.

The exception to medical confidentiality is a situation that is assessed to be a grave danger to your health and safety, or to the health and safety of others. In that event, no more than necessary information will be released. 

For more information, see our full Confidentiality Policy on the Health Services home page. 

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What do I do if I get sick at night or over the weekend?

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call Security at ext. 7777, or 911 if you are off campus. If you have an urgent concern that cannot wait to be addressed until normal business hours, please visit a local Urgent Care clinic or Emergency Department. 

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How can I get to an off-campus medical appointment or provider's office? 
 

SRG-CATS is a free, student-run transportation service for scheduled appointments during the academic year. A ride can be requested by filling out the ride request form at least 2 days prior to your scheduled appointment.

There are also trained student emergency drivers (E-drivers) that Health Services or Security can contact to transport students for urgent or emergent medical issues. 

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How can I get refills for a psychiatric prescription (e.g., ADHD medication or antidepressants)?

There are several options to obtain refills. We strongly encourage students to continue their care with their prescribing providers from home, who may be able to send prescriptions to a local pharmacy.

Another option is for a family member to pick up the prescriptions at home and mail them to you.

Alternatively, you can establish care with a local psychiatrist to prescribe your medications. You can contact Counseling Services for a referral to psychiatry. 

Health Services does not prescribe or refill these types of medications on a regular basis.

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What gender-affirming care is available through Bard Health Services? 

At Bard Health Services, we aim to provide knowledgeable, excellent and respectful gender-affirming care for our trans, nonbinary and genderqueer students. We can help you explore your options for medical interventions for gender affirmation and the risks and benefits of these options, or we can help manage any ongoing medications you are already taking. We offer hormones for gender affirmation, medication teaching and counseling, lab monitoring and referrals as needed for gender-affirming surgical interventions.

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How can I access emergency contraception at Bard?

Emergency contraception is available to students or their partners free of charge through Health Services and BRAVE counselors. You can also access emergency contraception for a small fee via the ACCESS Vending Machine in the Bertelsmann Campus Center. 

If you need emergency contraception during clinic hours, please call us at 845-758-7433. If you need emergency contraception during evening or weekend hours, please call Security at ext. 7777 and ask to be connected to a BRAVE counselor.

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What do I do if I think I might be pregnant? 

If you think you might be pregnant, the providers at Health Services can test to confirm a pregnancy, counsel you on your options if the test is positive and help you get the care you need. We can connect you with prenatal care, abortion or adoption services nearby. If you are early in pregnancy and do not wish to continue the pregnancy, we can provide a low-cost medication abortion at Health Services.

If you had unprotected sex within the past few days and are not pregnant, we can also provide you with emergency contraception. 

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How can I quit smoking at Bard? 

Health Services offers one-on-one smoking cessation counseling, self-help materials, referrals and prescriptions to support you in quitting. 

For additional help with peer-led smoking cessation options, please contact [email protected].

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What if I need support with other substance use or access to harm reduction supplies? 

The providers at Health Services practice with a harm reduction approach to substance use. We work closely with Wellness to ensure that students who are using substances are doing so as safely as possible and have access to support for quitting or cutting down.

If you need harm reduction supplies, we have naloxone and drug testing strips available free of charge at Health Services and the ACCESS Vending Machine in Bertelsmann Campus Center. There is also naloxone available for emergency use in red Overdose Emergency Kit boxes located around campus. In case of emergency, call Security at x7777.

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What should I do if I was in a car accident (as driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist)? 

Please be advised that if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, whether you are the driver, passenger or a pedestrian (if struck by a vehicle) you must always reach out to the insurance company of the vehicle that you were either inside or struck by as soon as possible and no later than thirty days after the accident. New York is a "no-fault" state, which means that if you're in a car accident, your own insurance company will help cover your damages and medical bills, no matter who was at fault. Since New York State is a no-fault state, there are strict rules around treating injuries from motor vehicle accidents, including required forms and timely documentation to the patient’s insurance company. You should contact your insurance company to ensure that you comply with these rules. 
 
Because we do not bill insurance directly, the providers at Bard Student Health Services are not able to see you after a motor vehicle accident. We strongly encourage you to seek medical care at the nearest urgent care or Emergency Department, and reach out to the insurance company of the vehicle that you were either in or struck by. Please feel free to contact us at 845-758-7433 if you have any further questions.

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How do I get information about the Bard College Student Health Plan?

Any questions about insurance information can be answered by visiting Anthem Student Advantage.

For further assistance, you can contact Bard's insurance administrator, Marshall + Sterling, at [email protected] or call Anthem Student Customer Service at 1-844-412-0752. 

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How do I get off the meal plan?

It is Bard College's policy that all undergraduate resident students are registered on the meal plan. Parkhurst Dining Services offers a varied selection to accommodate a variety of diets, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and specific allergen-free diets; they also have nutritionists on staff who can work with you individually to meet your needs. If you have a dietary restriction that is documented by your health care provider, please reach out to Parkhurst and Disability Access Services to discuss how Bard can help you meet your nutritional needs.