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

Any questions about insurance information can be answered by visiting mystudentmedical.com or contacting Bard's insurance administrator, Margaret Wallace ([email protected]).

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

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 do I do if I think I might be pregnant? 

If you think you may be pregnant, the providers at Health Services can test to confirm a pregnancy, counsel you on your options if the test is positive and connect you to off-campus resources if necessary. 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 access emergency contraception?

Emergency contraception is available to students or their partners through Health Services or BRAVE. Contact our office for a same-day appointment. There is no charge for accessing emergency contraception.

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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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. 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 would like to get involved in peer-led harm reduction efforts at Bard, please email [email protected]. 

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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.