Health Services
Location, Staffing, and Hours
Erskine College Health Services is housed in the Younts Infirmary and is dedicated to support the overall well-being of each student to maintain optimal health while completing their studies. This is accomplished through a professional staff of licensed health care providers committed to quality care and confidentiality. Dr. Brian Henry of Due West Family Medicine serves as the primary physician and Reba Stille serves as the primary nurse. Students can be seen by the physician Monday through Friday beginning at 8:00 a.m. until all have been seen. Students can receive care from the nurse Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and at 2:00 p.m. until all have been seen. A staff member is on call 24/7 in case of emergency. Contact information for the on-call provider can be obtained by calling the infirmary at 379-8823 or by checking the posting on the main door of the infirmary.
Dr. Brian N. Henry came to Erskine and the Due West community in 1991. Dr. Henry has enjoyed caring for a wide variety of students since that time and continues to enjoy the relationship with students and Erskine College. Dr. Henry earned his B.A. in Biology from the University of South Florida, his M.D. from the University of Florida College of Medicine, and completed his residency in family practice at the Montgomery Center for Family Medicine.
Reba Stille has compassionately and professionally provided nursing care to Erskine College students since 1972. She received the R. N. from Lander University and the A.S. from the Anderson Memorial Hospital School of X-Ray Technology. She is a member of the American Registry of X-Ray Technologists. Reba says, “There is no greater reward than seeing college students readily and quickly respond to care and advice in their time of need.”
Jill Jones earned a B.A. from Erskine College in English Education and was an educator for 14 years before earning her Master of Social Work degree from University of South Carolina. She has spent the last eight years as a licensed practitioner in both Carolinas, working in child and adolescent treatment, adult and geriatric treatment, hospice and palliative care, community health education, interdisciplinary healthcare in rural practice, and general clinical social work/counseling. "It is an honor to provide counseling services for my alma mater and assist Erskine students with the challenges that arise in the college experience, including adjustment, personal, and family matters. I always look forward to working with Erskine students because they are bright, insightful, and seeking growth. They sometimes don't realize how wonderful they are, even in the midst of their hurting. It's my hope that I can put them in touch with those strengths."
Student Insurance Statement
While the student Medical Fee provides students with access to the campus infirmary and its services, Erskine expects students to maintain independent, valid medical insurance coverage, usually secured under their parents’ medical insurance policy. Students who do not have medical insurance are encouraged to obtain coverage to address any medical costs in the event of illness, an accident, or other medical situation.
Requirements and Services
Before being seen by one of the health care providers, a student must have an official physical form and immunization record on file in the infirmary. Included in the immunization record must be verification of PPD within the last year, two MMRs, and Tetanus within the last ten years. It is also recommended that students have the Meningitis, HPV, Hepatitis A and B, and Influenza vaccines. Primary care visits with the physician and/or nurse as well as certain medications are provided at no additional charge beyond the annual medical fee. If a student requires an appointment with a specialist, x-rays, hospital care, or other services not provided by the infirmary, the cost will be incurred by the student.
Routine lab tests are performed in the infirmary, including strep, urinalysis, mono, and flu. Allergy injections are given on site only when the physician is present.
Counseling Services
College life is a time of great change and personal growth. It is exciting, satisfying, and sometimes challenging. For many students, there are times when all the demands and excitement may feel overwhelming. Erskine College understands that students need many kinds of support to help them succeed.
Erskine College Counseling Services promotes and fosters the academic, personal, and interpersonal development of Erskine College students by providing short-term counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, and educational programs to the campus community.
Our counselors help create a healthy college community through their commitment to responsiveness and individual attention to student needs. Our counselors provide a safe place for students to explore difficult issues, advocate for a healthy environment in which to live and work, and nurture the development of the whole person.
Counseling services are for:
- students who need individual attention for resolving personal or interpersonal problems;
- friends, faculty, family members, and others who have concerns about the well-being of an Erskine college student.
In addition to these services, our professionals can provide outreach, prevention, and education services through programs specialized for particular campus groups or classes.
Whether it is for yourself or a friend, we are here to help.
To make an appointment or speak to a counselor for consultation or urgent concern, please call Due West Family Medicine at 379-2345. If you want the counseling services that Erskine provides at no extra cost to you, please tell the receptionist that you are an Erskine student. Otherwise, the counseling will be paid through your personal insurance plan, which may include deductibles and co-pays.
If you desire to see a counselor outside of Due West, please contact Dr. Robyn Agnew or Dr. Bryan Rush in the Office of Student Services for a referral. Call 379-8701.
Mental Health Emergency Assistance
As with any medical emergency, a mental health emergency can be life-threatening. Most mental health emergencies involve one or more of the following:
- threat of suicide
- occurrence of an actual suicide attempt
- threat of harming another person
- dangerous agitation when a person is experiencing hallucinations.
If you encounter an Erskine student threatening suicide or homicide, report it immediately to the Office of Student Services at 379-8701, and they will help determine if 911 should be called. After regular business hours, please use the following phone numbers:
- Robyn Agnew – 864-378-8069
- Bryan Rush – 864-556-5955
If you encounter anyone else experiencing a mental health emergency or if an Erskine student has already attempted suicide or is dangerously agitated with a weapon, call 911 and report that someone is in danger of attempting suicide or homicide or has already swallowed pills, cut themselves or done something life threatening. Both police officers and EMT workers will work together at the scene to assess if the person needs to be hospitalized. After 911 is called, please inform your RD, SLA, or call one of the numbers above to report the call if the incident involves an Erskine student or setting.
It is extremely important that threats of suicide be taken seriously. This is especially true if the threats have been voiced repeatedly or the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is a dangerous myth to believe that suicide threats are harmless attempts to get attention.
If you are overwhelmed with life and contemplating suicide and don’t yet feel comfortable talking with someone on campus or in town about your distress, please call Crisisline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to get the immediate support and help you need.
Free Online Mental and Emotional Wellness Resources
If you’ve been wondering whether or not your stress, substance use, eating habits, overwhelming emotion, or relationship conflict is becoming a problem, complete the online screenings and check out the quick-information sites below:
Alcohol and Drug Screening: http://www.drugscreening.org/
Stress and Depression Screening: http://www.depression-screening.org/
Anxiety Screening: http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/anxiety.htm
Obsessive-Compulsive Screening: http://www.healthyplace.com/psychologicaltests/ocd-screening-test/
Eating Disorders Screening: http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/eat.htm
Adult ADD/ADHD Screening: http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm
BiPolar Disorder Screening: http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/bipolarquiz.htm
Need for Therapy Screening: http://psychcentral.com/therapy/
Student Health 101: http://www.studenthealth101.com/for_schools.asp
