If you want to get a counselor’s perspective: Let’s Talk sessions
Let’s Talk is a no-cost, informal, and confidential service where you can speak to a UHS counselor about specific problems and explore solutions in a 20-minute one-on-one session. Let’s Talk is a great way to explore what going to therapy and speaking to a mental health professional is like in a one-time, directed session. Some Let’s Talk sections focus on specific identities or concerns, with sessions for BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ students, engineering students, and more. Other daily sessions are open to all students and concerns. Let’s Talk sessions are offered daily online this summer between June 6 and August 12. Students do not need to pay the summer health fee to attend a Let’s Talk session. More information can be found on Let’s Talk website. 

If you want flexible counseling appointments available within 24 hours
UHS partnered with Uwill to expand access to flexible, no cost, virtual counseling options for students. Licensed mental health professionals are available for video, phone, chat, and message sessions during flexible hours – including nights and weekends. Students can get in quickly to see a counselor, with appointments typically available within 24 hours.

If you want relaxation assistance: UHS Guided Relaxation Playlist
UHS offers a guided relaxation playlist on Spotify. Topics include sleep, autogenic relaxation, muscle relaxation, breath awareness, and peaceful focus. Listen to the playlist on Spotify.

If you love mental health podcasts: UHS Connecting Badgers Podcast
UHS also offers the Connecting Badgers podcast, available on Spotify. The podcast, hosted by UHS specialists, offers tips for students to promote their mental health in order to strengthen student wellbeing and success. The podcast helps listeners improve their mental health literacy, so students can recognize, manage, and prevent mental health concerns. Listen to this podcast on Spotify. 

If you want to discuss mental health with peers who may have similar experiences or concerns as you: Group counseling
Group counseling provides a safe environment for participants to process emotions, give and receive feedback, and find community. Students can join a group that best fits their needs—some group topics are open to all students, like mindfulness and student success, and others focus on themes or identities, such as eating concerns, LGBTQ+ students, and students of color. Interpersonal process groups offer a space for individuals processing grief, depression, troubled relationships, and low self-esteem. For many groups, students attend a pre-group orientation to meet the group facilitator, have questions answered, and familiarize themselves with the group counseling process before their first session. Some groups, such as survivor support and meditation, are available for drop-in, meaning students can attend at any point in the semester. The group counseling schedule and semester/summer topics are available now.

These resources are great tools to help explore your mental health and make positive changes to your overall wellbeing. The UHS Guided Relaxation Playlist and the Connecting Badgers Podcast are available 24/7 for UW-Madison students. Let’s Talk sessions and Thrive workshops are available during Fall and Spring semesters, and summer Let’s Talk sessions are being piloted during Summer 2022. Group counseling is available during the academic year and in the summer to students who pay the summer health fee or are enrolled in summer courses.  

UW-Madison is here to support you.
UHS has a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line (608-265-5600, option 9). If you have other concerns for yourself or someone else, support is available from the Dean of Students Office (608-263-5700). 

To use UHS services during the summer (if you are not enrolled in summer courses), you must purchase the summer health fee for $133 which provides access to all UHS services from May 20 to August 31, 2024.

SHIP members are eligible to use UHS through their coverage end-date regardless of their health fee status.

The Summer Health Fee Financial Support Program provides funding for qualified students to receive care at UHS throughout the summer. Qualification for the program aligns with criteria established by the Office of Financial Aid, which includes Badger Promise, Bucky’s Tuition, and Banner programs, as well as Pell grant recipients. If you believe you may qualify for financial assistance, submit the UHS Summer Health Fee Financial Support Program application in the MyUHS portal under ‘Surveys/Questionnaires.”

The Dean of Students Office provides short term loans may be sought by students when an unexpected life event or circumstance takes place that causes financial hardship. Emergency support is also available for immediate and essential expenses

If you have questions about the summer health fee, send an email to uhs@uhs.wisc.edu or call the Budget & Finance office at 608-516-6791 or 608-516-6830.

Togetherall expands the mental health resources available for UW-Madison students beyond the clinical services at UHS Mental Health Services, and those offered through UHS’s Uwill partnership, by creating an online space for peer-to-peer support. At UW-Madison, the 2022 Healthy Minds Survey found that 46 percent of students report receiving mental or emotional health support from their friends. Interacting with peers is an effective strategy for supporting mental health. While Rec Well’s peer wellness coaching provides individual and group space for peer-to-peer conversations about wellbeing on campus, Togetherall expands that concept with a fully online, anonymous space connecting students across the U.S. 

Funding for Togetherall was made possible by the Charles E. Kubly Foundation and the UHS Suicide Prevention Fund. University Health Services and Recreation & Wellbeing remain committed to expanding mental health resources for all UW-Madison students. There is no wrong entry point for students to begin their mental health journey. Togetherall is yet another resource students can use to find meaning and connection across campus that supports their individual wellbeing. 

Why is measles a concern? 

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. In fact, it’s so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90 percent of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. On a large college campus like UW-Madison, where people live and go to class in close proximity to one another, measles could spread quickly among people who do not have the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. 

Unfortunately, due to a decline in vaccination rates, measles has become more common in the United States in recent years despite previously being documented as eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. Measles is also still common in many parts of the world. 

What are the symptoms of measles? 

The first symptoms of measles appear 7-14 days after infection. They include: 

• High fever (may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit) 
• Cough 
• Runny nose 
• Red, watery eyes 

From there, tiny white spots (called Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. Then, a rash breaks out on the face at the hairline and spreads downward on the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. 

Students experiencing symptoms of measles should contact UHS immediately at 608-265-5600. 

What should I do to prevent measles? 

Measles can be prevented with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Most people received this vaccine in childhood, but you can check your vaccination status by consulting the Wisconsin Immunization Registry if you’re from Wisconsin, or by reaching out to your health care provider.  

If you have not received an MMR vaccine, you are encouraged to get vaccinated through a local pharmacy, your health care provider, or, if you’re a student, through UHS. Public Health Madison & Dane County also provides MMR vaccination to uninsured adults.

Sexual violence affects every person in our community. Keeping our community safe is made possible through shared responsibility for creating safe, equitable spaces in which sexual violence is not acceptable.   

This spring, UHS Survivor Services and Violence Prevention invite student survivors, allies, and campus partners to join us in continuing our work toward a safe, supportive, and survivor-centered campus community.  

Connect & Reflect  

Throughout the spring semester, UHS Survivor Services and Violence Prevention will host a series of “Connect & Reflect” events, which invite student survivors and allies to reclaim campus, find community with other survivors and allies, and reduce the stigma around survivorship.  

The “Connect” events will provide spaces for shared healing, growth, and self-expression for student survivors and allies to grow together. The series will culminate in April with the “Reflect” exhibit, featuring a historical review of significant moments in campus sexual assault advocacy, alongside art created by student survivors.   

Preview upcoming Connect & Reflect events below, and visit the Connect & Reflect webpage for more information.​​ 

• Crafty Coping Community
  Wednesdays, February 7 – May 1, 3 – 4:30pm
  333 East Campus Mall, Room 7001
• Art Evening with Wheelhouse Studios and UHS Survivor Services
  Thursday, March 14, 3 – 6pm
  Wheelhouse Studios
• Embodied Resilience with UHS Survivor Services: A Survivor-Centered Dance/Movement Therapy Workshop  
  Friday, April 5, 1 – 3pm
  Bakke, Serenity Studio (Second Floor)
• Trauma-informed Yoga with UHS Survivor Services and Insight Counseling
  Friday, April 19, 1 – 3 pm
  Bakke, Serenity Studio (Second Floor) 
• Collective ARTivism Project: Denim Day
  Wednesday, April 24, 2 – 5pm
  Library Mall
• Reflect: Art and History Gallery
  April 1 – 30
  Discovery Building Hub Central and Image Lab Galleries (First Floor) 

Other ways you can get involved to support violence prevention on campus 

Join a student organization working to prevent violence and support student survivors on campus: 

• PAVE is dedicated to preventing sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through education and activism. 
• Sex Out Loud promotes healthy sexuality through sex-positive education and activism. 
• EmBark unites survivors of sexual assault and dating violence with the shelter animal of their choice. 

Build skills to prevent violence before it occurs:

• GetWIse@Home offers four online violence prevention programs to choose from, including DatingWIse (healthy relationships and dating violence), SexWIse (healthy sex and sexual violence), ListenWIse (trauma and survivor support), and ActWIse (recognizing violence and bystander intervention). 
• Safer Bar is a bystander intervention education program for campus students and staff who work at alcohol-serving establishments. Anyone who works at an alcohol-serving establishment is welcome to attend. Thursday, April 11, 5 – 7pm | PAVE Office at 333 E. Campus Mall, Suite 3147.  

Attend other events and programs for Sexual Assault Awareness Month: 

• Keep an eye out for other events throughout the month hosted by student organizations and campus partners, including a Self-Care Night and Survivor Love Letters (hosted by PAVE).  

Year-Round Survivor Support and Resources through UHS 

UHS supports student survivors through coordinated advocacy, mental health, and medical services—including forensic nurse exams on-site—that are no-cost and confidential. It is not uncommon for survivors to be unsure how to label their experience or identify what they need. Our Survivor Services team is prepared to validate your experience, to share information and resources available to you—like referrals, accommodations, and reporting options—and empower the decisions you make about your care. 

Students can schedule an appointment to talk with an advocate and learn about their options by emailing  survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, calling 608-265-5600 (option 3), or self-scheduling via the MyUHS portal.  

Learn more about UHS Survivor Services on our website. 

In contrast, the Health at Every Size (HAES) framework–used by UHS dietitians and eating disorder providers–combats this traditional weight-centric approach, and instead prioritizes listening to your body, eating what feels right for you and physical movement. HAES is based on five principles: weight inclusivity, health enhancement, respectful care, eating for wellbeing, and life-enhancing movement, all of which support building healthy habits, as opposed to fixating on weight status. 

“It’s pretty common for students to come in looking for help with weight loss because they’ve been told that it’s required for health,” says UHS dietitian Alicia Bosscher. “We have the opportunity to help them see that healthy bodies come in all sizes.”

UHS dietitians use the HAES framework to help students focus on health gain rather than weight loss. They note that dieting and intentional weight loss attempts can do more harm than good and increase the risk of developing an eating disorder. UHS dietitians do not teach weight loss. Instead, they encourage body acceptance and meet students where they’re at to help navigate food and exercise patterns that support health.

“We love that the HAES approach works to reduce harm by challenging conventional weight loss advice,” says Bosscher.

Health is not a size and all bodies deserve respect as they are. 

If you’re interested in using the HAES approach for your wellbeing, you can:

• Unfollow social media accounts the promote weight loss and diet culture
• Practice gratitude for what your body can do and how it allows you to connect with others
• Attend or request an Intuitive Eating workshop through Rec Well
• Join UHS’s Eating Concerns Skills Group
• Make an appointment with a UHS dietitian
• Consider participating in a Body Advocacy Movement (BAM) workshop with the Embark Lab

Read more about HAES at haeshealthsheets.com or asdah.org.

What about University Health Services?
All enrolled students are eligible for the medical and counseling care available at University Health Services (UHS), but UHS is not a substitute for health insurance. UHS is not open evenings and weekends and does not provide emergency care, hospitalization, or specialty care for complex problems.

I already have health insurance. How can I tell if it is good enough?
Even if you already have health insurance, you need to be aware of the following:

• Employer plans often limit coverage to emergency room care while you are out of the plan area, and you may have to take time off school to return to your hometown for treatment.
• Even in their home area, some plans have increasingly narrow provider networks. As a result, it can be difficult for enrollees to access services such as mental health.
• Many plans require enrollees to pay a large portion of their medical costs. High deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance can make enrollees reluctant, or unable to seek medical attention when they need it.

Five reasons to choose the UW-Madison Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

1. SHIP is designed specifically for UW–Madison students.
2. UHS provides primary and preventive care on campus, keeping costs as low as possible.
3. SHIP travels with you. SHIP members are protected by nationwide networks of hospitals, clinics, and specialized medical services.
4. SHIP has low member cost-sharing, with network deductibles starting from $300.
5. Value. Meeting the needs of our students is our motivation—not profit.

Other SHIP benefits include:

• Preventive care including an annual eye exam
• Prescription drug bene­fit (including specialty meds)
• Available coverage for spouse, domestic partner, and children
• Worldwide assistance
• On-campus customer service team
• And much more!

Spring/summer coverage is effective from January 15, 2024, and enrollments must be received by February 14, 2024.

Click here for additional information and to enroll online.

Here are some ways to support your mental wellbeing.

Meet virtually with a counselor through Uwill.
UHS Mental Health Services partnered with Uwill to offer every UW-Madison student access to free, flexible virtual counseling. Sign up for your account with your wisc.edu email and automatically get three sessions. Sessions are typically available within 24 hours, including nights and weekends. You can sign up anytime–including over the winter break. 

Drop in with a UHS counselor at Let’s Talk.
Let’s Talk is an informal, confidential one-on-one consultation with a UHS counselor. No topic is off-limits. Let’s Talk sessions are offered virtually and in-person through December 15. No appointment required.  

Check out Rec Well events during Self-Care Week.
Rec Well will offer free drop-ins for group fitness classes, as well as workshops on mindfulness, stress management, and meditation. Self-Care Week lasts from December 14 through December 21. 

Reduce test anxiety by attending our December 12 Thrive Workshop on Zoom.
UHS counselors will give you tips and strategies to head into finals with a clearer head. Registration required.

You are not alone in your struggles, and support is available to you.
Our 24/7 mental health crisis line will always be answered. If you notice changes in yourself or someone you care about and are concerned, call us at 608-265-5600 (option 9) for immediate support. 

Losing someone to suicide creates a unique kind of grief, and this day provides an opportunity for loss survivors to find support and understanding from others with similar experiences. This November, UHS is sharing events and resources, both on and off campus, for those who have lost someone, as well as for those who hope to better support loss survivors. 

Supporting someone who has experienced a loss 

If you know someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, you may feel like you don’t know what to say or do. Maybe you are worried about saying the wrong thing or upsetting the survivor. Remember that first and foremost, a survivor is grieving and deserves support like anyone else who has experienced the loss of a loved one. In addition to grief, a loss survivor may also feel shame, anger, or guilt, and it is important to work to be empathetic, accepting, and patient in your support. 

Suicide is often a stigmatized subject, and loss survivors may feel isolated in their grief. Let them know that they are not alone and are not forgotten—and that their loved one is not forgotten. Use the loved one’s name. Ask questions about them. Check in on anniversaries, holidays, and birthdays, which may be difficult for survivors.  

Read advice from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on talking to survivors of suicide loss.  

Events to support survivors of suicide loss 

You are not alone. These events in the Madison community and beyond bring together survivors of suicide loss for connection and support—with others who understand their experience.  

• Goodman Community Center Evjue-Ironworks Building – November 18, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. 
  Group art project and lunch (free event)  
• Journey Mental Health Center – November 18, 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m. 
  Breakfast and program ($15 registration) 
• Survivor Day Live (Online) – November 18, 7 p.m. 
  Documentary screening and panel discussion (free)  

Resources and support on and off campus 

On Campus 

• Mental Health Services through UHS: University Health Services offers no-cost mental health services to all UW-Madison students, including individual counseling, group counseling, psychiatry services, and more.
• UHS Grief Support Group This group is open to people who have lost a loved one (e.g., family member, friend) and helps participants express and explore emotions related to their experiences of bereavement. Group sessions combine sharing, discussion, support, and activities. Support groups start each semester, and it is recommended to contact UHS early in the semester to reserve a space and complete a pre-group orientation. Call 608-265-5600 (option 2). 
• NAMI: NAMI is a national mental health organization dedicated to helping Americans affected by mental illness through education, advocacy, and support. The local UW-Madison chapter of NAMI offers support groups and resources. 
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – UW–Madison Chapter: This student organization aims to increase the awareness of mental illness and create a safe environment in which students know they are not alone and can ask for help. 

Off Campus 

• Journey Mental Health Center: Local mental health center in Madison offering Survivors of Suicide, an adult support group for those grieving the death of a loved one by suicide. These meetings are free of cost and co-facilitated by a survivor of suicide loss/volunteer and a mental health professional. These meetings currently take place online.  
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Wisconsin Chapter: Find a support group near you and connect with others who have lost loved ones to suicide. 
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Connect with resources and support for loss survivors. 

If you’re thinking about suicide, or if you’re concerned for the wellbeing of someone you know, call the 24/7 UHS Crisis Line at 608-265-5600 (option 9), or call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. 

Combustible tobacco, like cigarettes, is not as frequently used by young adults—but rates of vaping have increased significantly among this population. At UW-Madison, almost 1 in 3 undergraduate students and 1 in 7 graduate and professional students have used tobacco or nicotine delivery products at least once—with most of this use being vaping or oral nicotine (NCHA Survey 2021). 

This month, as part of No Nicotine November, UHS invites students to reflect on their relationship with nicotine and explore resources on and off campus that can help them quit. 

What is No Nicotine November?

No Nicotine November is an opportunity to take the first step toward healthier habits. The theme of this month is “A no to nicotine is a yes to yourself,” which encourages students to consider what they may gain in both the short and long term if they discontinue nicotine use, including better sleep, less anxiety, more focus—and much more. 

Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant substance, even with only occasional use. While a student may think that they are not dependent on nicotine, often they find it difficult to stop when they want to. Many students believe that vaping and other non-combustible nicotine products are less dangerous than smoking. In reality, nicotine significantly changes a person’s brain chemistry, which can affect a person’s cognition and mental health. These effects are especially profound in young people whose brains are still developing. 

“Most students on campus who vape or use tobacco do not consider themselves regular users,” says Dr. Jenny Damask, assistant director for high-risk drinking prevention at University Health Services. Dr. Damask notes that students often justify their use by saying that they do not use nicotine products every day and only smoke or vape at parties or with friends. “The concept of ‘quitting’ doesn’t feel the same to them—but that doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from stopping use of nicotine or tobacco products.” 

No Nicotine November encourages students to take this month off from nicotine use while reflecting on when they use nicotine and why—as well as what they can gain by stopping. November is also a timely month for quitting. “I hear from a lot of students that they want to quit using nicotine products in advance of seeing family and friends during breaks away from campus—so Thanksgiving can provide a natural quit date for them,” says Dr. Damask. “Having a specific date in mind to work toward is a really successful motivator.”

Events this November

Take a chance to participate in No Nicotine November with these events on campus:

• Bascom Hill Display – November 16
  Look out for a display on Bascom Hill on Thursday, November 16—a reminder of everything you are saying yes to when you stop using nicotine.
• Quit kit distribution – throughout November
  Quit kits will be provided at tabling events at campus libraries, flu shot clinics, and Rec Well facilities throughout the month of November. These kits include non-medication quit aids, like flavored toothpicks, gum, and fidget toys, as well as information on resources on and off campus that can help you reduce or stop your nicotine use. Keep an eye on UHS’s Instagram page for updates.

Quitting support through UHS

UHS offers no-cost, confidential individual counseling for students who would like to assess their current use and discuss personal strategies for quitting nicotine, tobacco, and vape products. Quitting looks different for everyone, and UHS providers can help you make a plan that works for you. This can involve behavioral strategies, such as counseling, as well as nicotine replacement products (patches, lozenges, gum), and/or medication assistance.

Students can get started by calling UHS at 608-265-5600 to schedule an appointment.

Other quitting resources 

Support for stopping nicotine use is also available by phone or text:

• Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line: UW Madison’s Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (CTRI) provides this free service to help people quit smoking, vaping, or other tobacco use. Call 800-QUIT-NOW.
• This is Quitting Text Line: This free and anonymous text messaging program from Truth Initiative is designed to help young people quit vaping. Text DITCHVAPE to 88709.

For additional information about resources available on and off campus, visit UHS’s Quitting Nicotine webpage.