Student Health and Wellness

Nursing Appointments

Students Currently Residing in Iowa

• Students needing medical advice can call SHAW, 641-269-3230, to schedule a TeleHealth appointment with one of our SHAW nurses. Students will meet with a provider via a web-based system. The provider will guide and support the student’s needs, based on their assessment.
• If you are experiencing a true emergency, a call should be made to 911.
• If needing help after hours or on the weekends, students will call SHAW’s main line 641-269-3230 and follow the prompts to connect with our Need a Nurse line.
• Students may also leave a voicemail if they prefer to wait until SHAW’s normal business hours to consult with a SHAW nurse.

If you have scheduled an appointment with a SHAW, you will need to log in from a computer so the nurse can see you. If you do not have a computer, please let the person who schedules your appointment know this. When it is your appointment time, check-in via our online portal.

Students Not Currently Residing in Iowa

• If you fall ill, SHAW’s advice would include instructing you to call your local provider or advice on ways to manage your health situation.
• If you are experiencing a true emergency, a call should be made to 911.
• Students can also find a local provider. There are many options to find one through the student’s insurance carrier:
  • Go to insurance carrier’s web site and search for a provider, or call and ask for a list of providers.
    • Call/email those providers to inquire about current openings.
    • Ask to schedule a consultation to determine goodness of fit.
    • If students are currently enrolled in the Grinnell College Student Insurance Plan, information can be located on the Gallagher website.
• Many providers offer TeleHealth services through a virtual platform. We would encourage students to locate that information prior to falling ill, so they know their resources ahead of time and feel prepared.
• If students living in the United States prefer, they may still call SHAW at 641-269-3230 and be connected to our Need a Nurse line which provides support in all 50 states.While SHAW is not open to see you in person, we are here and ready to see you through TeleHealth Services. Please call SHAW at 641-269-3230. If it is during normal business hours, staff will triage your request and work to get you connected to the appropriate service model. If it is after hours, you can follow the prompts to consult with a nurse or leave a message.

Counseling Appointments

While SHAW is not open to see you in person, we are here and ready to see you through TeleCounseling Services. Because of current licensing laws, SHAW providers are only able to meet with students residing in the state of Iowa.

Students in Iowa

• Students can call SHAW, 641-269-3230, to schedule a virtual appointment with a SHAW counselor.
• The Need to Talk line, 641-269-4404, is available 24/7 for counseling needs.
• If the student is in immediate danger to themselves or someone else, a call to 911 should be made.

If you are scheduled for an appointment with SHAW, you will need to log in from a computer so the counselor can see you. If you do not have a computer, please let the person who schedules your appointment know this. When it is your appointment time, check-in via our online portal.

Students Not in Iowa

• Students are instructed to use the Need to Talk line for counseling needs, 641-269-4404. This line is available 24/7.
• Students can also find a local provider. There are many options to find one through the student’s insurance carrier:
  • Go to insurance carrier’s web site and search for a provider, or call and ask for a list of providers.
  • Call/e-mail those providers to inquire about current openings.
  • Ask to schedule a consultation to determine goodness of fit.
  • If students are currently enrolled in the Grinnell College Student Insurance Plan, information can be located on the Gallagher website.
• Start search from a site where providers can be found, such as Psychology Today and/or GoodTherapy.
• Look outside insurance.
  • Many areas have low-fee, sliding scale community mental health agencies with qualified providers. Reach out to determine whether you are eligible for the services they provide.
  • Some mental health providers offer sliding scale options based on financial need. Ask directly if they have that option, and if not, if they have any referrals who do.
  • Web sites such as Open Path Psychotherapy Collective allow searches providers committed to providing low fee, sliding scale mental health services to clients who meet financial need.
• Possible apps.
  • Apps such as Better Help and Talkspace connect individuals with providers offering online services, who are licensed in the state where a student is residing in and typically charge less per week than a full fee individual session would cost in private practice.

Student Services

Some additional services will continue while we work to support you remotely.

• Support with any billing or insurance questions
• Emergency Fund
  • SHAW manages an emergency fund for health and mental health needs available to students based on their financial need.
• TelePsychiatry Services
  • SHAW has suspended offering this service to new students until we return to normal operations in the fall term.
  • Students that are currently patients of Debra Poole, PA-C, who are residing in the state of Iowa, can reach out to the UIHC Adult Psychiatry Clinic at 319-353-6314 to schedule an appointment.
  • These services typically will be billed to the student’s insurance.
  • The appointments will be offered as either a phone or video appointment.
  • For video appointments, students will need to use their MyChart account to access the video link.
  • Schedulers can assist the student if the need to set up a MyChart account.

After Hours Support Services

Need a Nurse? Call 641-269-3230
If the student would like to consult with a nurse by phone after hours, they can call SHAW at 641-269-3230 and follow the prompts to be connected with a live nurse, who is aware of our community resources and will make the appropriate referrals.

Need to Talk? 24/7 Counseling Hotline – 641-269-4404
SHAW works with agency service provider that offers a 24/7 counseling hotline (Need to Talk?) for Grinnell College students to have immediate access to counseling services. Students can call the hotline at any time (even when SHAW is open) to speak with a trained counseling professional who is also familiar with the range of resources available at Grinnell College.

Wellness and Prevention

Wellness and prevention is focusing their efforts on helping students stay connected during this new and challenging time. Students, faculty, and staff can visit the website for up-to-date options of how to stay engaged and connected.

Faculty Notification When Student Is Ill

• Students who currently reside in Iowa and who are working with SHAW will consult with their nursing team to determine if a notice to faculty is needed.
• Students will be encouraged to email their faculty directly when ill. If student provides a release, a notice to faculty will be provided.
• Releases are in place for SHAW staff to work with students readily through this remote service upon on their request.