Emergency Fund
SHAW manages an emergency fund for health and mental health needs available to students based on their financial need.
Telepsychiatry Services
Free onsite Telepsychiatry Services, in collaboration with University of Iowa Health Care, are available for mental health prescription medication needs. Grinnell College covers the cost of the on-site telepsychiatry sessions and the student’s insurance is not billed. If medication is prescribed, insurance will be utilized at that time to cover the cost of the medications through the pharmacy of the student’s choice.
If you choose to see your provider at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics during breaks, your insurance would then be utilized for those services.
Students will meet with a nurse in the SHAW office to complete paperwork. They are then scheduled for a 90-minute intake appointment. This and all follow-up appointments take place in the SHAW office. Students have their vitals taken by a nurse and are then taken to a private office to meet with the provider via a computer video chat.
Call 641-269-3230 to schedule your appointment.
Prescription Pickup
Grinnell has three local pharmacies, Walmart, Hy-Vee, and Medicap. Two of these pharmacies, Hy-Vee and Medicap, offer free delivery of prescription medications to campus Monday through Thursday. A form of payment must be established with the pharmacy before this service will be provided. Inquire at the front desk for more information.
Medical Transportation
In Town: Student Health and Wellness (SHAW) offers free transportation to your local medical/mental health appointments and to local pharmacies. You may call 641-269-3230, book via the Health Portal, or stop in to schedule a ride. When your appointment is done, you may call SHAW to be picked up and returned to campus. We prefer you call and pre-schedule your transportation 24 hours in advance of your in-town appointment. Currently, all students are required to wear masks when riding in the SHAW van.
Outside of Grinnell: Free transportation is not provided to appointments outside Grinnell. However, you may schedule a ride through Facilities Management. The cost is roughly $150 to Des Moines or Iowa City. People Rides is another option for transportation that requires a small fee. Please see the People Rides section above or visit their Region 6 Planning Commission website.
Insurance Questions
- Students can meet with Alexis Steele to discuss medical bills and insurance questions.
- To find a local provider who is in-network with your insurance, please visit your health insurance’s website.
- Those on the student insurance can visit United Healthcare’s Student Resources website. If you have not done so already, you will need to create an account.
- If you need help switching from Iowa Medicaid to your home state, financial aid can help. Financial aid may be contacted through email or by phone at 641-269-3250.
After Hours Support Services
24/7 Services
As of Sept. 1, 2021, SHAW is partnering with Virtual Care Group (VCG) to provide additional medical and counseling services to all students, available at any time. Students must activate their account with VCG to unlock free, unlimited access to doctors and therapists + on-demand crisis counseling. To activate, visit the Grinnell College Virtual Care Group website, enter your last name, date of birth, and school zip code of 50112. Students can then review the providers and schedule a free telecounseling or telehealth visit. Students can also text VCG to 635483. All students are encouraged to download the VCG app and activate their account whether they plan on using this service or not.
While VCG does offer psychiatry, this service is not free for Grinnell College students (SHAW’s TelePsychiatry option is a wonderful resource for students, free of charge).
This service through VCG allows students to schedule appointments at a time that fits best with their schedule. It also allows students to schedule quickly if a wait-list exists for in-person appointments. We are happy to be able to offer this additional service to supplement our in-person nursing and counseling appointments.
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.
Faculty Notification When Student Is Ill
Students who are currently working with SHAW, will consult with their nursing team to determine if a notice to faculty is warranted. SHAW email notifications are sent more for prolonged illnesses, hospitalizations and serious injuries that could impact the student’s ability to participate in class for a prolonged period of time. Notes are not sent for minor illnesses or injuries.
Students will be encouraged to email their faculty directly when ill as the notice sent by SHAW is a supplement to their direct communication. If the nurse approves a note to be sent, the student will sign a release to the appropriate faculty and faculty advisor allowing the SHAW RN to reach out and notify them. The student will be copied on that communication.