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Prepare for Your Visit

Limited Services Possible Due to Labor Strikes Announced for Feb. 26–28

Please allow extra travel time before your appointment in case of expected transportation delays. For the most up-to-date information on campus service impacts, visit: https://www.ucsc.edu/campus-status/

The Student Health Center will remain open, though appointment availability, lab, and pharmacy services may be limited during the strike. Students with urgent concerns are encouraged to contact or visit the health center for prompt assessment and triage. If same-day appointments aren't available, students may be referred to nearby urgent care. For support, call the 24/7 nurse advice line at (831) 459-2591, or visit the after-hours healthcare webpage for telehealth and off-campus healthcare options.

CAPS will offer limited services, focusing on 24/7 crisis services. Please call 831-459-2628 for both daytime and after-hour crisis services. The Campus Mobile Crisis Team will continue operations and can be reached at 831-502-9988. For additional urgent mental health resources, please visit UC Santa Cruz’s crisis assistance webpage.

Here are a few things to know before your appointment with Student Health & Wellness.

Before All Appointments

Read up. View the patient rights and responsibilities and the privacy policy.
Confirm your local address. Check your profile on Health e-Messenger to ensure it has the address where you currently reside.
Gather paperwork. Need us to sign a form for work-study, transfers, diving classes, etc.? Complete the form as much as possible and bring it to your appointment.
Be on time. A missed appointment fee is $25. Avoid the fee by contacting us BEFORE your appointment starts. Be sure to allow yourself time to find parking or travel to us from your location.
Reschedule if needed. To cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance, go to Health e-Messenger's "Appointments" section. Choose the "Cancel Appointment" link. To cancel or reschedule with less than a 24 hour notice, call the Student Health Center at 831-459-2500 or CAPS at 831-459-2628.

Student Health Center Visits

Visits at the Student Health Center may be in-person or by telehealth. Anyone with respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat), must wear a mask when visiting UCSC Student Health. Because masks help protect the mask wearer and others from communicable disease exposure, SHS continues to strongly recommend their use in all healthcare facilities.

In-Person Appointments

Allow extra time to find parking. We have limited metered parking spaces. The nearest large parking area is Core West and there is limited parking near Crown College. Pay with the Park Mobile App .
Arrive 20–30 minutes early to allow for check-in.
Service dogs are welcome at Student Health Services, however emotional support animals cannot be brought into our buildings. This is in accordance with UCSC campus policy.
In consideration for our chemically-sensitive patients, please don't wear scented products to your appointment.
Bring a list of all medications you are taking.
Visitors may be asked to wait in the reception area.

I have a medical appointment coming up. What do I do if I end up getting sick or have COVID symptoms?

If you are sick or have COVID symptoms, please arrive 30 minutes prior to your in-person medical appointment to allow time for COVID testing. This does not apply to medical or CAPS appointments via phone or zoom. If you have tested positive for COVID by home rapid antigen testing, please call the appointment line at 831-459-2500 to cancel your in-person appointment that falls during your isolation period.

Telehealth Appointments

Please make sure you are in a private location and that you allow 40 minutes to complete your visit. If you scheduled a phone call appointment, staff will contact you on the number you provided.

If you have a zoom appointment:

1) Log in to the Health e-messenger patient portal 15 minutes prior to your appointment

2) Select View/Schedule an Appointment

3) Click the Appointment check in button and complete the check in process

4) When your provider is available, a Join Meeting zoom link will display on the Appointments page

check in process example. Blue button that says "View/Schedule an appointment" then the second example says "join meeting" with a green button to click — **View your appointment**; click **Check in**; then **Join Meeting** to access your unique Zoom link.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Visits

Please make sure you are in a private location and that you allow 60 minutes to complete your visit. If you scheduled a phone call appointment, staff will contact you on the number you provided.

If you have a zoom appointment:

1) Log in to the Health e-messenger patient portal:

15 minutes prior to your appointment – Follow Up appointments
30 minutes prior to your appointment – Initial Assessment appointments

2) Select View/Schedule an Appointment.

3) Click the Appointment check in button and complete the check in process.

4) Next, select Consent Forms to complete all required consents.

5) When your provider is available, a Join Meeting zoom link will display on the Appointments page.