Wellness Center

Health Services

Counseling Services

Required Forms

Welcome to the Wellness Center!

We provide free and confidential Health and Counseling Services to our traditional students.

Location: Rear Lower Level of The Haid Theatre Building
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am-4:30 pm – Last appointment 4:00 pm

Call 704-461-6877 to make an appointment or stop by our office

Health Services has a Nurse Practitioner, two part-time Registered Nurses, and an Office Manager.

Health Services has a Nurse Practitioner, Melanie, two part-time Registered Nurses, Mary and Tonia, and an Office Manager, Tina, who are on site 9:00 to 4:30 Monday through Friday while school is in session. Melanie has a collaborating physician, Dr. Matthew Harrison, who she is able to contact if necessary.

We treat a variety of illnesses and injuries.

Students are encouraged to come to the Wellness Center for any issues. If you have questions about whether we can help you, stop by or give us a call. Most likely we will be able to help you, but if we can’t, we can direct you to a local family practice, Urgent Care or Emergency Room if necessary.

FAQs

SERVICES / TREATMENT

• Allergy symptoms
• Cold and sinus symptoms
• Eye symptoms
• Ear symptoms
• Sore throat
• Asthma, cough, bronchitis
• Rashes and dermatitis
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• IV replacement if needed
• Headaches and dizziness
• Urinary tract infections
• Neck pain, back pain, sprains and strains
• Insect bites and bee stings, cuts, abrasions, etc.
• Minor laceration repair (if occurred within previous 6 hours)
• Flu shots

**Please allow enough time to see us. Expect to be in the Wellness Center about an hour.

Visits to the Wellness Center are free of charge.

Laboratory tests that need to be sent out accrue a cost and are billed to the student either through self-pay, which will be charged to the student account, or through insurance.

If a student is referred outside the Wellness Center to a local family doctor, Urgent Care or Emergency Room, the student is responsible for payment of associated charges and possible co-pay. The student should bring all insurance information to the appointment/visit.

Each student must have medical insurance, either through a private insurance company plan or the insurance package offered through the College. Information regarding the school’s medical insurance with information on how to waive the insurance will be sent during the summer months from Student Financial Services.

All students are billed every year on their fall tuition bill for the school health insurance. If the student is starting in spring semester, he will be billed at a reduced rate for the spring semester.

All international students are required to keep the school-offered medical insurance.

For non-international students, in order to waive the school insurance, you will need to complete an on-line waiver each year and show evidence of coverage by a private policy that provides benefits in this area. You will be required to submit proof of insurance according to the directions from Student Financial Services.

To waive the school insurance click here.

Submitting your private insurance information on the Medical History Form DOES NOT constitute a waiver.

**Although visits to the Wellness Center are free, we do encourage the students to carry their insurance card with them in the event they need medical care outside the Wellness Center.

The student is responsible for obtaining his own transportation if he needs health services off campus. Often times a student is able to drive himself or has a friend who can take him. Other times a student may end up taking a taxi or calling Uber or in some cases, if necessary, an ambulance may need to be called.

We understand that this is a difficult issue for parents, but once a student reaches the age of 18, he or she has legal confidentiality rights to his or her medical information.

There is no form for a student to fill out for a release of his or her medical information. Instead, on a case-by-case basis, the student can give verbal permission to the nurse practitioner or nurse who can then talk to a parent or guardian regarding his or her illness or situation.

The student is encouraged to keep an open dialogue with his parents and we are happy to talk to any parent, but only with your son or daughter’s permission in each case.

Belmont Abbey College operates on the honor system, therefore the Wellness Center does not write medical excuses for students. Students must notify their professors themselves if they need to miss a class due to illness.

Meningitis:    https://www.immunize.nc.gov/family/vaccines/meningococcal.htm

Influenza:      https://www.immunize.nc.gov/family/vaccines/influenza.htm

HPV:               https://www.immunize.nc.gov/family/vaccines/hpv.htm

Showing results of a sickle cell screen is a requirement by the NCAA for all athletes and are needed for the Athletic Department.

Screening for sickle cell disease is commonly done as a newborn. The Athletic Training website lists various ways to see if you have already had testing done and how to obtain the results to upload to the Athletic Training website, otherwise, testing can be repeated if necessary, preferably when the athlete is getting his or her physical by his/her primary care physician prior to the start of school.

*All new freshmen and transfer athletes should upload their sickle cell results to the Athletic Training Department website.

The sickle cell test results should not be sent to the Wellness Center.

People with sickle cell trait are at a higher risk for heat-related illness/heat stroke. Knowledge of sickle cell trait status prior to sports participation does not disqualify the athlete from participation; it allows for simple precautions to help prevent complications.

“Sickle cell disease affects millions of people throughout the world and it is particularly common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, Cuba, and Central America), Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.”

For more information about Sickle Cell trait/disease visit this website.

Local Emergency Departments:

Local Urgent Care:

  • Emergency/Ambulance/Fire: 911
  • BAC Campus Safety: 704-400-6200
  • Health & Counseling Services: 704-461-6877
  • Poison Control of North Carolina: 1-800-848-6946
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
  • Suicide Prevention Hotline:  1-800-273-8255
Nurse Mel Wellness Center

Melanie Eckstein
Director of Health Services
FNP-BC

Tina Morgan

Tina Morgan
Office Manager

Mary Juda, RN

Mary Juda, RN

Tonia, RN

Tonia Rutledge, RN

Counseling Services are free and confidential!

Our Licensed Counselors are available Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm to provide assistance to traditional students.

Concerns that students may bring to counseling may include, but are not limited to:

  • Bereavement/loss
  • Depression
  • Homesickness and college adjustment
  • Psycho-education
  • Relationship issues
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Stress management
  • Substance use issues
  • Some student issues may require an outside referral.

Appropriate referrals will be determined and made in these cases.

Catherine Savisky

Catherine Savisky
Director of Counseling Services
M.Ed, LCMHC

FAQs

College is a time of change, growth and transition. The emphasis is on learning during this time in your life, but college is also a time to explore your ability to cope with stress, adapt to change, form relationships, balance work and play and make personal decisions.

The counselors at the Abbey are here to help you when presented with the challenges of taking responsibility for your personal growth. During the course of your years at the Abbey, you may want help and guidance in dealing with the everyday stresses of college life, self-confidence, emotions or finding your personal values. This is why we are here.

Currently enrolled traditional Belmont Abbey College students may utilize counseling services or consultations. If it is determined that another agency or person may better meet a student’s needs, he or she is referred on a voluntary basis to that source. If a student is referred to an off-campus therapist, he or she will be responsible for all fees.

BAC Counseling Services are located in lower level Haid. Our entrance is on the opposite end of building from the Wellness Center entrance.

You can schedule an appointment with our counseling center online by clicking here.

For questions, you can contact the Belmont Abbey Counseling Center at 704-461-5065 or counselingservices@bac.edu.

The counseling Center staff provides short-term counseling on multiple issues and concerns, including:

  • Self-esteem Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Stress Management
  • Depression
  • Relationship Conflict
  • Grief and Loss
  • Eating Disorders
  • Lifestyle Concerns
  • Family Issues
  • Substance Abuse/Dependence
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Sexual assault
  • Trauma

Note: In the event of an emergency, call campus police at 704-461-6200. Police will contact the counselor on call immediately.

Follow Us!

@AbbeyCounseling

@BACCounselingCenter

Jenn Cooney Counselor

Jenn Cooney
Counselor
MTS-Counseling, LCMHC

All Health Forms

Required forms are due by July 15th for the Fall Semester and December 1st for the Spring Semester.

Retain a copy of all completed forms for your records. Please note: Your records are kept in the Wellness Center for only 3 years following graduation or your last semester attended.

Immunizations

New students can either click the link to the right or you will receive an email from Admissions with this same link that will give you instructions on submitting your immunization records.
The State of North Carolina mandates that all students must provide their immunization records to the school they are attending. If this requirement is not met or not in process of completion, dismissal from school 30 days after registration is mandatory under North Carolina law.
The State of North Carolina DOES allow for medical and religious exemptions from immunization requirements. It does not allow for exemption of immunizations for personal beliefs. For more information: https://www.immunize.nc.gov/schools/ncexemptions.htm.

Medical History

New students can either click the link to the right or you will receive an email from Admissions with this same link that will give you instructions on filling out your Student Medical History form.

Physical Exam

Athletes are the only students required to get a physical, but all new students (freshmen and transfers) are encouraged to get a physical by their physician prior to attending Belmont Abbey College.

Student Athletes

Both Health Services and the Athletic Department have separate medical health forms. Both sets need to be completed and sent to their respective departments.

Insurance

To waive the school insurance, click here.

Submit Your Medical History Form

You must log in to your Abbey email account.

Click Here

Submit Your Immunization Records

You must log in to your Abbey email account.

Click Here

Required Immunizations
Student Medical History Form
Physical Examination Form
Forms for athletic trainer

If you have any questions, please contact us between 8am-4pm Monday-Friday.
Phone: (704) 461-6877

Please note: Summer Hours during June and July will be limited.