Trustees Approve Partnership to Provide Virtual Health Care to Students

East Central College will partner with a virtual health company to offer students free access to medical care and mental health support.

At its October meeting, the ECC Board of Trustees approved a recommendation to enter into a contract with The Virtual Care Group, Los Angeles, Calif., to provide medical and mental telehealth to all students.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer stated that the primary objective of offering telehealth care is to ensure students receive rapid responses for both physical and mental health concerns, with a focus on directing them to appropriate long-term care providers when needed. For instance, a student may use the psychiatric component for a short-term issue, and then the telehealth professional can refer the student to long-term care.

“We are very pleased that we can offer this to our students,” Bauer said. “This will help make it possible for students to stay enrolled, persist toward their goals, and have a resource for care that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

He explained the challenges faced by many community college students when accessing healthcare services, placing particular emphasis on the need for mental health support. He added that telehealth technology will empower students to access care at their convenience and according to their own schedules.

“Throughout the country, students face mounting challenges that impact their mental health, including finances, balancing work and school, caring for children, on top of studying and attending class,” Bauer said. “We have recognized that these added stressors have greatly increased the need for mental and health care among our students.”

The telehealth services are an extension of the role of ECC counselors who are already available to ECC students. Vice President of Student Services Sarah Leassner said the services could begin as early as this semester or, at the latest, in the Spring 2024. The College will closely monitor the initiative to ensure it benefits students.

“This is going to be an excellent resource for our students,” Leassner commented. “I can’t wait to see how this can help our students.”

She added that The Virtual Care Group platform provides additional services, like life coaching and writing wills, that also will be beneficial to students.

The telehealth services are available to all part-time and full-time students. Dual credit students are not eligible.

The package will be funded through student fees already collected by the college. The cost of the service is $2.98 per student, per month, with an estimated annual cost of $84,020. Included in the agreement is a 50-visit block of psychiatric sessions, which will address mental issues.

The College anticipated offering virtual health services to students and increased student fees in February to fund it. Top of Form

Once the infrastructure for the service is in place, the College will provide students with details and instructions on how to use the platform.