Student Health and Wellness Center
The Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) is open to all enrolled students on the main campus and through a virtual environment. SHWC services include low-cost basic medical assistance and mental health support services. All appointments with the Health Services Clinicians or mental health professionals are conducted via a private and confidential in-person or Zoom session. Some types of appointments are in-person only.
Some over-the-counter health items are available through the Renegade Pantry.
Please call (661) 395-4336 or email BCStudentHealth@bakersfieldcollege.edu to set up a private and confidential in-person or zoom meeting with our Medical Assistant.
Hours
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Due to patient confidentiality, you will be admitted in the order in which you arrived. Please have your BC ID ready in hand and arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
About Student Health and Wellness
The Student Health and Wellness Center focuses on furthering student health equity while decreasing disparities which, together with other college initiatives, increase academic success.
Health Equity
What is Health Equity? Healthy People 2020 defines health equity as the "attainment of the highest level of health for all people.” Education alone is a powerful social determinant of health throughout life for the individual and their community. Bakersfield College “provides (educational) opportunities for students from diverse economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds…” In its Core Values, Bakersfield College believes “health and wellness to be integral and foundational elements, and we understand that holistic education improves all aspects of the individual and the society including mind, body and spirit; through education, we will positively impact the health of the natural environment and the global community.”
Mission Statement
The mission of the Bakersfield College Student Health and Wellness Center is to improve health outcomes for all students thereby facilitating academic succss. This is accomplished by providing access to high value, student centered and culturally competent health services. Services which promote the physical, emotional and spiritual wellness of its students and their academic environment. This wellness contributes to the educational aim of our college by promoting student persistence and academic success in congruence with the college's mission, core values and strategic directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for services?
Currently enrolled students who have paid the health fee are eligible for services at the Student Health and Wellness Center.
Do I need to provide evidence of being free of infectious disease such as TB?
No, the Kern Community College District does not require evidence that students are free of infectious disease. Some individual programs do require TB testing and the Student Health and Wellness Center does pride free lab orders for TB gold blood testing.
What do I do if I witness an accident on campus?
Contact College Safety at 395-4554. When in doubt about a life or death circumstance, call 911 and then call College Safety at (661) 395-4554.
Privacy Notice
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED BY THE BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY
Effective Date: October 14, 2003
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy regulations, the Bakersfield College Student Health and Wellness Center and all similar health care providers are required by federal law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI) and will abide by the terms of this Privacy Notice.
Please be advised that the Student Health and Wellness Center may use your PHI in rendering treatment to you. For example, we are permitted to use your PHI in providing you with medical care/treatment when you visit our office. Under federal law, we may disclose your PHI to you or we can disclose your PHI to third parties for treatment. For example, if we refer you to a specialist, we will forward your medical information to such specialist. We may disclose your PHI for payment purposes. For example, we may disclose your PHI to your insurance provider, employer, or other party responsible for providing you with health insurance coverage in order for the Student Health and Wellness Center to be reimbursed for our services rendered to you. We may also use or disclose your PHI for health care operations. For example, we may use your PHI when we engage in quality assurance and medical chart reviews, which are part of our health care operations. We may also disclose your PHI when required by the Secretary of The US Department of Health and Human Services.
Unless disclosure is required under federal, state law, or certain other exceptions, including law enforcement, we are prohibited from disclosing your PHI without your authorization. Our practice may use or disclose your PHI in accordance with the specific requirements of the HIPAA rules without the Student Health and Wellness Center needing to obtain your authorization if the information is:
- Required by law.
- Required for public health purpose.
- Required for disclosures about victims of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
- Required by a health oversight agency for oversight activities authorized by law.
- Required in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding.
- Required for a law enforcement purpose to law enforcement official.
- Required by a coroner or medical examiner.
- Required by an organ procurement organization for research.
- If disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
Additionally, if you are a member of the armed forces, the Bakersfield College Student Health and Wellness Center is permitted to disclose your PHI without your consent if deemed necessary by appropriate military command to assure an appropriate military mission.
We may also contact you via mail or phone to remind you of appointments with our office or to discuss treatment alternatives.
In the event our practice wishes to disclose your PHI to another entity besides those referenced above, we are required to obtain your authorization. We would seek to obtain your authorization if the Student Health and Wellness Center desired to release your PHI for reasons other than treatment, payment, or our practice's operations. For example, if we desired to participate in outside research or a drug study, we would need your written authorization prior to being permitted to release your PHI to such outside research facility or drug manufacturer. If you provide us with an authorization, you have the ability to revoke such authorization at any time by sending the Student Health and Wellness Center a written revocation.
Please be further advised that you have the ability to access, copy, and inspect and amend your medical information that we maintain. Additionally, if you desire, the Student Health and Wellness Center can provide you with an accounting of all disclosures of your PHI for treatment, payment or healthcare operations.
If you have a dispute with our practice regarding our use of your PHI or a disclosure by the Student Health and Wellness Center and believe that your primary rights have been violated, please contact the Dean of Students. Please understand that the Student Health and Wellness Center will not retaliate against you in any way for filing a complaint.
Lastly, please be advised that you have the right to request restrictions on certain use and disclosures of your PHI to carry out treatment, payment or healthcare operations or disclosures by the Student Health and Wellness Center of your PHI to a family member, relative, or a close personal friend. However, we are not required by federal law to agree to your requested restriction. If you request a copy of your PHI, you also have the ability to request that we send it to an alternative location (different address) and by alternative means. Bakersfield College Student Health and Wellness Center reserves the right to amend this Notice as revised. Notices will be posted on our website and in our offices and provided to you upon request.
Contact the Student Health and Wellness Center
If you have questions, comments, concerns, or wish to make an appointment, please contact us.
- Email: BCStudentHealth@bakersfieldcollege.edu
- Phone: (661) 395-4336
- Administrative Services (AS) 102
