Howard Community College’s Wellness Center received a $1 million grant from Howard County, Maryland to expand on-campus healthcare.

Over the next three years, we will fund a pilot program to expand the number of monthly clinics and services offered by the Howard County Health Department on campus.

Expanded services include telemedicine, full contraceptive supplements including IUDs, well-woman visit opportunities, sexually transmitted disease treatment options, PrEP and HIV prevention, and dedicated laboratories.

“In addition, we hired a full-time registered nurse, a full-time social worker, and a part-time counselor to provide navigation of services and options to students seeking a range of health care services that may not be offered in Wellness. We have committed to providing counseling centers or health departments,” Howard County executive Calvin Ball said in the grant announcement Thursday.

The pilot deployment will be conducted in three phases. The first big improvement is that the health department will host clinics on campus from He once to He twice a month.

“Currently, the health department offers the following services at the wellness center: pregnancy testing and counseling, contraceptive options, sexually transmitted disease options, testing and screening and vaccination against HPV flu and COVID,” County Health Department.

Telemedicine will be added later this fall.

“This gives students the opportunity to virtually meet with a doctor or nurse about sexually transmitted disease outcomes and treatments, HIV pre-exposure prevention, also known as preparation, and starting or changing contraceptive methods.” said Russo.

Then, in January and early spring, HCC will become a Federal Title 10 satellite clinic under the County Health Department. With the new designation, the clinic will be staffed by health department clinicians who will provide healthy women visits, including gynecological and breast examinations, and access to a full range of contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible contraception. increase.

Tara Rapp, associate director of student wellness at Howard Community College, said expanding on-campus availability will greatly reduce the burden on students.

“For students who don’t have transportation, don’t have health insurance, and don’t have enough money, this will be a huge relief,” Rapp said. “These services, the extra hours, and having nurses and counselors here will allow us to physically meet students where they are.

“We break down barriers and enable students to not only focus on their studies, but truly focus on their growth, development and well-being.”