New Shocker Parents: Health and Wellness

Preparing for your Shocker's arrival on campus can help ease their transition and alleviate any concerns you may have. Make sure to complete these tasks beforehand.

• Minor Consent to Treat: If your student is under 18 years old and will be when they begin school in August, it is important to request a Minor Consent to Treat form by emailing  student.health@wichita.edu. Read the form carefully with your student and understand the form expires when they turn 18.
• Medical Clearance Requirements:
  • Tuberculosis screening or testing: State of Kansas law requires all newly enrolled students to complete tuberculosis screening, which is an online questionnaire sent to student multiple times until it is complete. New international students may need tuberculosis testing, but not all students are required to be tested. For more information: www.wichita.edu/tuberculosis  
  • Meningitis ACYW vaccination requirement (for on-campus housing students only):            
    If your student is living in the residence halls, make sure they have submitted their documentation of receiving at least one dose of the meningitis ACYW vaccine after the age of 16. To submit immunization records, upload to the myShockerhealth portal: www.wichita.edu/uploadhealthdocs. The portal will list if the student is compliant for this requirement, under "Requirements and Clearances" tab. For more information: www.wichita.edu/meningitis.
  • Program Medical Clearances: Certain academic programs may require medical clearances such as physical exam, tuberculosis tests, and vaccinations (example: nursing students, student teaching internships, etc.). Your student will be informed of these requirements by their academic colleges. 
• Consider ensuring that your student has updated all other recommended adult vaccinations: WSU does not require all vaccinations, but strongly recommend all immunizations to prevent the spread of infectious disease on our WSU campus. Immunization recommendations for college students apply to all ages.  
• Health History Forms: Encourage your student to complete their health history in the myShockerhealth patient portal. Doing this beforehand, eliminates extra paperwork time when checking in for their appointments at SHS. They may also need your help identifying their medical history, family history, allergies and medication lists (medication lists should include prescriptions, over-the-counter, herbs or supplements). For your student who has chronic medical and prescription needs, see below for Transitioning Care for Students with Chronic Medical Conditions. 
• Prescriptions and Over the Counter Medications: Support your Shocker in developing a plan to manage their prescription medications effectively and timely. It's important to plan ahead for refills or renewal appointments to ensure they have an uninterrupted supply of medication. If preferred, find a pharmacy supported by your insurance or prescription benefits in the Wichita community.
  • If your student wants to transfer their healthcare to SHS and receive medication from our institutional drug room, they need to make an appointment. SHS does not carry controlled medications in our institutional drug room (i.e. Adderall, Testosterone, Ritalin, Percocet, etc.) but we can write prescriptions for most of these medications or e-scribe out to student's pharmacy of choice. For your student who has chronic medical and prescription needs, see below for Transitioning Care for Students with Chronic Medical Conditions. 
  • SHS has a wide variety of over the counter medications that do not require an appointment. These medications can be purchased at the myShockerhealth wellness store in the SWC. Most over-the-counter medications and other health and wellness products in any myShockerhealth Wellness-To-Go vending machine on the WSU campus. 
• Wellness Packing List: Prepare your Shocker's residence or dorm room with a well-stocked first aid kit. A good list of items to include: over-the-counter medications (pain relief, allergy, cough/cold, itch relief, antacids, etc.), first-aid supplies (gauze, tape, bandaids, alcohol swabs, etc.), THERMOMETER, 
• Insurance. SHS does not require health insurance coverage for students and accepts most major US Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna insurance plans. The student health insurance plan offered by all Kansas universities for students to purchase is UnitedHealthcare Student Resources, available to all currently-enrolled students and accepted by SHS. We also file insurance claims for all insurance plans, regardless if SHS is in-network or out-of-network, to enable students to get any allowable benefits for out-of-network facilities. Tricare, Medicaid and Medicare plans are not accepted at most Kansas public universities.
  • If insured: Encourage your student to upload a copy of their health insurance, prescription plan, HSA/FSA or any other insurance cards to their myShockerhealth patient portal using these instructions: www.wichita.edu/uploadhealthdocs. Take the time to explain to your student how to contact the insurance company. Help your student understand the basics of insurance, what the plan covers, co-pays, co-insurance and any other necessary steps for using their insurance. 
  • If not insured: SHS does not turn anyone away for not having the ability to pay for services. There are many options available to cover the cost of any services they use at SHS. SHS has a patient advocate who assists students with navigating medical bills (both SHS charges and community healthcare facilities). We also work with students who want to enroll in Kansas Marketplace or other federal insurance plans. 

To ensure a seamless transition of care for your Shocker with chronic medical conditions, we recommend discussing with their current healthcare provider whether they can continue to manage their care or if it's necessary to transfer care to a specialist in Wichita or to SHS. If needed, the current provider or the student's insurance company can assist in providing a referral to a local specialist. Our goal at SHS is to ensure that your Shocker receives comprehensive and coordinated care for their chronic medical conditions.

• For students requiring ongoing monitoring and/or treatment for chronic medical conditions, we encourage scheduling an appointment with a provider at the SHS clinic. This allows us to document your student's health history in their chart, which is vital information for our providers when delivering routine medical care. Our SHS providers are licensed and board certified physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (APRN), and physician associates (PA).  For specialty care, we will make appropriate referrals to providers in the community. 
• For students transitioning mental health care, counseling is available at Counseling and Psychological Services  (CAPS) on the 2nd floor of the Student Wellness Center, above SHS. If your student receives medication for mental health, including ADHD, SHS can prescribe these medications as well after an intake appointment with a provider. Formal ADHD testing is not required. SHS has a specialist psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who is trained to manage anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar and most all illnesses. For mental health crisis resources in the community, ComCare has 24-hour resources. 
• If your student has initiated an allergy desensitization program or requires other injectable medications, they can receive their shots at SHS. Have your student contact SHS to discuss paperwork and process to setting up allergy injection appointments.
• SHS does not accept or store chronic medications for students that is shipped to them. They will need to discuss a process with their WSU Housing and Residence Life staff on those procedures. If they live in a residence on-campus, they will need to discuss a process with their roommates when accepting medication shipments. 
• If your student has food or environmental allergies, seizures, or other potential emergent medical diagnosis, consider a medical bracelet that includes instructions when student needs assistance and remember to include epi-pens for possible anaphylactic reactions. In all emergent situations, 9-1-1 will be called. 

• Shocker Success Center: One building houses dozens of student support functions in a single, welcoming space in the heart of campus. Some departments housed here are Office of Student Accommodations and Testing, Office of Student Outreach Support, Shocker Support Locker and more!
• TALK to your student and College preparation about getting setting a budget, adequate sleep, eating healthy, drinking water, getting exercise, protecting themselves from infectious and sexually transmitted diseases, personal safety and alcohol and drug awareness.
  • myShockerhealth Newsletter: You can view all SHS newsletters that give helpful wellness and health education content for all the topics above.
• One Shocker Family Programs: Is committed to being available for you and your student throughout their college journey. WSU wants parents and family to feel engaged and connected. Sign up for the Shocker Family Newsletter, review the Shocker Family Handbook or submit a concern regarding your student to the CARE Team. 
• Wellness Resources: WSU and the Wichita community has many resources both on and off campus. Looking for dental or vision care? Or, looking for assistance with housing or food insecurities? Maybe your student is getting ready to graduate from college and is looking at various options for health and wellness resources.