FAQ

General FAQs

The Student Health and Counseling Services is located on between KPE and the Library on the Hayward campus.

• Gender-affirming hormone therapy
• Laboratory
• Medication assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol addiction.
• Personal Counseling
• Pharmacy• Physical Exams
• Psychiatry
• Radiology
• Reproductive Health Services: Birth Control, HIV Testing, STI Testing & Treatment

Current regularly enrolled students are eligible to use SHCS and their services. Students enrolled in Extended Education or Open University may use SHCS for a fee.

Students paying the Student Health Fee, included in the University Registration Fee, receive basic health services at no additional cost. Some services such as lab tests, x-rays, and pharmacy are available for a nominal fee. Please inquire.

To make appointments you can call 510-885-3735, you can come into the Health Center, or you can go onto MyPioneerHealth and make the appointment online.

SHCS medical providers and counselors are board certified, licensed, and credentialed.

No.  SHCS is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30a-5:00p, and  Thursday from 10:00a-5:00p.

If you need immediate medical or mental health care after hours, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Students can also access after hours counseling support by phone by calling (510) 885-3735, and choosing option 2.

MyPioneerHealth is a convenient way for students to make or cancel appointments online, pre-fill your health forms, and communicate with a provider.

You will not be charged a fee for being late, but we cannot guarantee that we can hold your appointment for you.

Confidentiality

No, the SHCS will not call your parents or guardian to inform them of your visits.

You can be seen as long as a Minor Consent form is completed with a signature from a parent or guardian.

Insurance

No, insurance is not required here at the Student Health and Counseling Center. The cost of the visit is covered by the Student Health Fee.

Health insurance is available through Risk Management Department for international students only and Covered California for US citizen / nationals / lawfully present students. Visit the websites for additional information.

Immunizations

Please call the Student Health & Counseling Center at (510) 885-3735 and ask for details.

You can Mail, Fax or bring them into the Health Center.

Yes, you would need to call and make an appointment.

• MMR
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella
• Tetanus
• Tdap

The cost can vary. Please call for pricing.

Counseling

Students use personal counseling for many reasons.  Some of the most common are anxiety, stress, self-esteem, personal growth, depression, school, and relationships.

Our counselors are all professional staff, not students.  Our staff includes Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Clinical Psychologists, and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors.  We also employ Associate Counselors who have finished their master’s degrees and are gaining supervised hours toward licensure.

In counseling, students experience relief sharing their concerns with a trained professional who can empathize and offer perspective.  They may learn new skills and strategies, new ways to look at their lives, or experience a variety of other interventions to move toward their goals.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating mental health issues. A psychiatrist uses a variety of tools and interventions, including considering medications.

Students who are referred to psychiatry are typically also working with a counselor, but not all students who seek counseling also use psychiatry.

SHCS provides brief counseling in order to accommodate all of the students who are seeking support.  Many students find that their concerns can be addressed in a few sessions, while others choose to check in periodically throughout the year.  When you schedule a counseling session, you will discuss your specific needs with your counselor.  If you are looking for more support than we are able to offer, we will help you connect with an outside counselor.

We are usually able to accommodate new students within a week or two for a first “intake” appointment.  However, we also have crisis appointments available every day, at 1pm and 3pm, on a first-come, first-seen basis.  You can schedule these appointments the same day by calling (510) 885-3735, or emailing shcscounseling@csueastbay.edu.


If you need immediate support after hours, resources are available on our Crisis Support page.  You can also call our main number, (510) 885-3735, option 2, to be connected to a phone crisis counselor.

Group counseling is when students gather around a particular topic or concern, to discuss their experiences and learn coping tools together.  All SHCS counseling groups are currently being held over Zoom.  More information and the current group schedule can be found on our Group Counseling page.  To register for a group, go to https://health.csueastbay.edu, or call (510) 885-3735.

Your counselor will introduce themselves, give you some information about confidentiality and the counseling process, and allow you to ask any preliminary questions that you have.  They will then invite you to talk about what brings you to counseling.  During your first session, the counselor will be getting to know you and assessing your needs, so they will ask a number of questions.  Depending on what you are looking for, they will also suggest some tools or resources that might help your situation, or give you an idea of what an additional counseling session or counseling groups might offer.  It is ultimately up to you to decide what you want to try.


We know that coming to counseling is a vulnerable experience, and we want to make sure that we are providing what you need.  We invite you to speak up during the session to let us know what feels helpful, or if you are looking for something different.  You can give feedback directly to your counselor to shape your experience.  You can also give us anonymous feedback after the session through our satisfaction survey.