• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

From medical services to psychological support to a gym and hiking trips, UCLA students have a number of resources available to help with almost every need.

Students can seek medical attention at the Arthur Ashe Center, located in the middle of campus across from Ackerman Student Union. UCLA students with the Student Health Insurance Plan can receive medical attention for free, while students without SHIP can visit the clinic for a fee.

“(The Ashe Center) does deliver medical service, but our philosophy is one of wellness. People can schedule stress massages or acupuncture at the Ashe Center, as well as receive medical attention,” said Michele Pearson, the center’s chief of administrative services.

For students who have SHIP, most payments at the Ashe Center are already paid for, Pearson said.

The center has a pharmacy where students can get their prescriptions refilled and facilities for x-rays, physical therapy and optometry, she said.

Gender-specific services for men and women are also available where students can get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, she said.

For mental health issues students can go to Student Psychological Services.

Counseling is free for students who have SHIP health insurance, and enrolled students are charged $10 per session, said Elizabeth Gong-Guy, the interim director of Student Psychological Services.

“We see people for all kinds of different reasons – from procrastination and home sickness to depression and anxiety,” she said.

Student Psychological Services also offers a special program for substance abuse, and has several free group counseling programs, all of which are completely confidential, she said.

“It’s a pretty warm and friendly place. People come in for test anxiety or if they miss a friend. It’s not a mental hospital, it’s a counseling center,” Gong-Guy said.

As well as health-related services, UCLA offers students a number of recreation programs.

The John Wooden Center, located in the middle of campus next to the Ashe Center, offers a gym, rock climbing wall, racquet ball courts and equipment rentals, said Hahna Kang, a membership supervisor at the Wooden Center.

The Wooden Center also offers classes for $15 to $30 a quarter, from yoga to spinning and pilates, Kang said.

Sunset Canyon Recreational Facility is located at the back of the Hill and has two swimming pools, a large field and a challenge course.

To complement the recreational services on campus, there is also an aquatic center in Marina Del Ray where students can rent kayaks and wind surfing boards, as well as take surfing lessons, Kang said.

UCLA also offers an Outdoor Adventures program that, for a fee, takes students on camping and hiking trips, she said. The Wooden Center also offers outdoor rentals such as tents and backpacks for hiking trips.

For students with questions about their sexual orientation, the campus Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center is a safe place to ask them, said Ronni Sanlo, director of the LGBT center.

“We offer information and referral, advocacy, personal support and support groups, a library with over 4,000 books, a cyber center for students, and noon-time videos,” Sanlo said. “Students can look for information about what it is to be LGB or T and find a friendly atmosphere where all people are welcome.”