Health and Counseling Services

The Health and Counseling Center is located next door to the Community Safety building (28 West). This is on the west side of campus.

We have registered nurses, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and a psychiatric medication management provider. In Oregon, nurse practitioners practice independently, have full prescriptive privileges, and are considered first-line providers.

You can make an appointment via the student health portal, calling the HCC at 503-777-7281, or stopping by during business hours. You will be matched with the appropriate provider based on the type of appointment you're requesting.

All consults are free, there is no copay for visits. If further tests, labs, or medications are recommended there might be a fee. We can perform rapid strep, flu, UTI, pregnancy, and mono tests for a minimal fee. We also have liquid nitrogen to treat warts for a small fee. Fees for services will be added to the student's tuition account, and handled through the business office. The HCC does not accept payment for any fees. If an imaging study (x-ray, MRI, CT scan, etc.) or an EKG is ordered, then you will be referred to the appropriate clinic and those fees will be processed by that clinic through your insurance. We can provide lab draw services for our providers or outside providers. We are contracted with Labcorp who will bill your insurance directly, so it's best to make sure your insurance company is in-netowrk with Labcorp. 

We stock the following vaccinations: Flu, Covid Bivalent, Meningococcal B (Bexsero) and ACWY (Menactra), Varicella, MMR, Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis, Hepatitis A & B, and Gardasil 9 (HPV). We do not carry the skin test to rule out tuberculosis (PPD), but we can do a Quantiferon Gold lab draw to test for TB. These immunizations are at cost and charges will be placed on your tuition account. Most insurances fully reimburse these routine immunizations, but be sure to check that the HCC is in-network.

We do not have a traditional pharmacy where we re-fill prescriptions. We do have a limited stock of primary care medications, including: antibiotics, one brand of birth control pill, emergency contraception pills (Plan B/Ella), inhalers, nebulizer treatments, steroids, anti-virals, anti-fungals, and anti-nausea medications. These are available at cost and are reimbursable by your insurance. We also carry a few over-the-counter medications, such as analgesic throat spray, anti-fungal cream, antihistamines, etc. Over the counter (OTC) medications are NOT available for purchase, but can be distrubuted as needed with a provider visit. The Reed College Bookstore has a limited supply of OTC medications available for purchase as well. 

The HCC CANNOT dispose of medications for students. However, there are many authorized pharmacies/medical facilities where medications can be disposed of in the community (ie Safeway Pharmacy on Woodstock).

-Find a collection site to drop off unwanted medicines in-person, or get a prepaid and pre addressed envelope to mail in your unwanted medicines, through the Oregon Drug Take-Back Program here:

• Website: medtakebackoregon.org

• Toll-Free Telephone: 844-482-5322 

***Be sure to call the locations prior to drop off as disposal boxes are often full.

-You may also check the DEA website and possibly your local jurisdiction for other collection sites. 

-Also, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency usually holds annual drug take-back events in April and October for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Leftover or expired drugs can pose a number of serious environmental and health risks. If not disposed of, unused drugs can lead to accidental poisonings, addiction or abuse. Drugs can also have health and environmental impacts when they end up in a landfill or are flushed down the toilet or drain. Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are usually not equipped to treat pharmaceuticals and chemical compounds from these drugs can pass through treatment plants or septic systems to our rivers or groundwater. 

However, if no sites or events are available, dispose of waste pharmaceuticals in the trash using these basic guidelines:

• Take waste pharmaceuticals out of their original containers and mix with an undesirable substance such as used cat litter, or coffee grounds.

• Place this mixture in a plastic bag or other sealable container, such as an empty plastic container.

• Place the sealed container with the mixture in the trash as close to garbage pickup time as possible, to prevent theft and misuse.

-There are a few options on campus: 

• The HCC can dispose of used sharps, and provide new clean supplies for safe injection. 

• Community sharps containers are in the GCC restrooms. 

• Full containers can be dropped in our Chemistry waste room (211).

• Community safety/facilities can assist with pickup-503-777-7283

-Off campus resources:

• Multnomah County Syringe Disposal

If on campus, contact Community Safety (503)788-6666 for proper disposal. Avoid handling used syringes/medications for risk of needle stick, etc.

We can help you figure out what vaccines you need and where to get them locally. Please refer to the CDC Travel page and search by country. We can supply refills for your daily medications; please note there is often a process through your insurance called a "vacation override" that must be done in order to receive the supplies that you need. Specialty prescriptions, such as anti-malarials, can be prescribed by your provider here at the HCC.

Prescribed medications have a limited number of allotted refills set by the prescriber/insurance limits. Your presciption label will list the number of refills allotted. If refills remain simply call your prescribing pharmacy to request a refill. If you are out of refills, reach out to your prescribing provider through the health portal. Controlled medications may not allow refills.

Every insurance plan is different. Some may require a copay. Bring your insurance card when picking up your prescription. You can also use coupons, which may be cheaper: try GoodRX or SingleCare. 

The HCC does NOT bill insurance. Therefore, if you receive a prescription at the HCC the charge will go on your student account. You are responsible for submitting your claim to insurance if you would like reimbursement. If you need guidance with this process please contact us. Medications dispensed at the HCC are priced at cost with the intention of being as affordable as possible.

Generally, the process is as follows:

•  Collect the following information from your current pharmacy and prescription including:
  • pharmacy name
  • location
  • phone and fax number.
  • prescription Rx# if there is one
  • prescriber’s name
  • medication name and dose, number of tablets and refills. 
• Call the new pharmacy, provide them with above information and ask them to transfer the prescription.  

If your prescription is a “controlled substance” such as testosterone or certain ADHD medications:      

1. Laws vary by state and transfer depends on the law in the state where you want to transfer to;
2. Generally, must be a “refill” and NOT a new prescription to allow a transfer;
3. Generally, will refill once.

Please make sure you are set with refills to cover you through breaks for any daily medications like HRT and psychiatric medications. It is the student’s responsibility to contact their provider prior to breaks as the HCC is closed from Mid May- Mid August, and limited availability during Winter break.

It depends! Some medications can be sent out of state, but controlled medications (ie ADHD stimulants, testosterone) may not be able to. It is important to initiate care in your home state if your medication is not able to be transferred.

We do not have personnel who process insurance claims for students. We can instruct and assist you with the process, but you are responsible for getting claims and receipts into the insurance company for reimbursement. We do recognize that this is a new skill for many of you and we are glad to help along the learning curve!

We take confidentiality very seriously. Your medical records are yours alone; no information is shared with others, including your parents or the primary insurance holder unless there is a Release of Information form on file. However, while there are stringent laws governing confidentiality of medical information, we cannot control who opens your mail, such as a lab bill, at your home address.

We recommend that you list your local address when dealing with insurance billing. If you have a blood draw, make sure that the lab has your local address. Have a discussion with your parents about forwarding your unopened mail to school versus "helpfully" opening it for you.

Our staff treats all students regardless of insurance type. However, type of insurance can become an important issue when we assist you in referrals beyond what we can provide at the Health and Counseling Center. Insurance is complicated! We'll help you find providers who accept your insurance so that you get the care you need.