Student Health and Counseling

Welcome students!  Much is new and different this semester; please take a few moments to review the important information contained on these pages.  Use the page menu to navigate to our specific practice areas, which include Health Services, Counseling Services, Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Program, Health Promotion, and Sexual Health.

If You Have Symptoms of COVID-19

Students, if you are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, please contact the health center at 245-5736.  A nurse will assist you and provide you with information on the next steps.

Resources for Students who are not having symptoms but need a COVID test:

• Batavia Location
• Immediate Care - Henrietta 
• NYS Test Site Near You
• Health and Human Services 

Thanksgiving Mandatory COVID Testing Information and Video 

On 10/27/20, SUNY announced a new policy that requires all students with any campus presence or lives in Geneseo to be tested for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the campus’ final day of on-campus instruction (November 24), and prior to the student’s departure date. 

If you meet any of the criteria below, you will need to be tested:

• Come to campus for instruction
• Live on campus
• Live in Geneseo
• Work on campus
• Come to campus for any other reason

Testing will be conducted on campus in Ballroom.

We will be utilizing your health portal at myhealth.geneseo.edu to schedule your COVID test. More information to follow including when the portal will be open to make your appointment. 

Pooled Surveillance Testing Program

Any students who reside on campus, off-campus in Geneseo, regardless of taking face to face classes, as well as commuter students, are required to participate per SUNY mandate. Faculty have been notified that student participation in pooled surveillance testing may cause them to arrive to class late or need to leave class early. They are asked to work with students who may need this flexibility.

Before surveillance testing, you will need to create a profile on SUNY Covid Test. You must be logged in and have it open on your phone when you arrive for your test.

How do I know if I should participate?

If you are selected to participate, you will be informed at least 5 days in advance, but no less than 48 hours prior to the date for which you are selected. Once selected, you will receive an email from the Principal Administrator for Student Health and Counseling Megan Syfrett with instructions on how to register for an account and sign up for a time slot for the date for which you were selected. It is each student’s responsibility to check their email for this notification. Students who do not participate as expected face interim suspension for their lack of compliance.

The cost of the initial pooled test is covered, but if your pool of samples tests positive, your insurance will be billed to run your individual swab to determine who in the pool is positive. (If you don’t have health insurance you can indicate that when you register for the pooled test, by self-reporting “not applicable.”)

Do I need to quarantine or isolate?

There is no quarantine or isolation required on the day you participate in pooled testing. If we learn that you are included in a pool that tests positive for COVID-19, we will contact you and ask that you begin a precautionary self-isolation until we can identify which specific member(s) of the pool have tested positive. If you reside on campus, you will be moved to Jones Hall. If you are off-campus, you will be required to remain in your residence. All students are able to return home to self-isolate, if desired, during this period as long as they are not required to use mass transit to return home.

What does self-isolate mean?

Self-isolation requires you to remain in your residence and refrain from either having visitors or visiting anyone else. You must not report to work and should not participate in any other group activity or social gatherings during the self-isolation period. You may still pick up a meal but you are encouraged to limit contact with others to the greatest extent possible during your self-isolation. This period of self-isolation should not exceed 48 hours before being alerted to the final test result.

How do I obtain my final test result?

Upstate Medical will reach out to you and request that you create a MyChart account. If you choose not to sign up you can obtain a hard copy by sending a request to releases@upstate.edu and providing your legal name and date of birth. Since you will receive the notification first, we ask that you send the result of your individual test to Principal Administrator Megan Syfrett at syfrett@geneseo.edu. Once a negative result is submitted, you will be released from precautionary self-isolation. Should you test positive, you will be asked to remain in isolation until the Department of Health contacts you with further guidance.

Daily COVID Health Screening Survey FAQ's

Who receives a daily COVID Health Screening Survey? Anyone who lives on the SUNY Geneseo campus lives off-campus in Geneseo and/or commutes to Geneseo. 

Do I have to complete the survey? Yes, completing the daily screening surveys are mandatory. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action. 

Do I have to complete the survey every day if I am only on campus once a day? Yes, completing the daily screening surveys are mandatory. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action. 

What if I answer yes to 1 or more of the questions on the survey? If you answer yes to questions 1 and/or 2 your status will change to Isolation and you will receive an email from one of our medical staff regarding your symptoms. You will now receive a daily Isolation survey until the status is cleared. 

If you answer yes to questions 3 and/or 4 your status will change to Quarantine and you will receive an email from one of our medical staff. You will now receive a daily quarantine survey until the status is cleared. 

What if I answer yes to a question by accident? You can message the Technical Support rep within the health portal or email her at palmer@geneseo.edu

Workshop Series for Athletes, November 2020

During the first three Wednesdays in November, we will offer a workshop series specifically for student-athletes.  This series is ACCEPT (Athletes Connecting, Coping, & Encouraging during Pandemic Times) and will be offered noon-1 on 11/4, 11/11, and 11/18.  View this flyer for specific descriptions of each workshop and message Jess Seren for Zoom links.

View this 30-minute recorded version of the second workshop, "Feel Your Feet: Mind-Body Coping for Athletes" offered by Dr. Beth Cholette on her YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/Wj_lBE1rEcY

Mental Health Information

Mental health services are currently being provided via teletherapy.  Both new counseling and returning counseling students can request a counseling appointment on the student health portal at myhealth.geneseo.edu.  Read more about scheduling and accessing appointments on our Accessing Teletherapy Appointments page.

Visit our Coping with Covid page for pandemic-specific resources, including online mental health options and free mind-body coping resources.  This page also includes LGBTQ-specific resources; also read about the LGBTQIA+-specific program, Home for the Holidays, being offered on Tuesday November 17th at noon.

Visit our Counseling Services pages for additional information, or call our office at 585-245-5716 if you have questions.  You may also take one of our free, anonymous online mental health screenings by visiting How are you feeling today?  For additinal assistance, text "GOT5" to 741-741 for Crisis Text Line (or call 1-800-273-TALK), or use the NY State Office of Mental Health COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline 1-844-863-9314 (8 am-10 pm, 7 days/week).

New York State is currently offering free training in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), which teaches how to recognize signs of emotional distress or signs that someone is struggling with thoughts of suicide. Members of the Geneseo community can register for QPR by entering “SUNY” as the organizational code.

Spring 2021 - All Student Health Requirements 

More information to follow regarding COVID testing from SUNY.

If you are a new or transfer student, click HERE for immunization, physical, and questionnaire compliance. 

Text Alert Reminders for Appointments

You will need to "opt-in" to text alert reminders. You must know your phone carrier.  For specific instructions, go to our Using the My Health Portal page.

Using the Student Health Portal

As a SUNY Geneseo student, you automatically have access to a student health portal, myhealth.geneseo.edu.  This portal provides a gateway to many features and services, such as scheduling appointments and secure messaging staff members.  For more information, review our Using the My Health Portal page.

Virtual Tours of Our Health Centers

Lauderdale Health Center

South Village Health Center

Prescription Delivery from Wegmans

Wegmans in Geneseo delivers prescriptions to the main Lauderdale Health Center building Monday-Friday during our business hours.  New prescriptions must be received by 2 pm in order to be delivered that same day.  To initiate this service, you must first complete this paperwork and turn in to Wegmans or to Lauderdale.  Note that these forms will authorize Wegmans to keep your credit card on file.

Other things to know:

• You must opt-out of automatic refills; instead, inform Wegmans to deliver to Lauderdale when you call for a refill.
• Before picking your prescription up from Lauderdale, you must first call to request this, as walk-ins are not permitted at this time.

Sexual Health Needs

Sexual/reproductive health services are offered through the Reproductive Health Center, a service provided through Livingston County Health.

PrEP at Geneseo

PrEP at Geneseo is a service offered by Trillium Health.  PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a once-a-day single blue pill that prevents HIV infection.  Prep will be offering remote (telehealth) services for the Fall 2020 semester.

Need a reminder of why wearing a mask is important?  Check out this video:

Certified Medical Home

The Department of Student Health and Counseling at SUNY Geneseo has received Accreditation as a MEDICAL HOME. A MEDICAL HOME is student-centered, comprehensive, team-based, accessible, and quality-focused. Allow us to be part of your health care team. We need your detailed health history, recent physical exam, and immunization records in order to coordinate with your health care providers to offer you the best medical care.

Student Health and Counseling, your "Medical Home Away From Home"