Director of Advocacy and Health Anna Walker describes the Wellness Center as the place students go for physical and mental health needs.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) students can receive a plethora of services, including but not limited to physicals, STI and STD testing, birth control services and counseling sessions. Appointments can be made by going to the Wellness Center page in MAVzone or by calling them at 970-644-3740, extension 4.
The Wellness Center works with Community Hospital and CMU to provide services to students at low prices. The facility is easy to get to, as it is located right across the street from the Maverick Center at 1060 Orchard Avenue. Its hours on Monday-Saturday are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“It is probably the least expensive counseling you’ll ever find, so might as well take advantage of it while in school. Peer support services are completely free, and to see a counselor is only a $10 copay,” Walker said.
To book an appointment, students must be ready to provide their name, date of birth, a convenient time and the purpose of the visit. There may be additional questions about counselor preference if the appointment is related to mental health.
However, students provide a very different outlook on how the Wellness Center works for them. One student, who requested anonymity, said the billing is confusing and purposefully deceitful.
This student claimed that after their insurance was billed, they received a charge for the mental health services they used. When they called to ask why, they were told that bills were sent, but not required to be paid besides the original copay. They were also encouraged to pay the full bill if possible.
Further, students have complained about the consistency of information from employees.
“My therapist at the CMU Wellness Center was willing to write an emotional support animal [ESA] letter for me to bring some comfort and calmness into my life in the dorm. I later got a call back […] from a different lady, stating that they cannot provide ESA letters. She went on to say that in order to have an ESA, you need to have a disability, which isn’t true. She said she looked at the policies and forms online, but personally, I can’t find anything to support her claims,” sophomore in social work Alyssa Erskine said.
The Criterion was unable to get a response from the Wellness Center about negative feedback from students, especially regarding ESAs.
