SMC Care

Saint Mary’s launches telehealth services for students

Saint Mary’s College has announced a new around-the-clock telehealth service for students. The service, SMC Care, provides free access to medical and mental telehealth care for all undergraduate students whether they live on or off campus, as well graduate assistants who live on campus.

Through SMC Care, students can talk to a licensed medical provider from their smartphone or any web-enabled device day or night. SMC Care can diagnose non-emergency medical conditions, prescribe medications, and offer mental health support and wellness coaching via phone or secure video visits. 

Bringing this service to Saint Mary’s was a joint effort between the Student Government Association (SGA), Blue Mantle, and the Office of Student Affairs, according to Gia Paradisio ’21, president of the SGA. 

“SGA is committed to doing everything in its power to assist Belles in their journey through Saint Mary's,” she said. “When Kelsey (O’Connor ’21, SGA vice president) and I were introduced to this company over the summer, we were over the moon excited at what they could offer. We could see SMC Care can truly provide 24/7 support for Belles. It’s why we were so eager to work with the College and Blue Mantle to bring it to campus.” 

Though telehealth services are not new, Paradisio said COVID-19 underscores their convenience and value.

“Mental health is a huge priority for us — now more than ever. We have seen a lot of our peers struggling as a result of the pandemic,” she said. “SMC Care is a great option. Our Health and Counseling Center is certainly a fabulous resource on campus; SMC Care offers added support and healthcare for those times when Health and Counseling isn’t an option.”

Gloria Jenkins, interim vice president of Student Affairs, had also heard from students the desire for additional options to meet their physical and mental healthcare needs.

“Student Affairs and the Student Care Team had noticed the increase in students seeking mental health support,” Jenkins said. “Because issues can arise 24/7, finding a support system that they could reach out to anytime was very important for the welfare of our students. Yes, students have the opportunity to visit our Health and Counseling Center, but only during normal business hours. We had been interested in supplementing their care, and SMC Care is a great service to do just that.” 

To learn more about this free program and schedule an appointment, students can create an account at SMCCare.care.