Centers combine in Radio Road facility to help students with mental health

June 30, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida’s new Counseling and Wellness Center is now open to students seeking a campus haven for mental health problems, stress relief, counseling and supportive outreach.

The Counseling Center, formerly in Peabody Hall, and the Student Mental Health Center, formerly in the Student Health Care Center, have consolidated into the CWC at 3190 Radio Road to deliver psychological, developmental and preventative services to UF students. The CWC, within sight of the Southwest Recreation Center, also houses GatorWell Health Services, previously in the Student Health Care Center.

The Student Mental Health Center and the Counseling Center offered very similar services. Many students didn’t know whom to contact because of the resemblance of the programs, said Sherry Benton, CWC director, adding that consolidating the two centers also saved money.

The new four-story building offers a spa-like atmosphere and features more rooms for individual, couples and group counseling, and more space for stress-management sessions and group programs. The first floor features a larger biofeedback lab, which uses video games to monitor participants’ unconscious physiological activities, available for any student who seeks to increase concentration or learn how to manage stress-related medical conditions. GatorWell is also on the first floor, with a larger office and conference room. The CWC also includes a snack bar, which sells sandwiches, salads, candy and coffee.

The CWC is set apart from the core of UF’s main campus. But Benton said in case of emergencies, the CWC has an office in Peabody Hall for the Crisis and Emergency Response Center. Benton said faculty and staff who recognize a student in need of immediate help can quickly walk the student to CERC for aid. CERC is now operating on the third floor until the fourth-floor office opens later in the summer.

Students who drive to the Radio Road building can acquire a decal in the office there and park next to the building for 90 minutes. RTS buses 119, 125 and 126 stop near the CWC.

Additionally, the CWC has renovated its website to include a self-help library and more resources. Students can now make appointments and fill out paperwork via the website. Before receiving counseling services, students must attend a required triage appointment, a 20-minute evaluation of the services that will best meet the student’s needs. All services are free for students with a Gator 1 ID.

The CWC is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.counseling.ufl.edu or call 352-392-1575.