California Community College health centers were in jeopardy of closing.

?”There are 109 community college health centers in California,” said Don Turney, BC dean of students. “Several of the health centers have closed their doors. One-hundred percent of Board of Governors Fee Waiver [BOGFW] students are using college student health centers. Assembly Bill 982 now allows community college health centers to raise health fees of $12 to $13. All community college students are required to pay the health fee, including the [BOGFW] Board of Governors Fee Waiver students.”

Bakersfield Community College Health Center can now offer students a higher quality of health care.

According to Turney, “The expenses of running our health center were eating us alive. We now have the funds to offer our students a higher quality of care. That is what it is all about, taking care of our students.

“With the extra fee money being paid, we are looking into having an on-campus mental health counselor.”

The BC Health Center offers a variety of basic health care.

“We offer to our students, blood pressure monitoring, diabetes screening, drug information, first aid, hearing and vision screening, immunization information, [over-the-counter] medications, pregnancy tests, STD [sexually transmitted disease] and HIV referral, temporary rest area, tuberculin skin test and chest x-ray referral, if needed, urine tests, weight control information, and physical exams,” said registered nurse Debra Berry Strong.

However, if there are broken bones, the student health center is not equipped to serve students in this way, Strong said. “We will refer (the student) to Kern Radiology, 3535 San Dimas St., across from Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. It will be at the student’s expense,” said Strong.

Many students on campus may be overwhelmed with college life, life in general, stress, marriage, and career decisions, Strong said. “We give referrals to University Counselor Training Clinic, at California State University, Bakersfield School of Education, “Strong said.

CSUB’s Counselor Training Clinic is located at 9001 Stockdale Highway, on the second floor of the Education Building-Room 200, and the services are at the student’s expense of $25 for the first session and $10 per session thereafter. The service is provided by the advanced graduate students by appointment only, Strong said.

“All sessions are videotaped for training purposes,” said Strong.