New Alvernia partnership offers healthcare for the body and mind

Penn Medicine - Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center provides convenient, affordable physical and mental health services to students, employees

By Claire Curry

College can be stressful for students, along with the faculty and staff at higher institutions.
The passage into adulthood marks the start of an exciting chapter in students' lives, but it can bring new challenges. Many leave their loved ones for the first time, take on more responsibilities and navigate newfound independence. For many, it's also a time when they begin to take responsibility for their own physical, mental and emotional well-being. It's no surprise that nationwide studies show an uptick in mental health issues in adults between 18 and 21. And that can have a corresponding effect on those who teach and work with them.
"Every student is different, but we do know on the aggregate that we see mental health issues come up during this period," said Elizabeth Matteo, dean of Alvernia's College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences.
And they're on the rise.
"The surgeon general has spoken about the mental health issues of this generation," Matteo said. "And many research psychologists have hypothesized that cellphone use and the pandemic [could be] contributing factors. All colleges and universities need to be aware of this."
As for Alvernia, the university is deeply committed to fostering a culture of care, offering many resources to support students throughout their college years, including free confidential counseling from skilled mental health counselors at Penn Medicine - Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center, which opened in August 2023. The result of a partnership between Alvernia and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health - a health system with a vast network of more than 300 providers, four hospitals, and proven experience in the collegiate healthcare space - the on-campus center aims to reimagine and expand the university's healthcare services.
Between August 2023 and June 2024, the facility clocked over 1,600 visits for mental health counseling, according to its clinical manager, Lynn Middleton, BSN, RN.
"Our counseling availability is better than any college I know, to be honest," said Claire Murphy, MD, FAAFP, director of collegiate health services at Penn Medicine. "If it's a crisis, they're seen immediately, no question. If they want to make an appointment, we can get them scheduled within the week in most cases."
There is no limit on the number of visits, she added,
because first and foremost, care is centered around addressing individual needs.
In addition to mental health support services, the center also offers a full range of physical healthcare services. Murphy, who joined Alvernia nearly 15 years ago and ran the healthcare clinic formerly housed in the basement of Veronica Hall, said the new facility is a one-stop shop for students and employees.
The medical office resides in the renovated Nursing Resource Center at 421 Adams Street. Equipped with the latest technology, it includes an electronic information-sharing system that streamlines healthcare services, as well as tools to provide acute and wellness care, including lab testing and routine bloodwork.
The beauty of the partnership between Alvernia and Penn Medicine, Middleton said, is the quality of care patients receive and the breadth of resources it opened up for patients.
"The staff is amazing, compassionate and caring," she said. "Their No. 1 priority is the patient. And we now have so many resources. Penn Medicine has specialties in every area, so if there's a specific need for a patient, we have access to the best care available."
In its first year, from August 2023 through June 2024, staff conducted nearly 1,700 medical visits for students and an additional 469 for Alvernia staff, according to Middleton.
"It's a very convenient service for employees," Murphy added. "If they're sick or want to change their primary care to us, they can do that. We're literally a stone's throw from where they work, and they can even bring their children."
The staff, which includes Murphy, a trained family physician who previously worked in private practice, a physician associate, a nurse, a psychologist and three additional licensed mental health counselors, is committed to delivering patient-centered care to students and employees at Alvernia.
"Sometimes that looks a lot like primary care," Murphy said, "and sometimes it looks like urgent care."
In addition, the healthcare providers emphasize wellness education and prevention. To that end, Penn Medicine hosts events to educate the campus community on various healthcare topics. Danielle Dominik, a graduate assistant and student pursuing a degree in clinical mental health and counseling at Alvernia, has organized several programs on topics such as anxiety and stress reduction, alcohol education and healthy relationships, among others. On a lighter note, just before finals in the spring, students were invited to enjoy quality downtime with some very special guests: baby kangaroos.
"It was so sweet to see some of these football players
coming by and just melting as they were holding these babies," recalled Middleton.