- Student Health Center Director Beth Benne, R.N., poses for a photo inside the lobby of the Student Health Center. Photo: Jose Romero
Free tampons and condoms are available on campus.
Any Pierce College student currently enrolled in classes can use the services available at the Student Health Center.
These services include almost any service one can receive at a physician’s office, in addition to psychological help and counseling.
“All registered students, regardless of insurance, are eligible for the same no cost or low cost health care,” according to the Health Center website.
According to Beth Benne, director of the Student Health Center, a student with or without medical insurance can just walk in and get the same quality of care as a hospital or doctor’s office for a copay that is usually under $20.
“They actually aid the ones who don’t have anything: no type of help or assistance in the medical field,” says Pierce student Dominique Strong.
One might ask themselves how this is possible, when the budget has been slashed and the school is in a financial crisis. The Health Center is entirely funded by the $11 health fee that every student pays each semester.
“Every piece of medical equipment was paid for solely through the student health fee,” says Benne.
Even though the Health Center accomplishes an array of services under this budget, Benne says that they need more funds in order to hire another therapist.
Counseling and therapy services are already fully booked for the semester, but according to Benne, with an increase in the student health fee they could easily accommodate every students needs.
According to Benne, the school could charge up to $18 for the student health fee; however, they are restricted from doing so because some of the other schools in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) have a reserve in their funds.
Some of these schools outsource their services to hospitals and off-campus locations.
The Health Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and is located on the second floor of the Student Services Building.
