Student Counseling Service
Office Hours for Administrative Assistant
Monday thru Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm
Phone: 508.856.3220 Fax: 508.856.3036
E-mail: Student Counseling Services or charlene.paradise@umassmed.edu
Drop-In TIME CHANGES and CANCELLATIONS
* see complete listing regular hours at the bottom of this page
Announcements
As part of our wellness program, we have relaxation CD's available for you. Stop by the office to pick one up.
General Office Information
What is SCS?
Location/Scheduling
What Is Drop-in Clinic?
Mental Health Emergencies
Staff
Links
THE STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICE (SCS) provides counseling, psychotherapy, assistance with stress management, and educational programs on emotional well being for graduate, medical, and nursing students. People come to SCS seeking personal growth and greater self-understanding, as well as healthier psychological functioning. Many students using the service are people who want to cope more effectively with difficult or stressful academic situations, while others seek counseling to deal with broader life issues. Some students come because of more serious, troublesome, and/or chronic difficulties in their lives.
While short-term counseling is most common, it is possible, when time permits, for students to be seen for an extended period. Medication is prescribed and monitored as needed, on a case by case basis. The costs for our services are covered by the prepaid Student Health Plan fee; there is no additional charge for students using SCS. Appointments are scheduled weekdays Monday through Thursday with some evening availability.
(SCS) provides counseling, psychotherapy, assistance with stress management, and educational programs on emotional well being for graduate, medical, and nursing students. People come to SCS seeking personal growth and greater self-understanding, as well as healthier psychological functioning. Many students using the service are people who want to cope more effectively with difficult or stressful academic situations, while others seek counseling to deal with broader life issues. Some students come because of more serious, troublesome, and/or chronic difficulties in their lives. While short-term counseling is most common, it is possible, when time permits, for students to be seen for an extended period. Medication is prescribed and monitored as needed, on a case by case basis. The costs for our services are covered by the prepaid ; there is for students using SCS. Appointments are scheduled weekdays Monday through Thursday with some evening availability.
To provide the best possible services to the greatest number of students, we ask students to give us 24 hours notice if they need to cancel an appointment, as our counseling services are in very high demand. This will enable us to offer the appointment to another student. If someone cancels three times, with less than 24 hours notice within a three month period, we will be unable to continue to schedule regular appointments. Instead, we will offer cancellation openings when available in a clinician’s schedule. Drop in Clinic will remain available as noted below.
The Student Counseling Service maintains strict standards of privacy and confidentiality. Counseling records are kept separately from students' general medical records. No information about a student's contact with the service or information obtained in counseling is released to anyone outside the counseling service staff, including school or hospital administration, faculty, family, or other students, without the knowledge and written consent of the student, unless required by law or in the rare instance of an emergency situation involving someone's safety.
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LOCATION/SCHEDULING
The Student Counseling Service is located in Room # S1-620 which is located behind the Medical School Library, in Room S1-620. Enter the library, then head towards the computer training classroom, proceed through the brown steel door..
To schedule an appointment with a clinician on the Student Counseling Service, please call: 508.856.3220 or E-mail: Student Counseling Services or Charlene.Paradise@umassmed.edu.
Ruthann Rizzi, MD, Director is here Monday,Wednesday and Thursday.
Please call or e-mail to schedule an appointment.
SCHEDULE FOR SCS CLINICIANS
Phoebe Moore, PhD Monday: 10:00AM - 12:00PM and Thursday: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Paula-Ann Pricken, PhD Tuesday: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Marianne Smith, MD Thursday: 5:00PM -10:00PM
Karen Wentworth, Psy.D. Monday: 5:00PM - 7:00PM and Wednesday: 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Lewis Wurgaft, PhD Wednesday: 9:45AM - 6:30PM
SCHEDULE FOR SCS TRAINEES
Joshua Blum, MD, PGY IV Tuesday: 4:00PM - 6:00PM and Thursday: 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Clara Kim, MD, PGY V Monday: 3:30PM - 4:30PM
Kerry Wilkins, MD, PGY III Wednesday: 2:30PM - 6:30PM
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Drop-In Clinic Hours with Dr. Rizzi
Monday: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Wednesday: 10:00am - 11:00am
Thursday: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
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CANCELLATIONS and TIME CHANGES
Thursday, April 12th 10:00am - 11:30a.
Established patients (patients who have already had an evaluation and are currently being seen in SCS) will be seen by Dr. Rizzi for uncomplicated medication refills or other quick needs. No appointment is necessary, but early arrival is recommended as students will be seen on a first come, first serve basis.
Drop-In Clinic is not meant to replace psychotherapy visits, nor should it supplant medication appointments when deeper discussions are needed. As always, students new to the clinic or any student with a mental health emergency should contact the service directly. More detailed instructions are given below.
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is not meant to replace psychotherapy visits, nor should it supplant medication appointments when deeper discussions are needed. As always, should contact the service directly. More detailed instructions are given below.
MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES
If a mental health emergency arises, please try to call our office first. Outside Business hours please call the Switchboard Operator at: 508.334.7243 and request that the Director, Dr. Ruthann Rizzi, be paged at: 4261. If Dr. Rizzi cannot be reached, the operator will transfer your call directly to Emergency Mental Health.(Emergency Mental Health Phone: 508.334.3562).
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STAFF
Alan Brown, M.D., Vice Chair Psychiatry
Ruthann Rizzi, M.D., Director
Joshua Blum, MD, PGY IV
Clara Kim, M.D., PGY V
Phoebe Moore, Ph.D.
Paula-Ann Pricken, Ph.D.
Marianne Smith, M.D.
Karen Wentworth, Psy.D.
Kerry Wilkins, MD, PGY III
Lewis Wurgaft, Ph.D.
Charlene Paradise, Administrative Assistant
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LINKS
StudentAffairs
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
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