Health and Wellness Fee Initiative

Demand for health and well-being services continue to grow and has outpaced existing funding sources. The fee would:

• Provide stable, long-term funding
• Sustain current services
• Allow improvements to better meet student needs
• Address historical underfunding across health units and ongoing financial challenges

The fee would be overseen by a committee comprised of students, and advised by university leadership and student health and well-being staff.

ASUWB is exploring a Student Health & Wellness Fee of $85-125 per student, per quarter.

Previously, health and wellness resources received substantial subsidies from external grants, which are no longer available. Without a dedicated funding source for these services, we risk dramatic reductions in health and wellness resources for students. A new Student Health & Wellness Fee would allow students to continue to access these services and even provide new resources to students.

Many of our current health and wellness services were previously funded by external grants that are no longer available. Without additional funding, many health and wellness services could be limited or reduced. Examples include:

COunseling Center

• 60-75% reduction in services
• Limited crisis support capacity for students in distress
• Long wait times
• No psychiatric services or neurodivergent consultations
• Lower session limits (currently at 6 sessions/academic year and trying to increase)
• Fewer groups and workshops offered
• Fewer trainings and outreach

HaWRC

• Fewer resources for uninsured students
• Longer wait times in the community for resources
• Students would have to navigate finding resources themselves
• Inability to expand services in the food pantry and would likely have to limit open hours
• Inability to continue to offer wellness and sexual health supplies
• Fewer health education programs for students
• Limited programming and outreach for students struggling with food insecurity and housing instability

VPA

• Limited advocacy services for sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking
• Limited programming and education for students on healthy relationship, sexual violence, and consent
• Limited ability to connect students to long-term resources in the community
• Reduction in confidential support on campus

Student Emergency Support Program

• Inability to continue to provide emergency funds to students

The goal of the fee is to prevent reductions and ensure students continue to have access to no-cost, on-campus services, especially those who are most in need or at risk.

The proposed Student Health & Wellness Fee would apply to all matriculated, tuition-paying students at UW Bothell, similar to other mandatory fees. This includes undergraduate and graduate students.

A Student Health & Wellness Fee Committee – made up of students and advised by university staff – would provide guidance and oversight to ensure funding decisions are transparent, equitable and aligned with student needs. A key priority is to strengthen services that are available to students at no additional cost, such as counseling, crisis response, advocacy, peer wellness coaching and basic needs support – especially for students who may be struggling.

Yes, if approved, the Student Health & Wellness Fee would be included in the Cost of Attendance (COA) used to calculate financial aid. This means that financial aid packages (grants, scholarships, loans) may help cover the fee. Graduate assistantships, stipends, or fee waivers may also apply, depending on departmental or program policies. Because the fee is designed to lower cost of services like counseling and medical care, it aims to improve – not create new financial barriers – for students who are struggling.

Student emergency support is available to currently enrolled UW Bothell students who are facing an unexpected financial crisis that threatens their ability to stay enrolled. Students can request assistance through the CARE Team by submitting a report and selecting “Emergency Fund Request.” What the emergency fund can do:
• Provide up to $750 per quarter in financial support (with a maximum of $1,500 per academic year)
• Be used toward a variety of urgent, unplanned costs that are affecting your ability to continue your studies, such as:
o Textbooks or course materials
o Utility bills or essential living expenses
o Phone or internet bills
o Medical bills
o Food

Website: https://www.uwb.edu/student-affairs/care-team

The VPA offers advocacy services to all UW Bothell students impacted by relationship violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and related experiences. This resource is free and available to currently enrolled students. The VPA provides:

• Confidential Survivor Advocacy
• Connections to off campus resources
• Prevention Programming
• Workshops on bystander intervention, consent, healthy relationships, etc.

Website: https://www.uwb.edu/well-being/phw/vpa/

The Health & Wellness Resource Center (HaWRC) is a one-stop hub connecting students with on-campus and community resources to help you thrive. They provide health education, supplies, and help with basic needs like food, housing, financial distress, etc. In partnership with community programs such as the United Way Benefits Hub, they provide resource connections, financial coaching, and public benefits enrollment. Their services also include peer health education, and referrals to off-campus wellness resources. The HaWRC provides:

• Husky Food Pantry
• Hopelink Mobile Market
• Basic Need Resource Navigators
• Peer Health Education through the HEROs
• Free Wellness supplies for sexual health, menstrual products, and Narcan
• Hot Spot check out
• Parenting Support Resource Program

Website: https://www.uwb.edu/well-being/phw/hawrc/

The UW Bothell Counseling Center is a mental health resource where currently enrolled students can receive mental health services that enhance student wellbeing and assist growth and academic success. The licensed clinicians work with a variety of mental health challenges, such as: depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, adjustment issues, suicidal ideation, etc. They provide:

• Individual Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Crisis Services
• Neurodivergent Consultations
• Workshops & Presentations
• Husky Helpline
• Limited Psychiatry Services
• Connections to ongoing mental health providers

Website: https://www.uwb.edu/well-being/counseling/