If your student is enrolled in six or more semester hours on campus, they are will be assessed a mandatory health service fee which cannot be waived. The fee covers many services and resources at McKinley Health Center.

The University requires that your student is covered by a health insurance plan. If your student is not covered under a family insurance plan, they may consider contacting the Student Health Insurance Office at 217-333-0165 to discuss enrollment options.

New Student FAQ

Your student can renew or transfer prescriptions by calling 217-244-2511 or through their MyMcKinley Portal - https://mymckinley.illinois.edu.
More information may be found on the Pharmacy Web page.

It can be challenging for students to prioritize their health especially prevention. Encourage your student to meet with a health educator to talk about a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, reducing stress and ensuring regular sleep, and safer sex.
Health Education

 If your student has a chronic medical condition, decide before coming to campus how best to ensure continuity of care. Talk with the specialist currently providing care. Some specialist offices now offer telehealth opportunities or will arrange to see your student when home on break. In other cases it will make sense to have care delivered near campus. Both Carle, OSF, and Christie Clinic have a broad array of excellent specialists. The type of insurance coverage will often help determine who in town may be best to follow your student.

McKinley doctors and nurse practitioners are generally trained to deliver primary care services, except in our mental health unit. While our caregivers will support your student in their chronic disease diagnosis and management, specialty referral is often necessary for delivery of the best care.

Going off to school and learning the ways of effective self-care can be challenging. The University of Illinois has many campus based co-curricular programs under the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) to help with success. Check out OSA website for more information https://studentaffairs.illinois.edu/. McKinley and the Counseling Center (CC) work very closely together. CC has a rather large number of licensed counselors who can often see students by same day appointment if they call early. Check out more https://counselingcenter.illinois.edu/about-us/our-staff. The idea is to help the student learn to make decisions and assume care for self. See: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/top-ten-freshman-year-issues

McKinley Health Center is here to ensure your student remains healthy and we will do our best to ensure any questions are addressed.
Contact Us

If you are concerned your student is having emotional and/or behavioral difficulties and is in need of support, parents may encourage their student to seek assistance through the Mental Health Clinic at McKinley Health Center or through the University of Illinois Counseling Center (https://counselingcenter.illinois.edu/). All appointments on campus must be scheduled by the student, not by a parent or other individual. McKinley provides short-term counseling, typically four sessions, and the student is connected with additional resources/long-term counseling options as needed. Intake appointments are booked over the phone and are generally booked out several weeks in advance during the Fall and Spring semesters. Emergency consultations are available for students with urgent concerns. Parents also may encourage their students to be in touch with emergency deans at the Student Assistance Center who help support students in crisis and connect them with resources (https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/student-assistance-center/). Further, the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) office may be a useful office to suggest to your student to if their mental health condition is disabling and requires academic accommodations (https://www.disability.illinois.edu/). If you are unsure of where to refer your student and need to consult with a mental health provider, parents may contact the Mental Health Clinic at McKinley and request to speak to the emergency counselor who can assist in recommending resources for your student.