Construction for the new Student Health and Wellness Center is on track to begin in the Spring.
The new building will unite the Student Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Wellness Center and the Office of Case Management under one roof. The Board of Trustees has estimated a $30 million budget for the 70,000-square-foot structure, which will be located next to Penn Pavilion on the corner of Union Drive and Towerview. Scheduled to be completed by Fall 2016, the Health and Wellness Center will also include a pharmacy, a radiology unit, acupuncture, massage therapy and indoor and outdoor common space for students.
“It's a dream come true,” said Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of students. "The hope is that students will find the building to be conveniently located and that when they enter it, they immediately feel better."
Wasiolek said that the new building will enable people who work in various health and wellness units to deliver services and programs in a more comprehensive and holistic way to all students.
CAPS Director Wanda Collins noted that the organization's space in the new building will include additional group space—intended to accommodate popular programs such as Koru mindfulness classes, yoga, "worrying well" workshops and group therapy, among others.
“My hope is that the building itself will serve as a reminder for students to be reflective and focus on self care,” said CAPS Director Wanda Collins.
The holistic nature of the new center will benefit students and will be able to address both physical and mental health prevention and response with greater convenience, said Vice President of Student Affairs Larry Moneta. Bringing all of the health and wellness units together under one roof will also make it easier for students to access all health and wellness services, and will allow for easier collaborations and referrals between offices.
“We will create an integrated student healthcare environment that connects the spirit, mind and body...that uses traditional forms of medicine and some non-traditional forms of healthcare," Moneta said. "All of these things will come together under a single roof.”
The future of the spaces that currently house Student Health, CAPS, the Wellness Center and the Office of Case Management has not yet been determined. Student Health's location in the Duke South Clinic and the CAPS location in Page Auditorium will be put to use at the discretion of the Duke University Health System and the provost's office, respectively, after the spaces are vacated. The Wellness Center on East Campus will be used by Student Affairs after the move.
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