Rensselaer promotes, maintains, and improves individual and community health by teaching students individually and collectively how to take an active role in their own health care, while placing an emphasis on social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Health promotion initiatives at Rensselaer utilize comprehensive, trauma-informed, evidence-based best practices to improve health knowledge, behaviors, and skills of Rensselaer students, thereby enhancing academic success. It is our goal to lead students to positive change and/or reinforce existing knowledge, behaviors, and skills that support overall physical and mental health and wellness.
Programs & Topics Covered (include, but not limited to):
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Mental Health
- Healthy Eating & Movement
- Sexual Health & Safer Sex
- Sleep Hygiene
- Human Sexuality
- Interpersonal Violence
- Self-Care & Wellness
- Bystander Intervention Training
To request a confidential, one-on-one consultation or wellness workshop/training for your student club or organization on any of these topics or any other topics of interest, email: healthed@rpi.edu
Initiatives and Services
Follow us on social media for breaking health news, awareness month campaigns, wellness workshop information, and more!
Instagram: rpi.studenthealth
Discord: https://discord.gg/8DZJJ38zWj
Facebook: RPI Student Health Services
Wellness workshops are free and available to all RPI undergraduate and graduate students. For a listing of fall 2024 wellness workshops and registration links, click here.
For questions about wellness programs or to request a wellness program for your student club, email: healthed@rpi.edu
The RPI Rainbow Connection supports the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) campus community at Rensselaer. The RPI Rainbow Connection is housed on a Discord server, providing a virtual space for the RPI queer community and allies to meet, discuss, share, inquire, and inspire!
The RPI LGBTQ+ Mentoring Network is housed on the RPI Rainbow Connection Discord server. This program pairs "mentors" ("out" LGBTQ+ staff, faculty, and alumni) and "mentees" (LGBTQ+ undergraduate and graduate students) in mentoring relationships.
For more information or to request an invitation to this Discord server, contact Tara R. Schuster: schust@rpi.edu
Rensselaer’s Bystander Intervention Training was first developed in fall 2013 by the Student Health Center and Counseling Center, utilizing evidence-based research to teach students skills that can be used to safely intervene in situations involving, but not limited to substance misuse, sexual misconduct, mental health emergencies, and hazing. Keeping oneself and others safe while intervening is prioritized.
To request a training for your student club or organization, email: healthed@rpi.edu
The number of drug overdose and opioid-involved deaths continues to rise in the United States. More than six out of 10 drug overdose deaths involve an opioid (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Watch this brief video to learn how to administer Narcan: How To Administer Narcan
To request a Narcan Training for your student club or organization, email: healthed@rpi.edu
Click on the links below for more information about Narcan, Fentanyl, and Xylazine.
Narcan & Narcan Training FAQs: https://bit.ly/45Hf0bo
Fentanyl FAQs: https://bit.ly/3qKXowx
Xylazine FAQs: https://bit.ly/44sl1aJ
OFFICE OF HEALTH PROMOTION SUPPORT
The Office of Health Promotion employs two health educators who are available to meet with students in a one-on-one setting to confidentially discuss questions and/or concerns related to alcohol and/or other drug use. To schedule a confidential appointment, email: healthed@rpi.edu
Additionally, the Office of Health Promotion provides educational programming on alcohol and/or other drugs. If you're part of a student club or organization and would like to request educational programming, email: healthed@rpi.edu
COMMUNITY PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Meetings
A complete list of meetings available in Rensselaer County: https://aahmbny.org/meetings/?tsml-region=rensselaer-county
Al-Anon of the Greater Capital District
Al-Anon meetings are for anyone who has been affected by someone’s drinking. For a listing of meetings available in the Capital District of New York visit: https://www.al-anon-8ny.org/online-meeting-schedule
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Meetings
LOCAL TREATMENT CENTER
Conifer Park - Troy Outpatient Clinic
Phone: (518) 274-5143
Fax: (518) 273-1350
Address: 2435 Sixth Ave., Troy, NY 12180
#RPIMENTALHEALTHMONDAYS IS ON HIATUS AS WE REGROUP TO MAKE THE POSTINGS MORE STUDENT-DRIVEN. IF YOU'RE AN RPI STUDENT AND INTERESTED IN HELPING US OUT, EMAIL: healthed@rpi.edu
Founded in 2018, #RPIMentalHealthMondays (or #RPIMHM) aims to provide students with information, tools, and resources to help maintain and/or improve mental health. Content has been shared on social media through the use of blogs, carousels, and videos.
Pre-matriculation, all incoming freshmen and transfer students are required to complete two online educational programs, AlcoholEdu for College and Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates. AlcoholEdu for College assesses individual risk, covers campus and federal policies, addresses harm-reduction (including abstinence), and covers on- and off-campus resources. Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates covers sexual misconduct, campus and federal policies, and reviews on- and off-campus resources.
In October of 2020, Rensselaer earned the highly regarded Campus Prevention Network (CPN) Seal of Prevention for our best-in-class prevention and wellness programs. The CPN Seal represents the highest standard for online prevention education, with a rigorous set of criteria to ensure we are making a measurable impact across the critical health and safety areas of alcohol misuse and sexual assault prevention.
Members of Rensselaer's Student Health Advisory Council, or SHAC, help foster a strong relationship with the general student body, and will assist in improving the Student Health Center’s services.
The Council often seeks new members for each school year, so any students who are interested in becoming part of something larger than themselves are encouraged to contact Health Educator, Lauryn Maleski: malesl@rpi.edu
