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
- Narcan Training
- Mental Health
- Healthy Eating
- Movement & Exercise
- Safer Sex
- Sleep Hygiene
- Human Sexuality
- Stress Management
- Preventing Burnout
- Interpersonal Violence
- Self-Care & Wellness
- Mindfulness Meditation
- 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
Wellness activities are hosted by the Office of Health Promotion & Mueller Center (aka: #RECWELL). These activities are free and available to all RPI students (undergraduate and graduate).
For more information about these activities or to register, follow us on Instagram where we post flyers and registration information a few days in advance: rpi.studenthealth
For questions about wellness activities, email: healthed@rpi.edu
#RPIMENTALHEALTHMONDAYS OR #RPIMHM IS ON A SPRING 2024 SEMESTER HIATUS AS WE REGROUP TO MAKE THE POSTINGS MORE STUDENT-DRIVEN. WE WILL RETURN IN FALL 2024!
*IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING US OUT IN FALL 2024, EMAIL US: healthed@rpi.edu
Brought to you by members of the RPI Mueller Center and RPI Office of Health Promotion, #RPIMentalHealthMondays or #RPIMHM has been providing students with a wealth of tips and resources on how to improve and maintain mental health since 2018.
Posts can be found on our Instagram account: rpi.studenthealth
If you have any questions or suggestions for topics (!), please email us at: 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, please 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/Narcan Trainings, 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 RPI 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 their alcohol and/or other drug use.
Additionally, the Office of Health Promotion provides educational programming on alcohol and/or other drugs. If you're part of a student clubs or organizations and would like to request educational programming, email us at: 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
Pre-matriculation, all incoming freshmen and transfer students are required to complete two online educational programs: AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates (SAPU) created by Vector Solutions. AlcoholEdu is a personalized educational program that assesses individual risk, covers campus and federal policies, addresses harm-reduction (including abstinence), and covers on- and off-campus resources. SAPU 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. We are confident that our comprehensive digital education efforts, paired with the work that staff, faculty and students do every day to reinforce the values and expectations of our community, will support us in making Rensselaer the best it can be.
