Western New Mexico University and Hidalgo Medical Services are teaming up to offer expanded student health services starting Friday, February 15, 2019. WNMU was previously able to offer students some medical services and mental health counseling but no dental care. Under this new agreement, students will be able to access medical, mental health and dental care at HMS sites around the region.
“We felt we were limited in what we could provide our students, so we decided to partner with the people who can provide those services and more,” WNMU Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Isaac Brundage said.
As WNMU student fees cover health service expenses, registered students who pay tuition and fees are eligible to receive five medical visits, 15 mental health visits and one dental visit to HMS annually. Additional visits or outside referrals and services will be seamlessly provided and billed according to the students’ insurance or income levels, as the students will have become established patients of HMS upon their first visit.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with WNMU to provide comprehensive healthcare services to their students. We understand educational outcomes and the correlation to holistic and comprehensive health services as offered by HMS,” HMS CEO Dan Otero said.
In order to continue providing immediate mental health care to students, WNMU will maintain an on-campus mental health team with providers on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those on that team will be able to make referrals to HMS mental health providers for sustained or more specialized care.
Students will be able to access care at any HMS site that provides needed services. HMS currently offers medical services at 10 locations throughout Grant and Hidalgo counties, mental health services are offered at nine locations and dental services at two; thus providing multiple choices for student access.
The HMS Main Clinic is just three blocks from campus, but WNMU students carrying Mustang IDs also get free rides on Corre-Caminos, which has routes stopping at HMS sites regularly.
Students with questions about the change in health services should contact the WNMU Division of Student Affairs at 575-538-6339.