GWU 2025-2026 Parents Calendar-6-27-2025 - Flipbook - Page 42
Families Handbook
2025-2026
development. Through counseling, outreach, campus partnerships, and
education and training, we engage with the entire GW community to
promote a campus culture of holistic well-being.
Communication & Understanding–
The Keys to a Healthy and Helping Relationship
Psychiatric Services - Assessment, diagnostic and treatment
recommendations are provided by staff psychiatrists with short-term
treatment and referrals for ongoing psychiatric management.
College is a time of excitement and unknown for parents and students.
During this time, establishing and maintaining healthy relationships is
important to help your student navigate through various challenges and
difficulties. Families play an important role in their student’s success by
encouraging a healthy lifestyle, supporting development of healthy peer
and social relationships, and being open to talk about difficult experiences.
As a helpful family member, here are some things to consider:
TimelyCare - Access to expanded telehealth services including counseling,
medical, and psychiatry appointments at no cost to GW students.
healthcenter.gwu.edu/timelycare
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
The university mandates that all students have medical health insurance
coverage while enrolled at GW. Every student is automatically enrolled in
GW’s comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan (GW SHIP) through
Aetna Student Health. It also guarantees that your student can obtain
preventive medical services like immunizations and physical exams. In
accordance with the Affordable Care Act, some of the benefits that are
offered by the GW SHIP include:
• An unlimited lifetime maximum benefit
• Prescription coverage after $100 deductible
• Preventive services covered at 100% (at preferred providers)
• Contraception covered 100% (at preferred providers)
Students who wish to opt out of GW SHIP must have health insurance
coverage that meets certain domestic or international coverage
requirements. More information is available from University Health Plans.
Please note, your student must complete a waiver every academic
year they remain enrolled at GW. The waiver is open from August 1 –
September 12 and can be accessed at universityhealthplans.com/letters/
letter.cgi?group_id=476. There are several waiver requirements for
undergraduate domestic students, international students, and graduate
domestic students enrolled at GW. For waiver, enrollment, eligibility,
general benefit questions or plan issues, please contact University Health
Plans at 1-833-251-1721.
For specific benefit or claims questions, contact Aetna Student Health
at 1-877-480-4161. For all other questions or concerns, check out
healthcenter.gwu.edu, or email ship@gwu.edu.
What can I do if I am concerned about my student?
The CARE Team is a program in place to ensure that students who
experience any sort of challenge during their time at GW are connected
proactively to a staff member or resource that can help them through and
maintain their success.
We encourage parents/guardians to be involved through this process
through supporting their plan of action and active listening. This may vary
across students as each student presents a different set of needs. We
encourage you to openly communicate with your students about their
needs and how you can provide support for those needs.
The CARE Team is not an emergency system. Reports are monitored
Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. If
a report requires immediate outreach or follow-up or is an emergency,
please contact GW Emergency Services at 202-994-6111.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to contact
the GW Care Team at gwcares@gwu.edu or call us at 202-994-1486.
What can I expect from my student?
Your student will very likely be experiencing a range of emotions as they
leave for college. Remember that these emotions, such as joy, anxiety,
excitement, and sadness are perfectly normal. During the college years,
your student will be continuing a process of independence yet also
establishing new and intimate connections with friends, faculty, and other
mentors. They will be exposed to many new ideas and may experiment
with new ways of being with friends and with you. Remember that many of
these changes are a normal part of growing up. Also, remember that every
student is different and has their own experiences of adjusting to and
dealing with the challenges and rewards of college life.
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