The Office of Student Life

The Student Care Network is a holistic network of services and resources pertaining to health and wellness available to all Vanderbilt University students. Primary offices include the Office of Student Care Coordination, the University Counseling Center, the Student Health Center, and the Center for Student Wellbeing. Students also have access to a wide range of additional on-campus and community resources through the Student Care Network—from the Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center to the Project Safe Center to a variety of community providers. To facilitate finding resources, students may refer to the Student Care Network website or contact the Office of Student Care Coordination. 

The Office of Student Care Coordination is committed to supporting undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, and postdoctoral fellows in successfully navigating life events related to academic stress and/or medical, mental health, and/or other personal concerns that may interfere with a student’s ability to achieve their academic and personal goals. This team of “Student Care Coordinators” is the central and first point of contact for students to help identify needs and determine the most appropriate resources in Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network and in the Nashville community to address concerns.  

Student Care Coordinators work collaboratively with students to develop a student success plan, share education about and facilitate connections to appropriate on- and off-campus resources, and provide accountability through supportive follow-up meetings. The office's goal is for students to have the right support, in the right place, at the right time. In addition, the Office of Student Care Coordination manages support for students returning from medical leaves of absence. Though staff typically have a background in mental health services, it is important to understand that work with a Student Care Coordinator is not counseling or therapy.  

As a key component of Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network, the University Counseling Center (UCC) provides mental health assessment, support, and treatment for all students enrolled at Vanderbilt, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The UCC also serves postdoctoral scholars appointed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.  

Highly skilled and multidisciplinary teams of professionals offer crisis intervention, substance abuse counseling, short-term individual counseling, group therapy, biofeedback, ADHD and learning disorder assessments, and psychiatric assessment and pharmacologic treatment. Treatment plans are tailored to each individual’s unique background and needs. UCC professionals support the university’s mission of fostering inclusive excellence through cultural awareness and competence. In addition to regular hours and evening/weekend crisis response, the UCC offers various “Let’s Talk” locations and affinity groups.  

The Student Health Center provides primary care services for students and is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and lab technicians. The Student Health Center provides services similar to those provided in a private physician’s office or HMO, including routine medical care, specialty care (e.g., nutrition and sports medicine), and some routine lab tests. Most of the services students receive at the Student Health Center are pre-paid, but those services that are not are the responsibility of students to coordinate with their health insurance. 

Vanderbilt Recovery Support (VRS) provides a supportive and accountable community for individuals concerned about their alcohol or other drug misuse and those actively in recovery from addiction. VRS is a collegiate recovery program which understands that being sober is one piece of being in recovery. By offering individual coaching, weekly meetings, and monthly seminars, along with social and service events, students are able to continue to work toward success in their academic, social, personal, and professional lives. 

The Center for Student Wellbeing seeks to create a campus culture that supports students in cultivating lifelong wellbeing practices. The center offers individual coaching appointments to help students develop and maintain skills that will contribute to personal and academic success, and provides workshops on a variety of topics, including resiliency, time management, alcohol and other drug education, and healthy living.

Students may use the center’s meditation room for yoga, meditation, and mindfulness classes, or for self-guided practice. The center also works closely with many campus partners, including the University Counseling Center, the Student Health Center, the Office of Housing and Residential Education, and the academic deans to provide resources and support for students who may be facing personal or academic challenges. 

The mission of the Project Safe Center is to provide information, support, referrals, and education about sexual and intimate partner violence (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking), as well as consent, healthy relationships, and healthy sexuality to the Vanderbilt University community. Project Safe serves as a central resource for those impacted by power-based personal violence and can assist with navigating the University’s resource and support network (including the University Counseling Center, Student Health, the Title IX and Student Discrimination Office, Equal Employment Opportunity, the Employee Assistance Program, and the Vanderbilt University Police Department), as well as external support and law enforcement resources.

The Title IX and Student Discrimination Office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Office investigate allegations of prohibited discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving members of the Vanderbilt community. This includes allegations of sexual misconduct and other forms of power-based personal violence.

The Title IX and Student Discrimination Office also facilitates interim accommodations for students impacted by sexual misconduct and power-based personal violence. Some examples of interim accommodations include stay-away orders, adjusted course schedules, and housing changes.

While every state has an LAP program, we are fortunate to have the best lawyers assistance program in the country here in Tennessee. Even better, their services are fully available free of charge to law students. If you are experiencing mental health or substance abuse challenges and prefer to work with an off-campus (and fully confidential) resource, we recommend working with TLAP.