Collin College Selected as a 2020-2021 Innovation of the Year Award Recipient

The League for Innovation in the Community College selected Collin College as a 2020-2021 Innovation of the Year award recipient for its commitment to improving access to health care for students and part-time employees. At its regularly scheduled Board meeting on June 22, 2021, the Collin College Board of Trustees extended the program through 2025.

In July 2020, the colleges Board of Trustees approved an investment of up to $750,000 for a new benefit plan called CougarCare, which provided telehealth and mental health coverage at no cost to students, adjunct faculty, and part-time staff.

It is important that all of our students and employees have access to quality health care, said Kim Davison, chief of staff. CougarCare provides an opportunity for students and part-time employees to receive essential online medical care at no cost when they need it.

CougarCare offers eligible individuals free on-demand medical care and mental health counseling in an online virtual format 24/7 from licensed physicians and counselors anywhere in the United States. For students, the CougarCare Talk Now mental health program helps provide after-hours and weekend support, while Collin College Counseling Services provides on-campus and virtual counseling appointments for students during regular business hours.

An American College Health Association study shows that stress, anxiety, sleep difficulties, cold/flu/sore throat, and depression are some of the top factors affecting students academic performance. Collin Colleges implementation of the new telehealth benefits is an important step toward relieving these stressors and addressing health concerns. The new benefit also reinforces the colleges goal to become the college of choice for students and the employer of choice for adjunct faculty and part-time employees.

Juan Sanchez, a Collin College real estate student and the former president of the colleges Student Government Association (SGA), said the app is easy to navigate, and the providers are accessible.

I like that Collin College has invested in a program that will provide relief to students, especially during these times when there is so much uncertainty and it may be difficult to book an appointment with a provider, said Sanchez. At SGA, we work hard to help promote this program because we don't want students to miss out on this free service that can be very beneficial for them.

For more information, visit www.league.org/web-page/2020-2021-innovation-year-award-winner-collin-college.