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Heidelberg University to offer 24/7 telehealth to students during winter break

Usually, medical or mental health services are put on hold once students leave campus.

TIFFIN, Ohio — As students prepare to head home for the holidays, Heidelberg University is continuing to provide mental health services to help them cope with the stressors associated with the ongoing pandemic.

The university has launched a new service called "BergCare," providing 24/7 telehealth access while on winter break. 

The program was created using funding from the Ohio College Initiative through the CARES Act. 

Usually, medical and mental health services end when the semester is over, but due to the stressful nature of such an unusual year, BergCare will help students connect with a physician or a counselor after a few clicks and a five-minute wait.

Associate Director of Counseling John Sharp said the service will hopefully keep a consistent level of mental health service for ongoing students, and maybe even bring in some first-time users who may just need someone to talk to while at home.

"Still being able to have them be able to talk to somebody, continue to get support, continue to work on intervention and not take a break from that. It can not only help them maintain at least a baseline but maybe even get them to a point where they don't even need a counselor at that time," Sharp said.

BergCare runs for the next eight weeks until students are slated to return to Heidelberg's campus after their winter break.

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