Veteran, Counseling, and Childcare – Services at SPSCC, Pt. 4

Hello, and welcome back to classes! I hope everyone had a great winter break, and is looking forward to the quarter. Here is the fourth edition of the SPSCC campus resources series. There will be one more article after this, so stay tuned!

Veteran and Military Service

Veterans and members of the military who attend SPSCC may be entitled to financial aid, or even tuition waivers. If a student is called to military service, arrangements may be made that can help completion of courses or refund costs if the courses are unable to be completed due to the length and/or timing of the service. There are also some resources for veterans outside SPSCC which can be viewed on the mental health page of the SPSCC website, here. Otherwise, most resources through veteran and military services are meant to support the other services a student uses to succeed at SPSCC. 

Mental Health CounselingAlthough many returning students are aware of the counseling services offered, it is rather unexpected for a community college to have the mental health resources that are available to SPSCC students. They are completely free for students in Washington state, but students outside of Washington are unable to use them due to licensing restrictions. There are currently three counselors at the mental health center, Ross Artwohl (he/him), Sally Sharbaugh (she/they), and Heather Kranz (she/her), with different specialties. Counseling sessions are 100% confidential for everyone, including students under the age of 18. The only exceptions are if they believe you have intent to hurt yourself or others, or if a minor or dependent adult is being abused and/or neglected. 

If you or a loved one are experiencing immediate crisis, please contact a crisis line such as the Thurston County Crisis Line ((360) 586 – 2800)), National Suicide Prevention Line (988), or the Trevor Project for queer youth, found here.

Childcare

Having on-campus childcare can be a blessing for students with children too young for school. SPSCC is partnered with Serendipity Children’s Center to make a college education more accessible for parents. Although there are no discounted prices, the location and hours of operation can make things easier on students who need to attend their in-person or hybrid classes regularly. The exact prices and schedules for the daycare can be found here. Students seeking an Associate’s degree with an income at or below the state’s median income may be eligible for help paying for childcare through the Washington State Department, found here. As someone who went to the Serendipity Children’s Center, albeit over a decade ago, I definitely enjoyed it as a small child and got a lot of socialization and play time. If you can reasonably afford it, I highly suggest sending your toddler, preschooler, or pre-kindergartner, at least for the Tuesday and Thursday plan!

The last article of the series will be up next week!