Remember... it is okay to not be okay.

Mental Health Resources at Stanford

Stanford
Vaden Health Services
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Eating Disorders

Universities present lifestyle challenges due distance from families and familiar medical care (even if only a few miles), changes in physical activity level, dining in a cafeteria, exposure to alcohol, and changes in friends and relationships. You may have considered many of these factors already, but if you have not you may begin to think about how these will affect your health.  There may be additional challenges with managing your diet and activity level with your busy schedule.

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We highly recommend that you plug into campus resources early to help with transition and prevent relapse. Contact the Vaden Health Center ahead of time and arrange a new team. Vaden Health Center is available to provide Primary Care Services, Nutrition Services, and Wellness in addition to Counseling and Psychologic Services (CAPS). The Continuity of Care Nurse at Vaden is available to assist you with managing your medical needs. You may contact her at (650) 725-0984 for help obtaining the care you need while on campus.

Additional information on Nutrition, Body Image and Disordered Eating 

In addition, there is an Eating Disorders Specialty Clinic at Vaden which provides medical assessments and ongoing monitoring and support for eating disorders and related health issues. It is staffed by physicians and dietitians from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Our specialist is Cynthia Kapphahn, M.D. This specialty clinic is especially helpful for students who need regular ongoing support.

Some additional things to consider as you prepare for Stanford

Topic Recommendations

Medical appointments
  • The Eating Disorders Specialty Clinic is offered Wednesday mornings at Vaden Health Center and additional days at the hospital’s clinic in Mountain View. Visits are billed to your health insurance. There is a $35 co-pay if you are enrolled in Cardinal Care; other insurance coverage may vary. 
    • To contact the Packard Children’s Hospital Young Adult Clinic, call 650.498.4468 or 650.694.0600.
    • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers specialized Care Management support to connect students to the most effective level of psychological support and care for eating disorder concerns. CAPS also offers brief therapy, medication management, workshops, and groups. Call 650.723.3785 and ask for a CAPS initial visit appointment. The CAPS therapist can help you get connected to eating disorder-focused psychological support and to Care Management support as well.
    • Please call 650.723.3785 or book a phone consultation online at the VadenPatient portal.
    • Vaden has several primary care clinicians (Robyn Tepper, MD and Susanne Martin, MD) and dietitian (Bryan Lian, MS, RD, CEDRD), who is also trained in the treatment of eating disorders. Appointments are available over the web or by calling 650.498.2336.
    • If you have trouble accessing these services, contact Robyn Tepper, MD by calling 650.723.0932.

Medications
  • If you have medication prescriptions, make sure you bring an adequate supply to campus.
    • A Walgreens Pharmacy is located at Vaden Health Center.  You may use this pharmacy for your medications.  In addition, there are other pharmacies located within 1 mile of campus. 
    • Never take anyone else’s medication.

Dining
  • Stanford Dining makes every effort to provide a variety of menu options for students. Daily menus are published on the Stanford Dining Facebook page. 

Insurance
  • If you are not planning to sign up for Cardinal Care Insurance, you should check to make sure your current insurance covers care at Stanford Health Care and Stanford Specialty Clinics.  If it does not, we strongly encourage you to enroll in Cardinal Care. This is especially important for students with pre-existing medical conditions.
  • Undergraduate students on full financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office at 888.326.3773 regarding coverage of the cost of Cardinal Care prior to making a decision to waive coverage.
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Medical Condition Note

If your medical condition has specific treatment recommendations from your current provider, we recommend that you request a Transition of Care Summary from your current clinician.  This document should include:

• Your diagnosis with ICD-10 code
• Your current status
• A brief history of treatments including those which failed
• Recommendations for care while at Stanford (including medical management and diagnostic tests)