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TimelyMD, the Fort Worth-based leading telehealth provider specializing in higher education, is introducing a new service targeted at community college students and available this fall through its app.
The new service will connect students with free or reduced-cost programs for services such as in-person health care, food assistance, housing assistance, transit support, paying bills, childcare, and legal services.
Survey data shows 60% of community college students have struggled recently with basic needs such as medical and mental health care, food and housing, TimelyMD said.
“It’s no surprise to anyone in social services that community colleges experienced double-digit enrollment declines this spring,” Laura Kennemer, patient care advisor at TimelyMD, said.
“Students’ ability to remain healthy, successful and enrolled in school are directly linked to their ability to obtain access to basic needs. Our goal at TimelyMD is to empower students to thrive by helping them overcome the barriers they face in school and in life.”
Over the last nine months, Kennemer, a licensed social worker, has worked to help students referred by TimelyMD medical and mental health providers to get access to basic resources in their communities, the company said.
“Actual examples include helping multiple students find low-rent housing, identifying local support groups for the student-parent of an autistic child, and connecting a student in an unstable relationship with a safe shelter.”
Community college students “will be able to easily access these resources through the TimelyCare app, the web or by phone, along with other care solutions,” the company said.
To help navigate the available resources, patient care advisors on Kennemer's team will be available to connect students with local government agencies, non-profit organizations, and programs on their campuses that will help with their in-the-moment needs.
Examples include food pantries on campus, county housing assistance programs, or in-person providers in their neighborhoods that use sliding-fee scale payment methods.
“Many community college students are frontline workers in medical, manufacturing and food service industries whose commitment throughout the pandemic unfortunately came at the expense of their own well-being,” Luke Hejl, CEO and co-founder of TimelyMD, said.
“Our neighbors deserve better, so we designed our service to bridge the gap between student needs and social services, eliminating barriers to achieving their educational, career, and life goals.”
TimelyMD serves students at more than 100 colleges and universities. Customizable by school, the company’s telehealth and teletherapy services include on-demand and scheduled medical care and mental health counseling, psychiatric support, health coaching, and faculty and staff guidance.
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