Frequently Asked Questions

The Student Health Center provides health services for students who may or may not have health insurance and supports the public health and safety of the entire campus community regardless of the amount of in person or online classes. The mandated $27 health fee does not qualify as health insurance and we encourage all students to retain and/or obtain their own health insurance.

In accordance with Education Code Section 76355, BP 5200, BP 5030 and AP 5030 Fees, each student enrolling in one or more courses at Orange Coast College shall be charged a fee for health supervision and services including the operation of the student health center. 

Health Fee Waiver

Exemption from the health fee only occurs under the following conditions:

• Students who depend exclusively upon prayer for healing in accordance with the teachings of a bona fide religious sect, denomination, or organization. If this applies to you, please email mauduong@occ.cccd.edu to complete the waiver request form.
• Enrolled only in courses of less than two weeks duration.
• Enrolled only in noncredit courses.
• Enrolled only in study abroad programs.

Duplicate Health Fee Refund

If you are enrolled in two or more colleges in Coast Community College District, you may be eligible for a Duplicate Health Fee Refund. The refund will be processed after the refund deadline of the applicable term in accordance with the college refund policy. You may choose to opt out of health services at one of the colleges according to the following conditions. 

•  The health fee was paid at two or more colleges in the Coast Community College District for the same semester.
• The student has not received health services from the college during the semester the refund is requested.
• If the health fee is refunded at one college, the student is no longer eligible for health services at that college with the exception of basic first aid. No other health services will be provided at that college.
• Students participating on an athletic team must pay the health fee at their team college.
• Fill out the duplicate health fee refund request form and email it to mauduong@occ.cccd.edu

The deadline to apply for either the health fee waiver or refund is the last day of the applicable semester. No refunds will be given after enrollment has ended.

Most services provided to students in the Student Health Center are free of charge. Outside services such as laboratory tests and gynecological exams may require a small fee. Students who use the Student Health Center pay the actual cost of the medications and supplies used in their care so that these supplies can be restocked. Students also pay the cost of lab tests, which are performed by a private laboratory. All charges are well below what a student would have to pay for similar services outside of the Student Health Center.

You can pay your health fee at the Bursar's Office if paying by cash, at the registration window on the first floor of Watson Hall if paying by credit card or online using the instructions below:

1. Log-in to your MyCoast portal.
2. Look for the "Fees and Payments" card.
3. Click on the appropriate "Pay My Fees" link.
4. Select the term to see fees due.
5. Click on Pay Now.
6. The payment portal will open. Click on Make Payment and follow the prompts.

These instructions are also available online via video tutorial.

No, your student health fee that is paid with your tuition is all you need.  The Student Health Center does not require nor accept health insurance.

The Student Health Center does not provide health insurance, but can provide you with information about low-cost insurance plans available for college students. Please view information on health insurance options for students.

Any of the staff at the Health Center will be able to help you find a referral that is close to school or your home. You may also view our list of Helpful Hotlines and Links and After Hours Resources.

Appointments can be made in person or by calling the Medical Appointment Line at: (714) 714-7705 or for Mental Health services: (714) 714-7715.  You must be enrolled, currently attending classes and have paid your health fee. Have your student ID number ready as you will be asked to provide this.

Students can expect to see the nurse or doctor within one week from when they initially visited or called the health center.  Due to short staffing, appointments may need to be scheduled out 1-2 weeks in advance.

Mental Health appointments are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. Once all appointments are filled a waiting list will be created. Please call or text (714) 714-7715 to schedule.  You can also walk in to the Student Health Center to schedule appointments. We offer crisis/emergency sessions as needed during regular hours. After hours, you can call our crisis line at 714-714-7715 (dial 9). You can also speak to crisis counselors anytime by texting or calling 988, or texting COURAGE to 741741.

All OCC students currently enrolled and attending credit classes who have paid the current health fee can be seen and treated at the Health Center.

Coastline students that have designated OCC as their Student Health Center and meet the above criteria can be seen and treated at the Health Center for medical care. Coastline has their own Mental Health Center, contact 714-241-6005 to make an appointment. 

Minors aged 17 and younger may need to have a minor consent form completed by their legal guardian in order to receive medical services. 

The Student Health Center offers treatment for acute short-term illnesses and injuries, low cost gynecological services and contraception, physical exams, tuberculosis skin testing and lab testing (such as strep testing, pregnancy testing, STI testing and urinary tract infection testing). We offer free condoms, feminine hygiene products, narcan and fentanyl test strips, and spiked drink test strips.

Our Mental Health program provides short-term therapy and crisis intervention for students. We can make referrals to community agencies, or help to find appropriate local resources that fit your needs. All services are confidential except in cases where law requires reporting.

We do not give out ice packs nor any over-the-counter medication such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen at the front desk. An appointment and medical evaluation is required to determine if those treatments are needed.

We do not offer ADHD/other psychological tests, but we can connect you to other centers in our community that offer these services at low cost and/or accept insurance. We do not provide prescriptions for mental health conditions, but we have community referrals for psychiatrists. We can help you get connected to care in your area.

Our Medical staff consists of Medical Assistants, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Doctors.

Our Mental Health staff consists of pre-licensed clinicians who work under the supervision of licensed MFTs.

Yes, Allied Health, Sports and Health Screening physicals and gynecology exams are available to students for an additional fee. These appointments must be scheduled. 

We do NOT provide Disability Verifications, DMV, military nor Scuba physicals. Any outside physical forms may need to be reviewed before we schedule an appointment.

Come in or call our medical appointment line at 714-714-7705. For programs starting in the Fall, we can start the physical process in the Summer. We do NOT accept health insurance for the visits or blood tests. Students may need two to five visits over a span of two weeks to complete all physical exam items. Labwork such as titers are contracted to an outside provider. We do NOT provide any vaccines except the Flu Vaccine. Please do NOT get any vaccines such as MMR or Varicella prior to meeting with a nurse because this will interfere with your TB skin test. See our AHPE Process [PDF] for pricing and more information.

No, the Student Health Center does not issue medical excuses for previously missed classes or work. Students are responsible for contacting their professor or employer if too ill to attend class or work.

A health center visit to obtain a medical excuse should not be required or encouraged, as this activity can subject the individual to unnecessary discomfort or injury, compromise the individual's recovery, needlessly expose others to infectious illness and unnecessarily consume medical resources. Most illness and absence circumstances are best worked out between the student and the instructor. Students are encouraged to contact their health care provider, and contract their professor(s) promptly if they have missed class/assignments due to illness, injury or other unforeseen events to discuss potential solutions.

Yes, most skin problems can be treated by family practice providers. Occasionally, a persistent or long-term problem will need to be referred to a dermatologist. Remember, the Student Health Center concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of short-term episodic illness. We do NOT remove warts.

No medications or treatments are given out at the front desk. All medications and treatments must be prescribed by our medical providers, which requires paperwork to be completed by the patient, an appointment, evaluation, and is up to the provider's discretion if appropriate for the plan of care. 

The OCC Bookstore on campus does offer a selection of over the counter medications for purchase or please go to the closest pharmacy to purchase.

We offer short-term therapy to students, but there are no specific session limits. Students are seen based on their individual needs.

Individuals dissatisfied with an Orange Coast College employee, department, or process should make a reasonable effort to resolve the matter on an informal basis with the personnel involved as soon as possible. If addressing the complaint informally does not lead to satisfactory resolution, individuals may escalate their complaint to the appropriate supervisor. If, after discussing the matter with the appropriate supervisor, individuals are not satisfied with the outcome, they may file a Service Complaint Form so the appropriate administrator can respond and investigate the complaint.

Please View Complaint Process.

• Immediately report the injury to your supervisor or if after hours, report to Campus Public Safety at 714-432-5555 
• Your supervisor or Campus Safety reports the injury to District Human Resources/Workers’ compensation. This can be done via email to workerscomp@cccd.edu 
• If the employee is unable to drive themselves for medical treatment: Call 9-1-1 
• The Student Health Center does NOT see work-related injuries for students nor employees and volunteers. Please contact your supervisor or Human Resources.

The Student Health Center is located on campus (Building 89) between Watson Hall and the Gymnasium (facing Fairview Road in parking Lot A). Our cross streets are Fairview Road and Pirate Way.

We are available in person Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. We are closed weekends, holidays, and breaks. 

All medical records are CONFIDENTIAL. Your medical records will not be released to anyone without your written consent, EXCEPT in cases where it is required by court order, subpoena, or where reporting is required by law including:

• When the patient may harm themselves or others.
• When there is reasonable suspicion of domestic violence including sexual assault, child abuse, spousal abuse, or abuse of the elderly.
• When there is an injury as a result of violence or suspected violence.
• When a communicable disease is suspected or diagnosed.
• When an immunization or TB skin test is administered.

The Student Health Center follows all state and federal laws pertaining to the confidentiality of medical and mental health records. Our medical office software is stored on a server that is separate from those that contain student records data. No health center data can be accessed from other campus computers. 

1. Go to the Health Portal 
2. Log in using your MyCoast single sign on login credentials 
3. Click on the "My Profile" tab 
4. Click on the various categories to download or view your records
5. Call 714-714-7705 if you have questions or need help accessing your records

OCC does NOT require any vaccinations to enroll as a student. We would only have your vaccine records if you every personally brought them to the Student Health Center or uploaded them to our Health Portal. If you are looking for a copy of your vaccine records, check with your high school, medical provider, or the California Digital Vaccine Record Portal.

No, there is no Vaccine Mandate for Orange Coast College. Vaccination and booster shots are strongly encouraged for all those eligible. 

Please view District COVID-19 Information. 

No, the Student Health Center does not administer COVID-19 vaccines or boosters. 

Previously, COVID-19 vaccines were administered by the County of Orange on campus. To obtain information about a vaccine received at this location, please call the Orange County COVID-19 hotline at (800) 564-8448 or email the OC Health Care Agency’s Immunization Assistance Program (IAP) mailbox at IAP@ochca.com.

If you would like a digital vaccination card of your COVID-19 vaccine that was provided in California, please go to the Digital Vaccine Record Portal and fill out the information necessary to access your digital vaccine record.

Please view COVID-19 Vaccine Resources.

Yes, the Student Health Center does perform COVID-19 antigen testing by appointment only as needed for eligible, symptomatic students that have been evaluated by the medical provider. Same-day appointments are limited.  We do NOT do COVID-19 Testing for travel or non-symptomatic purposes.

Take Home COVID-19 Tests are available for free at the Student Health Center for students and staff while supplies last.