4. STUDENT WELFARE AND LOGISTICS

400. PREPARING FOR EAP STUDENTS

400.00 Information Collection

Each year, the Operations Specialists ask SC Directors to update information such as the host institution application and housing forms, etc., and to submit arrival dates and academic calendars. Operations Specialists send a Fact-Finding Memo or an e-mail to the Study Center to collect this information. SC Directors are urged to seek as much information as possible from the host university and current EAP participants and to reply by the deadlines.

400.01 Handling Applications

The Operations Specialists may send a list of EAP applicants for the next year and their dossiers to each Study Center to keep on file. Most Study Centers will be able to run their own lists with MyEAP. If the host institution agreement or visa/resident requirements calls for the formal admission of UC students by that university, the SC Director should request admission and send the Operations Specialist appropriate host university information about each student’s status.

Review graduate students’ Preliminary Inquiry Forms and program proposals carefully and evaluate them as to their feasibility in view of the host university’s faculty, courses, library, and research facilities. Potential problems should be referred to the relevant Operations Specialist at UOEAP who will contact the appropriate Campus EAP Office. Graduate student applicants are not formally admitted to EAP without the SC Director’s written approval unless they are participating in a defined short-term or language and culture program (see Section 385, Graduate Students).

400.02 Participant Lists

The SC Director is expected to maintain an up-to-date listing of participants by using MyEAP. UOEAP notifies the SC Director of status changes or special circumstances that would affect housing spaces, GPA changes, and alternates.

Note: Names of students who have elected to restrict distribution of directory information, including name, address, program, etc., are noted in MyEAP and EAP application form (see Section 600.00, Student Records).

400.03 Arrival of Participants

EAP participants may travel to the Study Center by independent travel arrangements or by joining a prearranged group flight, if applicable. For most programs, students must notify UOEAP and/or the Study Center of their travel plans in advance and are required to inform the Study Center and/or UOEAP if their plans subsequently change. Participants are instructed to arrive by a specified date (the official EAP start date) at a specific location. They may be dismissed from the program if they arrive late, as stated in the EAP Student Agreement. No Study Center services (including the arrangement of temporary accommodations) are available for early arrivals.

Before departure, the Operations Specialist sends the SC Director a list of students arriving via UOEAP-arranged transportation and may send information about students arriving independently.

400.04 Students with Dependents

UOEAP stresses that students with dependents must be completely self-reliant. They are informed that EAP host universities are prepared to receive single UC students without dependents and cannot be expected to provide special facilities and services. UC students are given extensive information regarding dependents in the EAP General Information Guide. Students with eligible dependents can obtain a Dependent Packet from their home campus, their UOEAP online packet, or from the EAP website. The information in this packet and in the EAP General Information Guide informs students that neither the Study Center staff nor the SC Director can do any more than advise them concerning financial, housing, child care, spousal work, children’s school, or other needs.

Dependents may be offered the opportunity to participate in some Study Center activities for a fee. The SC Director must approve such participation in advance and should consult with the Operations Specialist in these situations.

400.05 Students with Disabilities

In the US, federal law defines someone with a disability as:

A person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and has a record of such impairment or is regarded as having such impairment. These include chronic illness (including HIV/AIDS); neurologically-based conditions; attention deficit disorder; and mobility, vision, hearing, psychiatric, and developmental disabilities.

Two US federal laws that address the rights of individuals with disabilities, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, mandate that US colleges and universities provide equal access to their campus, classes, and services for students with disabilities. However, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) determined that Section 504 and Title II protections do not extend extraterritorially. In other words, it is OCR’s position that a college or university is not required to provide or fund auxiliary aids and services in programs abroad. Nor does either statute otherwise prohibit discrimination based on disability in programs abroad. It is the student’s responsibility to assure that any funding required for special accommodations abroad is arranged well in advance and, if funding is unavailable, students are responsible for all costs associated with special services abroad.

In order to determine what special accommodations might be possible abroad, the Campus Disability Office Specialist will assess the student’s request for special accommodations and send a letter to UOEAP.

A student’s disability and/or medical information should be kept strictly confidential. (See Section 420.07, Confidentiality.)

The SC Director should review requests from students with disabilities and evaluate their feasibility in view of the host university’s facilities and their support of students with disabilities. Refer potential problems immediately to the Operations Specialist at UOEAP, who will contact the appropriate Campus EAP Office.

400.06 Sexual Orientation

Note: Adapted from the International Educational Task Force on GLBT Concerns University of Minnesota (7/14/93) and Welcoming Gay Culture, by Anthony Ogden.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) people experience discrimination everywhere in the world, though there are different levels of acceptance in different countries. The gay student, who could be openly gay on the home campus, may feel pressure to modify his or her behavior in a culture where homosexuality is not accepted. It is important for the Study Center staff to stay informed of the legal status and the attendant cultural attitudes of sexual orientation in the host country, and be prepared to counsel students if needed.

The Rainbow Special Interest Group of NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, has an excellent website on GLBT issues in relation to studying and living abroad. The site includes newsletter articles, a bibliography of GLBT texts with culturally specific information, and travel guides addressing GLBT issues. The site also lists related organizations and web links for students.

There may be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered students in the EAP group. Some will be “out”, some not, and some may just be coming to terms with their sexual identity. Sensitivity to this diversity is important.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students can be expected to have many of the same kinds of education abroad experiences as their peers. For many of them, the role of outsider is one they are already intimately familiar with before leaving home; hence, they may be better able to manage a transition into a new culture. Some students may find there is an established GLBT culture they can seek out in their new host city, and they may have an easier time integrating than their heterosexual peers.

For some students, study abroad can be a time to experiment with coming out. Students might make important first steps towards developing a positive GLBT identity while abroad and might explore social opportunities or do research that they would not consider doing at home. Students in later stages of coming out who had support and acceptance at UC may find themselves struggling with coming out again to a new host family or peers and should be advised appropriately.

GLBT Safety

It is important for students to realize how behavioral signals that mean one thing in the US may mean something completely different in a foreign culture. Depending on the situation, the consequences of misinterpreting behavior can be serious; physical harassment, assault, and rape are issues that both women and men have to consider when interacting across cultures. The legal system in the foreign country may not offer protection for the victim when issues of sexual orientation or other behavior is involved.

410. HOUSING

410.00 Housing

Living accommodations for EAP participants vary by location. Availability of housing and local regulations differ widely. Students are expected to comply with host university and Study Center regulations pertaining to housing.

UOEAP discourages students from voluntarily living with fellow Americans, semi-isolated from the cultural environment of the host country. This policy is subject to interpretation by the SC Director, who considers the particular local situation or special circumstances of the student.

Because suitable housing is important for the comfort and welfare of all participants, including successive generations of UC students, the SC Director should be concerned about the relationship between the EAP participants and the owners and managers of private housing as well as the university housing authorities. Unsuitable housing should be identified and eliminated from Study Center lists or files. Householders who adopt discriminatory practices based on race, ethnicity, or gender with regard to choosing renters should not be patronized.

Problems caused by student misconduct or conflict with householders or housing officials should be identified and resolved. Although EAP cannot force students to honor their financial obligations to landlords, students must be strongly urged to honor their debts. EAP can and will block the student’s registration at their home campus if the student leaves the program without paying rent or leaves debt. Landlords should still be encouraged to protect themselves in this regard by requiring deposits.

At Study Centers where host universities reserve a certain number of housing spaces for EAP students in university residence halls, the SC Director should consider requests to move out of such facilities only on the basis of written permission from the residence hall director or equivalent local university representative. The SC Director makes the final decision.

Participants should be clearly informed of local university housing policies and the regulations, both verbally and in writing, immediately upon arrival.

415. STUDENT CONTACT INFORMATION

415.00 Student Contact Addresses, Telephone Numbers, and E-mail Addresses

Request that students keep the Study Center and home campus informed of their current living address, telephone number, and e-mail address, as well as contact information when traveling. Such information should be easily accessible and routinely updated. This is important in case the student must be reached due to a Study Center or family emergency. SC Directors should inform students that they will be liable for all expenses incurred by the SC Director and/or UOEAP should they need to locate students who have left no prior word of their whereabouts. If charges are incurred in this regard, the SC Director should notify the UOEAP Finance unit and the charges will be billed to the student’s UOEAP account.

The SC Director is required to encourage students to use the Sign Out form on the Study Center website. The SC Director must inform students that if they leave the Study Center, host university, city, or town without authorization, they will be in violation of the Student Agreement.

420. STUDENT HEALTH

420.00 Student Health, General

General health, medical care, and local health issues are important topics that must be addressed during student orientation sessions.

The SC Director should try to ascertain to the best of his or her abilities that the medical facilities available meet minimum standards of acceptability (e.g., they use disposable needles, follow proper standards of sterility, etc.) and inform the students accordingly. An important duty of the Study Center Director/Staff is the production and updating of lists of medical professionals (physical and mental health), hospitals, etc., for use during any health emergency. A good source of information is AIG Assist, which is the travel insurance provided by the EAP insurance policy, and/or the US Mission’s Regional Medical Officer (embassy/consulate). Whenever possible, the SC Director should visit the medical/psychiatric medical facilities paying attention to substantial differences in the level of care available at public and private hospitals.

Some student health problems may require the attention of the SC Director. The SC Director should seek professional medical advice and should help the student to follow professional medical advice unless there is a specific reason not to do so. The SC Director should not diagnose students or provide any interpretation of symptoms. If the SC Director considers it prudent to involve the parents in such a decision, the SC Director must ask the student for specific authorization (which must be in writing, dated, and signed).
 The SC Director should not diagnose students or provide any interpretation of symptoms. If the SC Director considers it prudent to involve the parents in such a decision, the SC Director must ask the student for specific authorization (which must be in writing, dated, and signed).

Students sometimes overreact to their perception of the quality of medical service available abroad. If an SC Director has serious doubts about the value of the medical advice or is uncertain about what to do in a given case, he or she should contact the Regional Director.

It is important to note that existing mild physical or psychological disorders can become serious or can manifest for the first time while studying abroad due to the stresses of travel and life in an unfamiliar setting. Often, the SC Director is in a position to spot an emotionally troubled student and, at times, may be the first one to notice that a student is going through serious difficulties. The following UC resources will be helpful when assisting or talking to students who are emotionally disturbed or who seem to be distressed:

• A Study Center's Toolbox: Practical Skills for Helping Students in Distress
• Responding to Distressed Students: A Faculty, Teaching Assistant, Medical Practitioner, and Professional Staff Guide.
• Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student: A Guide for Faculty and Students
• The Study Center Emergency Preparedness Handbook, which is a red binder kept at the Study Center that includes information and guidelines for the SC Director to follow when helping a student with a psychological health issue.

In all cases of serious health concerns, both mental and physical, notify the Regional Director immediately. (See Section 420.13, Psychological Health Issues.)

420.01 EAP Health Clearance

All EAP participants are required to have a health assessment and be cleared for participation on EAP either by UC student health service professionals or by their personal physician, depending on the program and campus. Efforts are made to ensure that students do not go abroad with a health or medical problem that will adversely affect the student’s academic performance.

The EAP health clearance is based on the EAP Confidential Health History Form, the Health Clearance for Students Planning to Study Abroad form, and the Travel Medicine (Clinic) Certification (required for selected countries). The health practitioner and specialist, if a student is seeing one, sign the health clearance form after reviewing the student’s health history and records on file. If required by the host country, the practitioner will perform all relevant physical exams and necessary lab work.

In preparation for the health clearance cycle on the campuses, UOEAP sends an annual health update to all EAP health liaisons at UC Student Health Services and to the Campus EAP Office. The annual health update includes information about host institution, host country, and EAP health requirements.

Students must inform UOEAP of any recent medical or additional special needs or changes in health that occur before the start of the program. Students are informed that this is necessary to enable EAP to assist in determining whether adequate medical and other resources are available for any medical or other special needs abroad. Students are informed that this is for their safety, so failure to provide complete and accurate information may be grounds for non-participation in or dismissal from EAP.

420.02 Application for Exemption from EAP Health Clearance

Students who have religious grounds for requesting an exemption from certain medical procedures complete a form that releases them from such procedures as long as they are governed by US and California law (see Application for Exemption from EAP Health Clearance). In particular, the SC Director should note that these students have agreed to submit to health procedures required in other countries under certain conditions, specified on the form they have signed. The signed form will be kept in the student’s file. Even though a student may have received an exemption, he or she will still have to complete and sign the Confidential Health History form and Travel Medicine (Clinic) Certification, as required, and bring a copy of the Confidential Health History form to the program site.

420.03 EAP Confidential Health History Form

Before departure, students complete a Confidential Health History Form to which medical professionals refer during a private health consultation with the student. US law protects the student’s right to privacy; the form is not shared with anyone except health practitioners. After the health review, the student leaves a copy of this form with the practitioner and is strongly encouraged to take a copy abroad, in case of an emergency. The student may also choose to share a copy with the SC Director, to be used only during a medical emergency. No one else may have access to this form except the student and, in emergencies, a medical professional for treatment purposes only.

420.04 Special Health Problems, Handling of

The SC Director must be familiar with the nature of medical services available in the host country.

Encourage students to inform the Study Center staff if they have any illness or chronic pain that lasts longer than two days, if symptoms of a condition start getting worse, or if the student is concerned. Occasionally, health problems occur that may require the SC Director’s special attention (e.g., serious accidents, pregnancy, psychological disorders, etc.).

The SC Director:

• should strive to be supportive.
• should not use personal judgment to determine whether the student is ill or not.
• should not try to diagnose the illness or give medical advice.
• should respond immediately with sympathy to any indication of illness of any kind and identify medical or other professional help, as the situation requires.

In the case of mental health problems, the SC Director should make every attempt to secure professionals fluent in the language in which the student is most comfortable, which is usually English. The SC Director should always follow up with the student.

In cases where a student has a serious illness or has been hospitalized, or the SC Director feels a problem is jeopardizing a student’s academic program, the SC Director should inform the appropriate Regional Director and seek counsel as necessary. Consult the section on Confidentiality in this manual before notifying anyone other than qualified medical professionals or the Regional Director. (See Section 600.00, Student Records; and Section 600.01, Communications, Confidential.)

420.05 Emergency Medical Treatment

If a student requires emergency medical treatment, time may be of the essence and contacting UOEAP immediately may not be practical. However, it is important to notify the Regional Director as soon as possible. The SC Director should refer to the Study Center Emergency Preparedness Handbook for specific steps to follow when emergency medical treatment is needed. The SC Director should bear in mind that all students have signed an Authorization for Medical or Surgical Consultation/Treatment form, which is part of the Student Agreement. A copy of this form should be in each student’s file.

It is not necessary to gain prior parental consent when emergency treatment is required, even for students under 18, since the latter have a separate form signed by the parents or guardians (also included in the student’s file).

Unless it is an emergency when the knowledge of such information is needed to protect the health and safety of the student or other persons, the SC Director must obtain a student’s specific written and dated consent before informing parents in cases of medical and, particularly mental health, problems, thus preserving the student’s right to privacy under federal and state laws. Contact the Regional Director if there is a question about whether or not to inform a student’s parent. (See also Section 600.01, Communications, Confidential.)

420.06 Host Country Physician Requests for Supplemental Medical Information

In case more information is required than the student or the Study Center can provide, the SC Director should call the Regional Director or the Operations Specialist after checking the copy of the health clearance form.

If, because of language problems, the physician approaches the SC Director to ask for medical information from the student, the SC Director should request that the student write a statement authorizing the release of the information requested. Such a statement should be dated and read as follows:

“I, (name of student), hereby authorize (name of student health service or name of family physician) to release the information requested by (name of attending physician in country of Study Center) through the SC Director.”

The SC Director may also wish to contact AIG International Services, which provides travel benefits to all EAP participants, including help with the contact between local and personal physicians.

Each student’s file should contain a copy of the signed general Authorization for Medical or Surgical Consultation/Treatment form, which is part of the Student Agreement. However, the EAP physician consultant advises that SC Directors obtain this “on-the-spot” supplementary release of medical information.

420.07 Confidentiality

Communication between the host country physician and the student’s campus student health services or private physician is strictly confidential. A student’s disability and/or medical information must be kept confidential. It is important, though, to let students know if the host country or institution will treat their privacy differently than they are accustomed to in the US.

Physicians in the United States may be reluctant to provide information about their patients hospitalized abroad, except to another doctor, due to the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) rules and other state privacy laws. The HIPAA permits physicians to disclose protected health information to another health care provider for treatment purposes.

Students have the right to consent to their medical treatment and the right to confidentiality over their medical information. Unless it is an emergency, breaking this confidentiality and releasing information without permission from a student is against the law. Healthcare providers cannot release information about the healthcare of EAP students to anyone without the student’s signed consent.

Information about the health condition and accommodations should be shared selectively and only with those with a legitimate need to know (when it is relevant and necessary for the recipient to do his or her job). Only information that is necessary for medical treatment should be shared between attending physicians. (See also Section 600.01, Communications, Confidential.)

420.08 Termination of EAP Participation for Health Reasons

When a student withdraws from EAP for health reasons of any kind and it is necessary to return to the US for hospitalization or treatment, the SC Director should inform UOEAP about any required special arrangements (ambulance, hospitalization, etc.) in advance of the student’s expected arrival. (See Section 370.09, Emergency Withdrawal.) The SC Director should also have the student’s physician abroad send a record of the medication and treatment home with the student as this is important information for the doctor who will treat the student in the US.

See Section 425.07, Medical Evacuation Coverage.

420.09 Dropping Courses for Health Reasons

When a student is doing unsatisfactory work due to physical illness or emotional stress and the student is unlikely to recover sufficiently to complete the course successfully, the SC Director may suggest the following academic options in consultation with UOEAP:

1. Petition to drop the course and request a deficit load (see 335.02, Deficit Load Petition; and 360.01, Academic Petitions, Forwarding to UOEAP).
2. Taking an incomplete using the Contract for “I” (Incomplete) Grade (see Section 375.06, No Reports (NR); and 375.07, Incompletes) and making the required arrangements for the work to be completed at a later time. This alternative should be considered only for courses of importance to the student’s progress and when the student is confident that the work can be completed by the approved deadline noted on the “I” contract. The contract must be approved by the SC Director and instructor or other person qualified to evaluate the work.
3. Petition for a reduction in units appropriate to the work already accomplished.

420.10 Student Fatalities

In the event a student dies before departure, but after being selected to participate in the program, the following procedures apply:

1. The Campus EAP Office notifies the appropriate UOEAP Region and then follows its own campus policy on fatalities.
2. UOEAP notifies the Study Center by telephone, e-mail, or fax and codes the database with “39.” The “effective status date” is the date of death.
3. The Campus EAP Office writes a personal letter of condolence to the student’s family.

If a student dies while abroad, the SC Director should refer to the Study Center Emergency Preparedness Handbook (updated in February 2007) for a detailed checklist of steps to follow. To summarize, the following procedures apply:

1. Verify the identity of the student.
2. Gather as much information as initially possible about the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. Keep a written log with basic notes regarding circumstances, actions, etc. Update as situation progresses.
3. Contact the Regional Director immediately to coordinate all necessary actions regarding the student’s death. Do not attempt to contact the family. The Chief Administrative Officer at UOEAP will contact the family.
4. Notify the US embassy or consulate (if student is not a US citizen or permanent resident, notify embassy or consulate of citizenship) and the local police as soon as possible. The Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) in the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs is responsible for the welfare and whereabouts of US citizens traveling and residing abroad. Staff are trained and experienced and will follow their own protocols.
5. UOEAP’s Principal Policy Analyst, acting as the case manager, will be responsible for making sure that AIG Assist is contacted. The SC Director should not contact AIG.
6. Notify host institution authorities. All circumstances around the death should be kept private until the local police complete an official investigation.
7. Make sure that the student’s belongings are safely stored and kept confidential.
8. Notify the rest of the students. Ensure that group discussion, individual counseling, and on-call access to staff is available, to the extent possible. All circumstances around the death should be kept private until the local police complete an official investigation.
9. The Regional Director notifies the Campus EAP Office of the death, which will in turn follow its own campus policy on fatalities. All circumstances around the death should be kept private until the local police complete an official investigation. After the EAP Chief Administrative Officer has contacted the family, the Regional Director or a regional staff member will be responsible for working with the family to discuss repatriation of the body, any other appropriate actions required to assist the family after the death, and further steps to follow. (See also Section 425.09, Repatriation of Remains Coverage.)
10. Assist, when possible and needed, with arrangements for the family of the student to travel to the Study Center, accommodations, arranging for meetings with treating physicians, packing of student’s belongings, etc.
11. UOEAP codes the database with “59.” The “effective status date” is the date of death.
12. The EAP Director sends a letter of condolence to the family.
13. The SC Director is encouraged to write a personal letter of condolence to the family.
14. Complete and submit an incident report to the UOEAP Operations Specialist.
15. Conduct meetings with staff to review lessons learned from the experience.

420.11 Physical Examination upon Return

During the final weeks abroad, the SC Director should remind students to check in at their student health services when re-enrolling after the year abroad.

Some UC campuses require that students have a medical review when they return home while others only recommend it. Students should be advised to inquire about procedures and identify themselves to the campus health center as returning EAP students. Study Centers particularly recommend follow-up TB tests in countries in which the disease is widespread.

420.12 Communications Regarding Infectious Diseases

See Section 605.07, Communication Guidelines: Infectious Diseases.

420.13 Psychological Health Issues

The SC Director may play an essential role in helping distressed students. SC Directors are not physicians, mental health experts, or social workers, and are not expected to diagnose possible psychological disorders. An important duty of the Study Center Director/Staff is the production and updating of lists of medical professionals (physical and mental health), hospitals, etc., for use during any health emergency. A good source of information is AIG Assist, which is the travel insurance provided by the EAP insurance policy, and/or the US Mission Regional Medical Officer (embassy/consulate).

It is important to include an open discussion of mental health issues during orientation. (See Types of Psychological Disorders handout.)

Well-known, national surveys show that the number of college students with psychological health problems of all types is steadily increasing on US campuses and, by default, they are increasing in education abroad settings.

Many serious and common crises abroad involve students whose preexisting psychological problems are exacerbated by living and studying abroad. This is especially true if the student going abroad thinks that this experience will be a cure for problems at home. Protected by laws and policies regarding confidentiality and privacy of medical records and facing the possible stigma of a psychiatric label, students who may be actively in treatment for psychological health issues will be accepted into EAP without self-disclosing. Stigma is a reality for people with a psychological health condition and it is often their greatest barrier to self-disclosure.

When a student’s psychological condition worsens or manifests itself for the first time abroad, where there are varying degrees of infrastructure, the resulting crisis can blindside and overwhelm the Study Center and UOEAP. Among other things, the SC Director and staff ensure that the student is safe from his/herself and ensure the safety of other students. In dealing with stress and psychological health problems, it is important to recognize that students may not self-refer.

Prescription Medication

Students and families are advised by UOEAP to be aware that some commonly prescribed medications in the US may be considered illegal substances in other countries; some prescriptions may contain controlled substances. In particular, some medications for ADD/ADHD may require significant research and licensing before being allowed into a country. For example, in France , Ritalin is seen as a dangerous narcotic; it is classified as a stupéfiant and shipments are confiscated by French customs officials. Students are advised to ensure that they will have appropriate medications while abroad. Medication management is addressed during the predeparture health clearance at their home campus.

Anti-Anxiety and Anti-Depression Medicine

One of the main concerns that students may have about taking medication is the question of how long they will need to be on medication. With most antidepressants, it will take from one to three weeks before changes begin to occur. Some symptoms subside early in treatment, while others take longer to treat. While it is often tempting to stop taking the medication when the person feels better, it is important to advise students to continue taking such medication until they and their doctor agree that their depression is treated. Stopping the medication early can result in the return of original symptoms or adverse reactions. For example, discontinuation effects are also common after withdrawal of MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), a class of antidepressants, and may include disorientation, confusion, agitation, cognitive impairment, catatonia, paranoid delusions, aggressiveness, hallucinations, depression, suicidal impulses, slowed speech, and sleep disturbance. Researchers have found that suddenly stopping treatment with some antidepressants of the type known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can cause serious withdrawal effects, both physically and psychologically. A physician may recommend gradually decreasing or tapering off the medication. Tapering off is particularly important with some medications to give the body an adjustment period. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, discontinuing anxiety and depression medication too early may produce a relapse. All too often, people feel better after taking medication for three or four months and stop their medications at that point without consulting a doctor. Unfortunately, symptoms frequently return a few weeks later.

Compliance with medication regimens as prescribed is important. Students should be advised to never abruptly discontinue any psychotropic medication. According to the American Psychiatric Association, medications are formulated to treat specific conditions and a physician, such as a psychiatrist, who is skilled in treating an illness must monitor them. Like most medications, psychiatric prescriptions may take a few days or a few weeks to become fully effective.

Confidentiality of Medical Records

The American Psychiatric Association is unwavering in its support of patients’ right to privacy with respect to their medical records. The American Psychiatric Association Guidelines on Confidentiality state, “The patient’s consent to the release of information from his or her medical record should be informed and given freely, without threat or coercion. For their consent to be informed, patients should have an appreciation of the nature and content of the information to be released, the purposes for which it will be used, the manner in which it will be protected, and the extent to which any of the information will be redisclosed to other parties.”

Further References and Web Resources

Referring Distressed Students:

http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/distressedstudentsguide/

http://caps.ucdavis.edu/resources/brochures/CAPS_Dangerous.pdf

http://www2.ucsc.edu/psychiatry/index.html

http://www.sps.ucla.edu/refer.html

Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student:

http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/counseling/selfhelp.shtml#general

A Study Center’s Toolbox: Practical Skills for Helping Students in Distress:

http://eap.ucop.edu/studycenter/orientation2005/handouts/SCTrainingToolbox.pdf

425. HEALTH AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE

425.00 Health and Accident Insurance, General

Under the terms of the EAP Student Agreement, EAP participants are covered by the mandatory Student Accident and Sickness, Medical Evacuation, and Repatriation of Remains Plan (included in the EAP student fees). The plan is provided by AIG Life Insurance. Coverage is effective 24 hours per day, starting 14 days before the EAP departure date and terminating 31 days after the end of the program or upon return to the US , whichever occurs first. Coverage will extend to the US for brief visits during the program of no more than 45 days duration. If students are participating in an academic year program and visit the US during the official program break, they will have insurance coverage for up to 45 days. Coverage shall not exceed 12 months, but may be extended to a maximum of 15 months for any insured student participating in a study group whose requirements extend beyond the normal 12-month period of insurance.

All covered medical expenses must be incurred within 78 weeks of the date of occurrence, including treatment in the US for a condition treated abroad after the student returns home.

The EAP insurance works on a reimbursement basis; students must pay at the time of service. Fully itemized bills should be submitted with the claim form. Medical claims processing time is about six to eight weeks after receipt of the completed claim. Students should keep copies of all documentation submitted in case the claim gets lost in the mail.

425.01 Sickness and Accident Expenses

EAP students must pay for medical services at the time they are rendered. Students are advised in the EAP General Information Guide to take an emergency credit card for medical emergencies and to use it to pay for medical services.

425.02 Insurance Claims

Students receive instructions in the EAP General Information Guide to complete and access claim forms, which must be used when filing a claim for reimbursement of medical expenses. The SC Director should stress that, regardless of the amount of expense incurred, a claim form must be filed as official documentation of the “sickness” or “accident.”

The SC Director should stress to students that claims must be fully substantiated and signed by the student. Instructions for completing claims appear at the top of each claim form. Itemized bills and receipts must accompany all claim forms. It is important that claims are filed promptly and accurately and that they include receipts for all expenses from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. These receipts must be translated (if they are not in English) and attached to the claim with charges converted to US dollars. Reimbursement usually takes six to eight weeks. Students should submit these claims directly to AIG or the EAP insurance broker in Los Angeles (not to UOEAP).

All claims should be sent to:

425.03 Loans to Students for Medical Expenses

See Section 820.02, Loans to Students for Medical Expenses.

425.04 Extension of Insurance

Students who plan to travel before or after the program are responsible for securing an extension of insurance coverage if they foresee a gap in their health insurance coverage while abroad. Students who plan to travel before or after EAP have the option to apply and pay for an EAP insurance extension at least 30 days before the end of the EAP study term or 30 days before departure from the US (if purchasing pre-program coverage). The Request for Extension of Insurance Coverage form must be sent to the EAP broker, Hendricks-Hodgkiss Co. (not to UOEAP) and must be paid in full at the time of request. The extension provides the same terms of coverage as the Student Accident and Sickness, Medical Evacuation, and Repatriation of Remains Plan.

Students may purchase a pre- or post-program extension that will cover them abroad as follows:

1. 30 days for $35.70
2. 60 days for $70.35
3. 90 days for $93.45

425.05 Gap Insurance for US Coverage after EAP

The EAP standard policy has been extended to include coverage for students who return to the US and do not have valid or acceptable US medical insurance. For this coverage to apply to an EAP student, he or she must be returning for the next term as a full-time student to a UC campus. Graduating seniors will be eligible for coverage for a period of one month. The gap insurance provided by this policy is mandatory and there will be a separate premium charge; however, students will be able to decline if they have comparable US coverage. Encourage students to discuss this with their parents. The EAP gap insurance is excess over any other valid and collectible insurance that a student may have. The gap coverage will be the same as described in the section entitled Medical Benefits in the EAP insurance policy brochure, with the following exceptions:

1. Pregnancy is not covered.
2. There is a $250 deductible per occurrence.
3. After the deductible, covered expenses are reimbursed at 80 percent of the next $50,000 and 100 percent thereafter up to a maximum of $250,000 per occurrence.
4. All covered medical expenses must be incurred within 52 weeks of the date of occurrence.

425.06 UC Traveler’s Insurance

The Office of Risk Services within the Financial Management Department at the UC Office of the President has arranged for students participating in UC-sponsored and supervised off-campus activities, both domestically and abroad, to be covered by the UC Traveler’s Insurance, which is purchased by the University. Accepted students receive instructions in their online packets to register online to be eligible for coverage. Registration is required for activities taking place out of state and in foreign countries. This is an important coverage as it includes evacuation for political- and weather-related reasons at no premium cost to the student.

425.07 Medical Evacuation Coverage

Note: Incurred expenses will not be reimbursed unless AIG Assist makes all arrangements for medical evacuation before services are rendered. The cost of such an evacuation may include transportation by ground or air ambulance or by commercial transportation, provision of a medically trained escort during travel, etc., subject to the maximum of the policy indicated above.

Medical evacuation coverage is provided under the terms of the Student Accident and Sickness, Medical Evacuation, and Repatriation of Remains Plan. Dates of coverage are as outlined in Section 425.00, Health and Accident Insurance, General. The Company will pay benefits for covered expenses up to a maximum of $200,000 if an injury or sickness (commencing during the course of a trip) results in the necessary emergency evacuation of the student or qualified and insured dependent to a treatment facility.

AIG Assist, in coordination with a legally licensed physician(s) abroad, must determine in advance that an evacuation is medically necessary and will make all arrangements for the evacuation. A legally licensed physician must certify that the severity of the insured person’s injury or sickness warrants the emergency evacuation. Medical evacuation can be used if a student is sick, injured, or mentally ill and it is:

1. medically necessary to move the student to another location abroad for treatment (for example, student is injured or becomes ill in a remote or rural area and must be moved to a city for treatment).
   
   OR


2. medically necessary for the student to return home for treatment and recovery (for example, student is seriously injured or mentally unstable and no longer able to continue in the program).

AIG Assist Travel Assistance Services

Emergency (both medical and non-medical) assistance services are also available to students through AIG Assist (see AIG Assist brochure). Students have 24/7 access to board-certified physicians and nurses with decades of experience in critical care in the US and abroad. AIG’s frontline staff is also cross-cultural and multilingual, representing more than 20 foreign languages. These diverse communications capabilities combined with sensitivity to diverse cultural protocols ensure excellent support for students in times of need. Services include: medical referral service (database of medical professionals worldwide); language assistance (if a student has medical, legal, or other emergencies in a country where he or she does not speak the language); message service in medical situations; assistance with travel arrangements in emergencies; and legal referrals. Refer to the Student Accident and Sickness, Medical Evacuation, and Repatriation of Remains Plan and the Study Center Emergency Preparedness Handbook for complete details.

425.08 Accidental Death and Dismemberment

The EAP insurance policy includes a $20,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit during the time of coverage.

425.09 Repatriation of Remains Coverage

The repatriation of remains benefit will pay reasonable covered expenses incurred to return the remains of an insured person to their country of permanent residence if he or she dies abroad during the period of coverage, subject to the maximum benefit amount of $15,000. In order for incurred expenses to be reimbursed, all arrangements for repatriation of remains must be made by AIG Assist in advance of services being rendered.

430. STUDENT EMERGENCIES

430.00 Student Emergencies

Refer to the Study Center Emergency Preparedness Handbook for additional information that includes detailed instructions in the following areas:

1. Basic preparations that should be made before and during each program cycle in anticipation of possible crises
2. Emergency contact information
3. EAP student insurance and emergency assistance information
4. Sample checklists for emergencies (“What to do if…”)
5. Safety and Security Checklist
6. Communication Tree

See In An Emergency for additional information.

430.01 Safety and Incident Reporting

See Section 605.06, Safety and Incident Reporting.

435. PREPARATION FOR RETURN

435.00 Preparation for Return, Registration/Enrollment

Policies and deadlines for enrollment vary by campus. Students should see their UC campus or Campus EAP Office website for details on when and how to register for classes and pay fees. Some campuses also send reminders to students via e-mail or hard copy just before registration begins.

435.01 Preparation for Return, Cultural Reentry

It is the SC Director’s responsibility to help prepare students for their reentry into American society, raising both practical and cultural adjustment issues. It is not uncommon for returned students to experience feelings and thoughts much like the ones they experienced when adjusting to the host culture at the beginning of the EAP program. While students may anticipate having to deal with cultural adjustment abroad, they often are caught unprepared for their readjustment to California, UC, and the American student lifestyle. Some past participants report that they experienced as much, and sometimes more, culture shock returning home as they did going abroad.

In the summer, fall, and winter/spring, some Campus EAP Offices sponsor reentry workshops and activities to help students adjust. The SC Director should mention these workshops to the students and encourage them to attend.

Encourage students to make contact with their Campus EAP Offices upon return, where they can meet and advise interested students participating in EAP in the following year.

435.02 Preparation for Return, Medical Reviews

See Section 420.11, Physical Examination upon Return.

435.03 Preparation for Return, Leave of Absence/Planned Educational Leave

Undergraduate Students

All undergraduate students who contemplate sitting out a semester or quarter should consult their specific campus website or contact the dean’s or provost’s office concerning their tentative plans and date of intended readmission. Generally, all students who do not enroll in the term immediately following EAP may have to apply for readmission. Students should contact their campus registrar concerning readmission forms and deadlines.

Graduate Students

Remind graduate students to request a leave of absence or the equivalent from their graduate dean if they do not plan to register on their home campus for the quarter immediately following EAP. Unless graduate students have an approved leave of absence, they lose their student status, which means that if they wish to continue their graduate studies in the future, they will have to reapply for admission and, where applicable, for re-advancement to candidacy.

435.06 Preparation for Return, Inter-Campus Transfer (ICT)

Students should consult the admissions office for the campus they are interested in transferring to for details.

435.07 Preparation for Return, Student Travel

Students are directly responsible for arranging their own return transportation. Students who did not purchase a round-trip ticket before departure should be urged to make return transportation arrangements as early as possible to ensure space. Advise students to contact several local travel agencies to obtain the best flight arrangements to the US.

435.08 Preparation for Return, Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Students who wish to take the GRE while abroad can refer to the GRE website or request information and a bulletin from the GRE main office:

GRE-ETS
PO Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
USA
Phone: (609) 771-7670

440. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSION OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

440.00 Extension Policy

Extensions of program enrollment beyond the term(s) in which students originally enrolled are encouraged in cases where:

1. It is certain that the extension will not cause a new, well-qualified UC student to be denied an opportunity for EAP participation.
2. Space is available in the host university department or in the student’s field of study.
3. There is clear evidence that this extension will make a significant contribution to the student’s degree program.
4. The student’s home campus approves and sets any necessary academic limits or conditions.
5. The student’s legal status in the host country can be extended for the duration of the program extension. In some cases, it is not possible to extend a student’s visa abroad so the student will not be allowed to extend the program enrollment.

440.01 Departmental/College Pre-Approval to Extend Participation

If extension is possible for a particular program, students must submit a Departmental and College Pre-Approval to Extend (DPA) form. The pre-approved DPA will either be submitted with the EAP application or may be submitted before student’s arrival at the Study Center. The original should be kept in the student’s file at the Study Center. The DPA form allows students to extend their participation when they decide to request an extension after the program has begun.

During the on-site orientation, the Study Center staff should mention to students the option to extend and announce the deadline to submit such requests. The Study Center staff must let students know that Study Center approval does not guarantee automatic approval by UOEAP.

In advance of a deadline and to make it easier for students, the Study Center staff should let all students who have a pre-approved DPA know that they should consider obtaining approval to extend from the Study Center before the deadline. Most Study Centers set an internal deadline for the students to submit their requests to extend to ensure that Study Center staff have time to meet with the students and send the extension requests to UOEAP by the formal deadline.

Any time after the student arrives, but by the appropriate deadline, the student may sign and date the Request for Final Approval to Extend (RFA) to initiate the process. It is the SC Director’s prerogative to approve or deny the request based on the student’s academic performance, conduct, maturity, and cultural adaptability demonstrated up to that time.

Students who have a DPA on file should not submit a Petition to Extend form. However, if a student wishes to extend and did not obtain a DPA in advance, then he or she must use the Petition to Extend. (See 440.02, Petition to Extend Participation Procedures.)

DPA Procedures

1. When a student decides to extend and has a preapproved DPA on file, the student submits the Request for Final Approval to Extend (RFA). The student signs this form to initiate the extension process. The form then needs to be given to the SC Director or his or her designee.
2. When the SC Director receives an RFA, he or she must look at a number of factors that may affect the student’s extension (such as student conduct, disciplinary status, GPA, language ability, space at the host institution, the number of incoming applicants, students on a wait list, etc.). The SC Director may also choose to interview the student. After considering all factors, the SC Director can decide to approve or deny the request. If the request is approved, the SC Director completes the RFA, indicates any conditions, informs the student of the decision, and then sends the RFA to the Operations Specialist at UOEAP. The student should understand that approval by the SC does not guarantee approval by UOEAP (see item 4, below, for additional processing). If the request is not approved, the SC Director informs the student and sends an e-mail to the Operations Specialist with details.
3. At the time the SC Director approves the extension request, the Study Center staff may choose to ask the student to complete all appropriate housing forms and payments, visa paperwork, course registration, etc., for the next term. If the student is on financial aid, it may take some extended time for the student’s financial aid to be processed for the next term; this may impede the student’s ability to pay. If a student must satisfy specific host institution and/or host country health requirements for the following term, the student must make an appointment with a doctor immediately and complete all necessary forms. If the student has had a change in his or her medical history, the student will be required to submit an updated health clearance.
4. Upon receipt of the RFA, the Operations Specialist verifies that there is no capacity issue for the program based on new applications and host university agreements and will also review the student’s file for specific EAP policy violations, if any, and/or health requirements for the following term. The UOEAP Finance Unit will verify whether or not a student has an unpaid balance. Students must pay all outstanding balances before UOEAP can approve the extension. Next, the student is cleared with the Academics Unit (they must ensure that there is no academic reason related to EAP why the student should not extend their participation). Once all UOEAP units clear the student, UOEAP will approve the RFA, update the student’s status in the database, and send an e-mail notification to all appropriate staff at UOEAP, the Study Center, and the student’s home campus.
5. Students who submit an RFA and then later retract their extension request must immediately notify both UOEAP and the SC Director of their decision in writing.
   • If the program has already begun (e.g., a student extending from fall semester to a year program), a Petition to Withdraw is required and will be considered a postdeparture withdrawal. In this case, the student must pay the UOEAP withdrawal fee and unrecoverable costs if the RFA is canceled after the submission deadline indicated on the form.
   • If the program has not yet begun (e.g., a student extending to a separate program), a Petition to Withdraw is not required and the cancelation will be considered a predeparture withdrawal. In this case, the student must pay the UOEAP withdrawal fee and unrecoverable costs if the RFA is canceled after the program withdrawal deadline.
6. Refer to the DPA and RFA forms for specific deadlines.

440.02 Petition to Extend Participation Procedures

Students who do not have a preapproved DPA form on file and wish to request an extension should first communicate with the SC Director to initiate the Petition to Extend process. Students should be notified that it may take weeks or, at some UC campuses, months to obtain the requisite approvals and signatures needed to process the Petition to Extend form.

Note: A student who wishes to extend his or her EAP enrollment at a different host institution either within or outside the country of current enrollment should contact the Campus EAP Office. In most cases, this is not considered an extension and students must apply in accordance with the established deadline set by their home Campus EAP Office. The criteria by which the local campus EAP Selection Committee should review such an application are noted under Section 440.00, Extension Policy.

Petition to Extend Procedures:

1. The student must submit a Petition to Extend to the SC Director by the stated deadline with an accompanying academic program proposal that clearly demonstrates that the proposed academic work can be pursued abroad under the auspices of UC and EAP. Deadlines are listed on the form.
2. The SC Director should review the student’s petition and statement, complete his or her section of the petition (with a supplemental note if appropriate), and send it to the Operations Specialist. Upon receipt of the petition, the Operations Specialist verifies that there is no capacity issue for the program based on new applications and host university agreements and will also review the student’s file for specific EAP policy violations, if any, and/or health requirements for the following term. The UOEAP Finance Unit will verify whether or not a student has an unpaid balance. Students must pay all outstanding balances before UOEAP can approve the extension. Next, the student is cleared with the Academics Unit (they must ensure that there is no academic reason related to EAP why the student should not extend their participation). Once all UOEAP units clear the student, UOEAP will forward it to the student’s Campus EAP Office. The Campus EAP Office routes the form to the student’s home department dean or provost, as necessary, before sending it back to UOEAP. The Operations Specialist will make the final decision based on the petition recommendations and then update the student’s status in the database and send an e-mail notification to all appropriate staff at UOEAP, the Study Center, and the student’s home campus.
3. The SC Director notifies the student about the approval or denial of the petition. The SC Director should add the student to his or her list of participants for the next term or year.
4. Students who submit a Petition to Extend and then later retract their extension request must immediately notify both UOEAP and the SC Director of their decision in writing.
   • If the program has already begun (e.g., a student extending from fall semester to a year program), a Petition to Withdraw is required and will be considered a postdeparture withdrawal. In this case, the student must pay the UOEAP withdrawal fee and unrecoverable costs if the Petition to Extend is canceled after the submission deadline indicated on the form.
   • If the program has not yet begun (e.g., a student extending to a separate program), a Petition to Withdraw is not required and the cancelation will be considered a predeparture withdrawal. In this case, the student must pay the UOEAP withdrawal fee and unrecoverable costs if the Petition to Extend is canceled after the program withdrawal deadline.
5. Refer to the Petition to Extend form for specific deadlines.

440.03 Extension, Supplementary Information

Gap Insurance

Students who are extending and are enrolled in gap insurance must also submit the gap insurance enrollment form with the extension request to update the length of gap coverage that they would need when they return to the US after the extension period. Students must submit an EAP Gap Insurance form if they wish to enroll in gap coverage; otherwise, UOEAP will assume that they have adequate insurance coverage when they return to the US and have made the decision not to enroll in gap insurance. This form must be sent to UOEAP at the same time as the RFA (Request for Final Approval to Extend) or PTE (Petition to Extend) form.

Independent Enrollment

EAP assumes no responsibility for former EAP students who independently enroll at the host university following their program abroad. Under these circumstances, such students may not enroll in UC credit courses, may not participate in EAP tutorials, or otherwise take advantage of EAP-funded opportunities. The student is responsible for making all personal arrangements, including taking a leave of absence from the home campus, arranging new on-site housing if necessary, changing visa status, etc. The SC Director must make it clear to the host university that such students are no longer a part of EAP. UOEAP should be notified of the intention of any student to remain as an independent student for a second term so that EAP’s non-involvement role may be clarified with the student’s home campus and host institution.

440.04 Enrollment of Continuing Students

Continuing students are added to the program enrollment list and will submit Registration Study Lists in the usual way, with appropriate monitoring of courses and grades by the SC Director. Continuing students may request a waiver for the ILP, but it is necessary to note this in their approved application. During the academic terms of the host university they are, like all other EAP students, expected to complete a normal course load under the usual EAP academic regulations.

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