A critical need: Addition planned for Engle Center
While the world continues to navigate a global pandemic, healthcare workers and hospitals have been stretched beyond their limits. As a microcosm of this pandemic, the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services has been stretched beyond capacity.
In March of 2020, an independent reviewer recommended the center should be renovated, relocated or reconstructed to be brought up to acceptable standards for a health care and counseling facility.
Meanwhile, the center's staff has been providing high-quality medical care in a space too small to meet all of the needs of Messiah's students efficiently.
For example, there is only one exam room in which a provider can maneuver on both sides of the exam table or adjust the table to the proper height. Because of this, the nurses are often shifting patients around, using the smaller exam rooms as “holding rooms” for patients while waiting for the only adequate exam room to open up.
Because the center also provides mental health services in addition to physical health services, the pandemic impacted an already taxed counseling center. In order to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, staffers had to separate the sick from the well. That effort required using the entire building, which resulted in turning counseling offices into exam rooms.
Because of a lack of space, the counselors moved to Climenhaga Homestead. The pandemic isn’t fully to blame, though.
“Before that, there wasn’t enough space for all of the counselors to work for years,” said Aubrey Kleinfeld, director of counseling services. “For almost 10 years, the overflow offices were located in Hoffman.”
With the added pressures of the physical and mental health demands brought about by COVID-19, the facility is in need of a significant expansion.
Our history
Named for longtime Messiah University Trustee and his wife, “Doc” Harold and Mary Elizabeth Engle, the center adheres to the highest ethical standards and provides high-quality physical and mental health care to the campus community.
“Access to appropriate medical and psychological care is extremely important to the academic and personal development of our students, and it cannot be assumed that it will be available elsewhere,” said Nancy Huerter. “Timely intervention can make all the difference in the success of a semester, a school year and, ultimately, a life.”
Resources and staffing
Many students are “shared” patients between counseling and health, with the nurse practitioner being the prescriber and the counselor seeing the student weekly for behavioral health. Through a weekly case conference, providers discuss concerns about shared patients. Working in separate buildings currently makes consulting on shared patients difficult.
“It will be beneficial for students to come to one place to promote their well-being through either meeting their mental or physical health needs,” said Kleinfeld.
The center’s staff has grown to approximately 20 full-time and part-time employees with a significant increase in nursing staff needs in the past two years (a 30% total increase in staff since 2018). This includes a certified nurse practitioner (CRNP), a nurse coordinator, two front office staff members, eight RNs, one COVID-19 triage nurse, Kleinfeld, 6 additional counselors and 2-3 graduate interns. While staffers are on call, TimelyCare (branded FalconCare for Messiah) a 24/7 telehealth service, provides an additional safety net of care.
Services provided
The health side functions much like an urgent care, so students should rarely have to leave campus to get medical care. Employing a full-time CRNP on campus affords Messiah students access to a provider who can assess; diagnose; treat; prescribe; order diagnostic testing, bloodwork and immunizations; and provide a referral, among other things. Also, the CRNP can work with the student’s home provider or specialist to create a plan or can function as the student’s primary care physician for the four years the student is on campus.
What is needed?
The center needs a 1,800-square-foot addition to its 4,400 existing space with new equipment. While the majority of the project is coming from COVID-relief dollars and institutional capital funding, $750,000 is needed to complete the project.
Co-chairs for this important endeavor include Drs. Joe and Nancy Huerter along with Drs. Emerson ’74 and Ruth Lesher. Joe Huerter and Emerson Lesher also serve as Trustees of Messiah University. “In the last 3 years, there has been a 200-300% increase in clinic visits and utilization of the health center by our students necessitating expansion of the physical plant,” said Joe Huerter. “Nancy and I are glad to lend our support to this worthwhile endeavor.”
The Leshers echo that sentiment. “We are pleased to serve as co-chairs and to give to this campaign,” they said. “The time has come to ensure that the Engle Health Center has facilities that are of the same high standard for which Messiah University is known.”
How to give
To learn more or to make a gift, contact Associate Vice President of Development Jon Stuckey at jstuckey@messiah.edu.
Student testimonials
“Being able to have the help I need to try to be the best version of myself is something I am forever grateful for. I wouldn’t be who I am today [without the care] and can’t put a price tag on its value. Everyone I worked with is there to truly help you physically, emotionally and spiritually. They truly care and it shows.”
—Brian Gilroy ’19
“Throughout my time at Messiah I had to get allergy shots, about once a month. The staff at the Engle Center were always proficient, comprehensive and communicative. They handled all of my allergy shot needs in a smooth and joyful way.”
—Aaron Weber ’21
“In all honesty, I am still alive today because of the Engle Center and some close friends on campus. Although the journey was, and still is, difficult, it was both life-changing and life-saving.”
—Lizzy Beach ’18
“The professional staff at the Engle Center have supported me with information, tissues and encouragement throughout my journey at Messiah University.”
—Student’s name withheld for privacy