Health Center Archives | �鶹ԭ�� News

�鶹ԭ�� Victim Services at the Ready to Help in Cases of Abuse

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 14:37:02 +0000

It was December 2009 when Tampa resident Audrey Mabrey’s youngest son’s first birthday was approaching. A time she should have been picking out decorations and a cake, but instead was waking up confused from a six-week coma in an intensive care unit. A coma she slipped into after she was hit on the head with a hammer four times, covered in gasoline and set on fire by her husband, the father to her two young sons.

After weeks of speaking with doctors and undergoing physical therapy, Mabrey finally felt she was ready to look at her injuries. What she saw in the mirror wasn’t the same woman she knew, one who had won beauty pageants as a child. Instead she was looking at what she describes as a horror-film monster like Freddy Krueger. More than 80 percent of her body had been burned. In that moment a flood of memories from the attack came over her.

“[My now ex-husband] might have robbed me physically, but I refused to allow him to rob me mentally, emotionally or spiritually.” – Audrey Mabrey

“I could see that butcher knife held to my throat as he attempted to rape me,” Mabrey says. “I could feel him bludgeoning me in the head over and over. I could taste the gasoline in my mouth. I could smell my burning flesh and I could hear my neighbor screaming as she rushed to my aid.”

Although it was overwhelming, Mabrey made a choice as she stared at her reflection to hold onto hope.

“My thought process in that moment was [my now ex-husband] might have robbed me physically, but I refused to allow him to rob me mentally, emotionally or spiritually,” Mabrey says.

Three years later Mabrey’s abuser was sentenced to serve life in prison and in the nine years since the attack she’s undergone many plastic surgeries to restore her former appearance as much as possible. She’s also kept her determined, positive spirit alive by traveling the country to spread awareness on domestic violence, an issue that affected more than 12 million men and women in the United States last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Confidential Campus Support

One of her recent speaking engagements took place earlier this month at the annual Light Up the Night event, which is held every October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and is put together by . The organization provides crisis intervention, safety and security for anyone in the �鶹ԭ�� community that’s been impacted by crime, violence and abuse.

“We give [victims] their options — the good, the bad and the ugly — ask them ‘What do you want to do?’ and listen to them,” says Lauren Portal ’11, who began working as an advocate for Victim Services in 2014. “We’re completely confidential, which is extremely important. We don’t call the police over if [victims] don’t want us to, we don’t report incidences to Title IX and things of that nature.”

On college campuses, 43 percent of women who date report experiencing some sort of violent or abusive dating behavior, with more than half of students finding it difficult to identify these problems at all, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

“Abusers are very good at presenting things in a way like they’re loving and caring about their partner.” – Christine Mouton ’02MS,

“The problem is those things happen over a long period of time and people don’t recognize them as the signs they are because they’re so incremental,” says Christine Mouton ’02MS, director of Victim Services. “Abusers are very good at presenting things in a way like they’re loving and caring about their partner, so their partner doesn’t initially perceive it as a controlling behavior.”

Changes in behavior and clothing, not wanting to hang out often and always checking in with their partner are some of the signs Mouton says to look for if you suspect someone is experiencing domestic violence.

Challenges With Coming Forward

Victim Services has provided help to 600-800 people affected by a range of crimes each year for the past three years.

Although recent movements like #MeToo and events such as the Brett Kavanaugh investigation before his Supreme Court confirmation have increased the national conversation around sexual harassment and violence, Mouton says she hasn’t found any indicators of increased cases reported at �鶹ԭ��.

Men, particularly, have a hard time reporting abuse, she says. It can often feel emasculating for them to admit a woman is their abuser, although there are now more than ever before. Often the abuse takes the form of scratching, screaming and other demeaning behavior.

“We’re seeing this on both sides, in all types of relationships,” Mouton says.

How to Get Help

Anyone seeking help from Victim Services can call the 24/7 hotline at 407-823-1200 or text 407-823-6868. They can speak with an advocate, who has at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, has completed 40 hours of victim-designation training, and regularly attends conferences and workshops to advance their training. From there, the caller will be provided with campus and community resources to find the right support for them.

“A lot of times victims won’t like to talk about it because it makes it more real, but we’re literally an ear.” – Lauren Portal ’11

“We have a relationship assessment that we give [victims when they contact us] and it goes from less serious to really serious behavior,” Mouton says. “When you put a list in front of them, once they see all those checks, it’s a reality check for them.”

The advocates will also talk through a list of reporting options with the victim, such as filing a police report, injunction or order of protection, but will never try to persuade someone to do so if they aren’t comfortable.

“A lot of times victims won’t like to talk about it because it makes it more real, but we’re literally an ear,” Portal says. “We want to listen to you. We’re not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

For more information about Victim Services, visit . You can also visit their main office in Suite 450 of the on Research Parkway or their on-campus locations on the second floor of the and the Green Dot office in the .

Flu Shots Now Available at Health Center

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:18:54 +0000

Flu vaccines have resumed at �鶹ԭ�� Student Health Services for the upcoming season, which is following an unusually high year of cases.

Each year up to 20 percent of the general U.S. population contracts the flu, said Crystal Colvenbach, coordinator of university relations and public affairs at the campus health center.

“Peak flu season is usually in December,” she said. “Specifically at �鶹ԭ�� we see it peak late November as students are preparing for finals and immune systems are affected by stress and compromised sleep schedules.”

“When you protect yourself with the vaccine, you are also protecting your friends, family, the �鶹ԭ�� campus and community.”

Student Health Services recommends all students, faculty and staff get a flu shot each season, except people who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past, are currently ill or have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Shots at the health center are available to students for free and to faculty or staff using insurance benefits. There is no cash price at the center.

The center is open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

Students can walk in for a flu shot, or they and others can make an appointment by contacting the center at 407-823-2701 or .

The center also will be taking traveling flu shot clinics around the university through the fall term. The schedule is being developed now, so the staff recommends checking back on the website for times and locations. Last year the traveling clinics visited several spots including the Student Union, Recreation and Wellness Center, residential halls and regional campuses.

“Flu vaccinations are an important part of your preventive health care,” Colvenbach said. “When you protect yourself with the vaccine, you are also protecting your friends, family, the �鶹ԭ�� campus and community. The more people we vaccinate, the less flu we see.”

�鶹ԭ�� Hosts Drug Take Back Day April 20

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 17:52:41 +0000

Members of the �鶹ԭ�� community can hand over unused, unwanted and expired prescription drugs with no questions asked Wednesday, April 20.

�鶹ԭ��’s 7th-annual Drug Take Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Student Union.

The event, led by the �鶹ԭ�� Police Department and Student Health Services in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, gives people an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by properly disposing of potentially dangerous drugs.

The service is free and anonymous, and pills, inhalers and ointments are welcome. Pet medication also will be accepted.

The event leads up to the DEA’s national Prescription Drug Take Back-Day Saturday, April 30. �鶹ԭ�� will host the event early to accommodate students’ schedules. �鶹ԭ�� Police will store all the turned in drugs until the DEA picks them up.

In previous Take Back events nationwide from 2010 to 2014, 4,823,251 pounds– or 2,411 tons– of drugs were collected.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.

Rates of prescription drug abuse and accidental poisonings and overdoses in the U.S. are alarmingly high, and studies show that a majority of these drugs are obtained from family and friends.

The DEA will incinerate all collected items, which is the safest way to destroy expired or unneeded drugs, keeping them out of the hands of abusers and protecting our waterways and landfills.

�鶹ԭ�� regularly collects unwanted pills and patches at permanent drug take-back boxes located on the first floor of the Student Union and in the pharmacy of the Health Center. �鶹ԭ�� Police collects items from the boxes and stores them until they are picked up by the DEA.

For additional information about the DEA initiative, including other local drop-off sites, visit .

Unwanted Meds Collected

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 16:48:54 +0000

Students, faculty and staff members had the opportunity to get rid of their expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs on September 24 at �鶹ԭ��’s annual on-campus “Drug Take Back” event. Hosted by �鶹ԭ�� Student Health Services and �鶹ԭ�� Police Department, the event was to educate the �鶹ԭ�� community on proper drug disposal and offer a convenient way to dispose of medicines for free. Practicing proper drug disposal protects the nation’s waterways, as well as helps to keep the substances out of the hands of abusers.

A total of 75.5 pounds of medicines was collected; the most since the event was initiated five years ago. “Each year we see better and better utilization of this program,” said Brenda Walker, �鶹ԭ�� pharmacist. “It’s great to see that people are paying attention to the importance of proper drug disposal.”

In addition to the annual event, the �鶹ԭ�� community can dispose of medications year-round thanks to two permanent drug take back boxes located in the main pharmacy and Student Union.

The event is part of a national take back program administered by the Drug Enforcement Administration). Local law enforcement agencies like �鶹ԭ�� Police and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

�鶹ԭ�� Hosts Prescription Drug Take Back Event Sept. 24

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 13:00:35 +0000

Members of the �鶹ԭ�� community can hand over unused, unwanted and expired prescription drugs with no questions asked Thursday, Sept. 24.

�鶹ԭ��’s 6th-annual Drug Take Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Student Union.

The service is free and anonymous, and pills, inhalers and ointments are welcome. Pet medication also will be accepted.

The event leads up to the DEA’s national Prescription Drug Take Back-Day Saturday, Sept. 26. �鶹ԭ�� will host the event a few days before the national take-back day to accommodate students’ schedules. �鶹ԭ�� Police will store all the turned in drugs until the DEA picks them up Saturday.

In the previous nine Take Back events nationwide from 2010 to 2014, 4,823,251 pounds– or 2,411 tons– of drugs were collected.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.

Rates of prescription drug abuse and accidental poisonings and overdoses in the U.S. are alarmingly high, and studies show that a majority of these drugs are obtained from family and friends.

The DEA will incinerate all collected items, which is the safest way to destroy expired or unneeded drugs, keeping them out of the hands of abusers and protecting our waterways and landfills.

For additional information about the DEA initiative, including other local drop-off sites, visit .

Family Weekend is September 27-29

Thu, 26 Sep 2013 18:38:32 +0000

�鶹ԭ�� Family Weekend is an annual tradition bringing together families and students to create memories that will last a lifetime. Student Development and Enrollment Services staff looks forward to meeting family and friends on Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29.

A variety of events are planned throughout the weekend such as: Friday Knight Welcome, Family Weekend Breakfast, Late Knights, Tour of the Health Center, Breakfast and Bigger Beds, and �鶹ԭ�� Football vs. South Carolina.

For a full schedule of events, visit: fye.sdes.ucf.edu/familyweekend.

Medical Professionals Share Career Advice With Students

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:05:19 +0000

Health care providers at the �鶹ԭ�� Health Center flipped the script Jan. 31 and let the students ask all the questions as a variety of professionals attended the “Ask a Doc – Careers in Health Care” event.

“While we’re not educators per say, we definitely fit that role in more ways than one at the Health Center,” said Megan Pabian, coordinator of the center’s community relations and public affairs. “Not only are we educating students about their own health, but we recognize the responsibility we have as medical professionals on a college campus to provide career mentoring.”

The event is held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester and allows students to attain first-hand knowledge about medical professions. This year the panel included doctors, a physician assistant, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, a dietitian, a physical therapist, a pharmacist, a dentist and a dental hygienist.

“We have such a variety of professions represented in these four walls,” Pabian said. “It’s great to show students how many career options are out there and how we all work in support of one another with the same common goal – make our students healthier.”

The event is supported by the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and includes experts who can address graduate-school options, and admission expectations for the various fields.

“I found the event super helpful,” said Long Nguyen, a health sciences pre-clinical major . “I was able to get great advice from a dentist on how to further expose myself to dentistry, and many other things that can enrich and strengthen my dental-school application”.

Flu Shot Benefits More Than You — Don’t Put Others at Risk

Heather Waymouth — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:53:44 +0000

I have never been more baffled by my fellow students than I have in the past few weeks.

When asking my friends a simple question – “Are you getting the flu shot this season? They are free on campus today.” – not a single one of them answered yes.

Whether you are someone who fits into that category or are someone who gets the flu shot every season, have you ever considered the most vital reason to get one? By not getting the flu shot, people endanger others around them whose bodies may not stand a chance of surviving the flu: people who suffer immune diseases and other health risks.

The reasons students say they do not want to get the flu shot are irritating and selfish excuses. Some of the common excuses are: “I don’t like needles,” “I’ll be fine this season, I never get sick,” or “The flu is not that bad.”

People often do not realize that even though they are healthy and their bodies can fight the flu, there are people whose bodies cannot. Think about how many people you are in contact with on a daily basis who are diabetic, have asthma, elderly, pregnant or have heart disease.

Individuals with these health conditions are at higher risk from flu complications than the average person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of deaths during a regular flu season are 65 and older. The center has estimated that an average of 36,000 people die each year from the flu.

It is important to not only protect yourself, but to also protect others around you. Giving someone the flu is not the best gift.

There also are individuals who cannot receive the vaccination. People with egg and vaccine allergies, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and infants are a few groups that have no pre-protection to the flu.

By getting the flu shot, people are limiting the ability for the flu virus to transmit, especially to those who don’t have access to protection. In other words, the more people who get the vaccination, the less the flu virus can spread.

It is never too late to get the flu shot. The season starts in October, peaks in January and lasts until May – so we’re in the middle of that right now.

Flu shots are inexpensive. Students can receive free flu shots at the Health Center on campus. The Health Center also hosts events in the Student Union to make access to the shots easier for students.

Faculty and staff can receive vaccines for as low as $20, the average price at most walk-in clinics.

Don’t like needles? People can also receive a nasal-spray vaccine that replaces the shot.

So there is no excuse to avoid a vaccination.

Some people believe that getting the flu shot will give them the flu — which is a myth. The vaccination contains a “dead” influenza virus that doesn’t cause the flu. The only time someone can get the flu after receiving the vaccination is if they catch a different virus than what was predicted in the prepared vaccinations that flu season.

I think the largest reason why people do not get the flu vaccination is because they are not educated on the effects of the virus. Yes, it is important to be vaccinated to prevent yourself from getting sick, but it is also important to save others.

If students knew how much they can harm others by not getting the shot, maybe they would not hesitate to receive the vaccination. And since campuses provide free flu shots for students, then why wouldn’t they take the offer?

Perhaps if they see no personal benefit, then they don’t feel the obligation to go out of their daily schedule to get a vaccination.

But the person who may most need you to be vaccinated could be right next to you.

To schedule a flu shot at the �鶹ԭ�� Health Center, go to .

�鶹ԭ�� Forum columnist Heather Waymouth is a �鶹ԭ�� senior majoring in advertising/public relations and English writing, and can be reached at hwaymouth@knights.ucf.edu.

Health Services Offers Flu Shots

Megan Pabian — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:15:04 +0000

After a week long battle with the flu last year, David De Wit, a Biomedical Sciences major, says that not another year will go by that he doesn’t get a flu shot.

“I just assumed I would be fine, and that I probably had a high tolerance or good immune system to combat it,” De Wit said. “It started out as most [colds] do with symptoms like runny nose, dry throat, and coughing, but at a greater intensity. It then progressed to the point where I was completely weak, unable to get out of bed for at least a day or two. I mean I was completely unable to do anything besides rest.”

Getting a yearly flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from catching the flu. �鶹ԭ�� Health Services encourages all students and faculty/staff to get a flu shot every year, echoing the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shots are free for students (while supplies last) and are $20 for faculty members and staff. Charges, if applicable, can be billed to your medical insurance.

Flu shot appointments can be made by calling the Health Center (407-823-3850), or students can come to a walk-in flu shot clinic on Thursday, Nov. 1, or Thursday, Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Student Union, room 153.

“The symptoms of influenza, or the flu, can be quite severe,” says Kelly Roberts, physician at �鶹ԭ�� Health Services. “Though it is rare for the flu to cause death in healthy adults, individuals with the flu typically miss three to seven days of work or school in order to get well again. That’s just not an option for many people.”

De Wit knows that fact all too well. “I was stuck in bed for days and had to take antiviral medications and keep a strict healthy diet,” De Wit said. “I was very fortunate to have friends looking after me, but not everyone is as fortunate.”

The ideal time frame to get vaccinated against the flu is in October or November. This allows time to build up immunity before flu rates peak in January and February.

Each year, 5 to 20 percent of the general U.S. population contracts the flu, according to the CDC. Health Services encourages those who have a fever, aches, chills, fatigue, cough, headache, or other cold-like symptoms to make an appointment at the Health Center. There is no office-visit fee for students enrolled in classes on the main campus, Rosen campus or College of Medicine campus. If it turns out you do have the flu, there are prescription medications that can help lessen the severity of symptoms.

“The quick visit to get a flu vaccine is well worth the time,” Roberts said. “While there is a medication available for influenza, it does not significantly shorten the duration of time needed to recover from the flu.”

As for De Wit, he already got his flu shot for this season. “I would never want to relive that experience again,” he said.

Health Services to Host Career Day

Megan Pabian — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:53:01 +0000

This became apparent to Health Services with the almost daily requests from students to shadow a healthcare provider. When the requests started to mount, Health Services realized they could help students by hosting a career day. They dubbed it “Bagels and Lox with Docs,” and the tradition started last spring.

This fall’s event will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, in the Health Center’s second-floor conference room.

“Due to privacy laws, we can’t have students shadowing our doctors and other medical providers,” said Megan Pabian, coordinator of University Relations and Public Affairs for Health Services. “But what we can do is host our own version of a career day where students can learn a little about the different professions and ask their questions to a variety of health care professionals.”

The event, held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester, allows students to get first-hand knowledge about a wide range of professions. This year the panel includes a doctor, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse, dietitian, physical therapist, pharmacist, dentist and dental hygienist.

“Having a variety of different professions allows students to weigh their options,” Pabian said. “So often students want to know the difference between a physician and a physician assistant, or what makes them different from a registered nurse practitioner.”

The event is supported by the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and includes experts who can address graduate school options and admissions expectations for the various fields.

“I attended last year, and my favorite part of the event was being able to ask questions one-on-one with the health professionals that attended and hear their experienced advice,” said Brittany Johnson, a health sciences pre-clinical major. “It isn’t every day that students are able to interact with health professionals and ask them for their insight on questions that we have. This really helped me.”