OCOM Office of Behavioral Health

OCOM will provide its students with confidential access to an effective system of mental health counseling and mental health services. Confidential counseling services and mental health care, including access to a mental health representative, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a confidential manner through a combination of resources, which include clinical services offered by the OCOM Office of Behavioral Health (OCOM BH) and Aetna a 24/7/365 student assistance program offering wrap-around psychosocial support services.  

OCOM encourages students to seek assistance if they experience personal behavioral health concerns or notify the Office of Student Services if they suspect a classmate may be experiencing behavioral health issues.

OCOM provides all students with access to confidential psychotherapy services.

We can discuss any number of issues that are important to you; however, most times, people who seek psychotherapy do so for some of the following reasons:

  • Academic Difficulty & Performance

  • Burnout

  • Study Strategies

  • Anxiety (testing, phobias, etc.)

  • Depression

  • Relationship/family difficulties

  • Adjustment to illness and/or lifestyle changes

  • Stress & Anger Management

Email: bh@ocom.org 

Student Assistance Plan 

A Student Assistance Program (SAP) provides counseling support services to assist students and their household members with personal and academic challenges. Getting help is free, convenient and confidential. All OCOM students have access to Aetna: Aetna Resources for Living. Each student will receive login information to use to register for services.All requests for information or assistance through the Aetna program are free of charge and completely confidential. 

OCOM Student Insurance Plan

If a student enrolls in the OCOM insurance plan, the student insurance plan includes Teladoc, which offers 24/7/365 days a year access to diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic health services wherever students are located.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • OCOM Behavioral Health Clinical Services are free to OCOM students. SAP services are also free to students.

  • Psychotherapy sessions are usually 45-minute appointments every 1-2 weeks. Most concerns can be addressed in 4-6 sessions. Depending on the service you receive, the demand for services by other students, and your specific needs, sessions may vary in duration and frequency.

  • Everything you share with OCOM Behavioral Health staff is private information. Written records are kept in a HIPAA and FERPA-compliant electronic health record accessible only to OCOM BH staff and are not connected to your student academic file or any Orlando College of Osteopathic School records.

    Under the following circumstances, OCOM BH staff may be required to release information for legal, safety, or continuity of care reasons:

    • Information about abuse or neglect of children, elderly, or disabled adults.

    • Your Intent to harm yourself or others.

    • In compliance with a court order.

    • In case you require emergency care.

  • The clinicians of the behavioral health department do not prescribe medications. If you are in need of consultation about the possibility of medications to assist with managing symptoms, please make an appointment with your primary care provider.

  • OCOM has created a memorandum of understanding with a local psychiatrist, Benjamin Lippmann, DO, who has agreed to provide confidential psychiatric care appointments to all OCOM students.

    Online or in-person at:

    5302 South Florida Ave Suite 206

    Lakeland, FL 33813

    Benjamin Lippman, DO, PA

    https://www.lippmannpsychiatry.com/

    Phone: (863) 289-0968

    Monday - Thursday

    9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

    Friday:

    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

    OCOM students can also use SAP Aetna to find a local psychiatrist.

  • No, OCOM Behavioral Health does not administer educational or psychological testing. If you are in need of a referral for educational or psychological testing, please contact the SAP or your primary care provider for assistance and/or referral.

Behavioral Intervention

Purpose:

To ensure the safety and continued success of our medical student body, the OCOM Behavioral Intervention Team (OCOM BIT) serves osteopathic medical students by working with the students and faculty to address or remediate any concerning event or pattern of personal behavior or professional interaction which implies a student may be at risk of harming themselves or others.

Anyone with concerns regarding a student’s potential risk of harming themselves or someone else should contact OCOM’s Director of Student Affairs to initiate the BIT process. The BIT process is outlined in the Student Catalog.

Process

911 Emergency Medical Services should be contacted immediately if there is a concern regarding an imminent threat to the student's or others' safety.

Concerned faculty/staff may submit an electronic case referral form. Once a report is received, you will be contacted to schedule a team meeting. During the meeting, you and other pertinent campus and community individuals will be asked to present information regarding the student.

Upon conclusion, the BIT team may choose one of the following options: make a recommendation on the student’s continued enrollment or dismissal, continue to gather information and meet again, or monitor the situation for new developments. The student and the appropriate program administrator will receive a formal letter detailing the team’s decision.

The BIT will use policies outlined in the Student Catalog as a framework for its recommendations; however, the team reserves the right to utilize creativity to find the most appropriate solution, provided it aligns with the policies of Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine. All discussions and deliberations of the BIT shall be in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

https://988lifeline.org/ - Learn more about self-harm
BIT Referral Form link 

Helpful information & Quicklinks:

Recognize burnout: https://osteopathic.org/life-career/wellness-toolkit/recognizing-burnout/

Learn to recognize the signs of depression and suicidal ideation: https://osteopathic.org/life-career/wellness-toolkit/depression-suicide/ 

Wellness Lifelines Whether you’re in crisis or just beginning to struggle with burnout or depression, seeking help and support is the first step toward recovery.

https://osteopathic.org/life-career/wellness-toolkit/wellness-lifelines/ 

Did you know?

AOA members receive a $40 discount off the annual subscription cost of the Calm app, which offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, sleep stories, and more to help you alleviate stress and improve sleep. Sign up today for a $29.99 annual subscription (regular cost: $69.99).

Reference: https://osteopathic.org/life-career/wellness-toolkit/ 

After-Hours Assistance

IF YOU ARE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY, PLEASE DIAL 911 OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM.

 If you are an OCOM student and need assistance outside of our normal hours of operation, please use one of the following resources: 

  • SAP: Need phone number and website

  • 24/7/365 support for students in distress or seeking referral information

  • 988  24/7/365 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-8255 (TALK)
    24/7/365 support for individuals in distress, prevention, and crisis resources

  • National Helpline: (800) 662-4357 (HELP)
    24/7/365 treatment referral and information services in English and Spanish for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 (SAFE)
    24/7/365 support for individuals experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship