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Learning through making requires intense focus and a high level of creative energy, making it extra important to balance studio work with a variety of ways of getting recharged physically, emotionally and psychologically. RISD offers a wide range of helpful outlets—from fitness classes to meditation sessions to comprehensive health and wellness services.

On-campus health care + counseling

Health Services

RISD’s Health Services Center provides high-quality, confidential healthcare services to students in an ambulatory care setting, including RN triage for first aid/emergent care, acute care visits and referrals to specialists. Comprehensive GYN care, STI testing and free rapid HIV testing are also available.

Our qualified and knowledgeable providers give personal attention to the specific healthcare needs of student. Referrals are available as indicated. With a Student Health Insurance Plan, students need to schedule an appointment with a provider for assessment before seeking outside care. Appointments are required. Limited walk-in hours are available to first-year students for acute illness only.

Students can also manage their health information with the Patient Portal, an online service for conveniently and confidentially submitting health and immunization records and accessing information about past or upcoming visits to the Health Services Center.

Office of Health Promotion

The Office of Health Promotion works to build, cultivate and sustain a culture of health and wellness throughout the RISD community. Through a comprehensive approach to health education and promotion, the office collaborates with campus and community partners to provide innovative, student-centered programs and to support students in developing the skills and knowledge they need to maintain health at RISD and beyond.

Health and wellness at RISD includes a wide range of practices and topics. The Office of Health Promotion is a free resource for students to discover what works for them to optimize their health while they study and create at RISD.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Emotional well-being is essential to personal development and integral to the creative process. RISD Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a range of mental health services to help students function well emotionally, interpersonally and academically.

CAPS staff members provide individual and group counseling to any matriculated undergraduate or graduate student, free of charge. Referrals to outside providers are available when indicated. Coordinating with Public Safety, CAPS also has an on-call counselor available in the event of a psychological emergency after hours.

Health insurance plan

Offered in partnership with University Health Plans, Inc., the RISD Student Health Insurance Plan supports the medical needs and good health of our students. The plan is designed for affordability and offers flexibility in choosing a provider if you require medical care beyond what is available at the Health Services Center. It also optimally fulfills the requirement for all RISD students to carry US-based health insurance. Students covered by the Student Health Insurance Plan have access to a nationwide preferred provider network as well as a national network of member pharmacies.

Support for students with disabilities

Disability Support Services (DSS) creates an accessible community at RISD that provides all students with the support needed to succeed academically The office works to accommodate students with cognitive (learning), psychological and/or physical disabilities.

With that in mind, DSS provides, arranges and coordinates appropriate and reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, obtains and maintains disability-related documents, determines eligibility for services and reasonable accommodations, and develops plans for implementing such accommodations.

In short, Disability Support Services strives to create an accessible and inclusive campus environment and provide all students with the tools they need to achieve their educational goals.

Keeping fit

RISD students tend to be active in a wide variety of ways. If you're looking for fitness activities on campus, visit the Catanzaro Student Fitness Center for dance, pilates, spinning, tai-chi and yoga or head to the nearby Brown athletic complex, where you'll have access to a swimming pool, ice skating rink, indoor and outdoor tracks, and courts for tennis, squash, racquetball and basketball.

RISD students also get together to play soccer, hockey and other sports as members of the many athletics clubs and teams on campus—sometimes against teams from other art schools, celebrating their collective creative exuberance.