Emory resources for well-being, safety and more

Community support makes everyday life more fun and the tough times easier to manage. Check out some of the unique well-being and safety resources available to students, faculty and staff across Emory — you just might find something new. 
 

Physical health and well-being

Whether you’re looking to meet new people, move more or enjoy the outdoors, a Healthy Emory walking group can help. Walking groups are facilitated in the spring and fall across Emory University and Emory Healthcare and are free for employees to join. New groups start Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Emory employees enrolled in Aetna medical plans also have access to several unique perks: 

• Guidehealth is a care management program that offers a team of nurses and care coordinators who work alongside your existing providers to help coordinate the right care. 
• Hinge Health, virtual exercise therapy, helps users reduce everyday joint and muscle pain, recover from injuries, improve mobility and more. 
• EVIP, a priority scheduling phone line, offers faster access to Emory Healthcare providers. In many areas, it’s possible to get a same-day or next-day appointment slot. 

Student Health Services on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses offer holistic resources, including emergency care after hours, telehealth appointments and immunization requirements.

Sleep also plays an important role in your health, including how you think, learn, make decisions and relate to others. If you’re having difficulty with quality sleep, turn to the Emory Sleep Center, which provides personalized care for sleep disorders.

Looking for more? Head to Emory University’s HR Well-being page and Emory Healthcare’s benefits page for more details on these programs and many others. 
 

Mental health and well-being

Taking care of your mental well-being is just as important as physical care. Emory offers resources for faculty, staff and students, tailored to what you’re going through. 

The university’s Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) offers well-being check-ins and online mental health screenings. FSAP is available to employees and benefits-eligible family members. Resources include:

• Confidential assessments and short-term counseling for individuals and couples
• Targeted coaching for managing stress, conflict, change and more
• Parental consultations and coaching
• Support for substance abuse recovery

Emory’s Building Resilience and Compassion Enculturation (emBRACE) Peer Support Program is an interprofessional, systems approach to decrease the burdens of secondary trauma and moral distress experienced by Emory Healthcare and Woodruff Health Sciences Center employees. Trained peer supporters include physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, chaplains, social workers, and other essential staff members. To be partnered with a Peer Supporter, please email embracepeersupport@emoryhealthcare.org.

Emory Healthcare employees and their household members can access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Revive & Thrive. They can access free, confidential 24/7 support for personal or professional issues, including relationships, depression, anxiety, and burnout. Call 800-327-2251 or log in to Revive & Thrive. Use enrollment code EMORYEAP if needed.

Emory undergraduate, graduate and professional students are eligible for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). CAPS provides free and confidential mental health support through individual counseling, group counseling and relationship counseling. Urgent support is available 24/7 by calling 404-727-7450. 

Emory also offers confidential support for students who have experienced sexual or relationship harm. Through the Office of Respect, students can connect with a counselor/advocate by calling the Respect Hotline: 404-727-1514 and pressing option “1” for urgent crisis support 24/7.

Student Case Management and Intervention Services (SCMIS) provides supportive, non-clinical short-term case management services to students looking for assistance in navigating challenges by connecting them to resources, advocating for academic success and promoting well-being. 

To get support for yourself or someone else, submit a Student of Concern form.

On the Atlanta campus, the Center for Student Wellbeing focuses on eight components of well-being — emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, professional, relational and spiritual — through workshops, well-being coaching and more. On the Oxford campus, the Center for Counseling and Wellbeing provides a range of expertise, including counseling, clinical services and community-level services. 

Safety and preparedness

Whether you’re looking to learn CPR or want to know what to do in a severe weather situation, Emory University’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) has you covered. 

The Emory Safe app is the easiest way for Emory University community members to access everything CEPAR has to offer, from emergency alerts to severe weather refuge areas and beyond. 

You can sign up for on-campus life support skills training, where you’ll learn how to perform CPR, use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and stop bleeding. There are courses available for every skill level. The Emory Medical Reserve Corps also has volunteer opportunities that support Emory’s public health and healthcare preparedness and response through participation in education, drills and exercises, and advocacy.

If you’re on campus late at night, check out SafeRide, a free, on-demand service operating on Emory’s Clifton campuses from 9 p.m.-5 a.m., 365 days per year. Services are provided by Emory Shuttles and can be requested via the Passio GO! App, online or by phone at 404-727-7555.

Emory Healthcare employees can access training through HealthStream on topics including de-escalation, workplace violence and active shooter preparedness. For more information, email wvp@emoryhealthcare.org.

Looking for more? Check out the top ways to be ready for almost any potential emergency and discover campus safety features. 
 

Food security and nutrition 

The food offered on campus is often made with locally grown produce and ingredients from area farms. But you can also use Eagle and Dooley Dollars to purchase items at the weekly Emory Farmers Market, whether you’re grabbing fresh food or hot, ready-to-eat meals. 

Emory University also has a Community Fridge and Pantry available to individuals experiencing food insecurity. The Community Fridge and Pantry is located on the first floor of Alumni Memorial University Center, at 630 Means Drive. Take what you need and contact Mark Seals II with any questions.

Employee food pantries are also available at Emory University Hospital (EUH), Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM), Emory Decatur Hospital (EDH) and Northlake (EHI). The Office of Well-Being (EmWELL) manages the EHI pantry; others are managed by the Food and Nutrition Services teams. 

The Food Security Safeguard Program (in partnership with Student Case Management and Intervention Services) is designed to assist any Emory undergraduate or graduate student with an immediate food security need on Emory’s Atlanta campus. After completion, students receive three meal swipes for the Dobbs Common Table for immediate use.

Student Health Services offers a range of resources and programs, including free access to nutrition services with registered and licensed dietitians. Any enrolled student can schedule a meeting and learn how to maximize their nutrition on any budget or meal plan. 

Bread Coffeehouse, located at the edge of the Atlanta campus, offers a free food pantry for Emory students who are in need. The Eagle Food Co-op is open on Fridays during academic semesters from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 

On the Oxford College campus, the Offices of Civic and Community Engagement, Student Success and Support Initiatives, and the student-led Food Recovery Network have partnered to develop a Community Fridge and Pantry in the Oxford Student Center. Pop-up markets held throughout the year help meet students’ food and other essential material needs in accessible and stigma-free ways.

Other work on the Oxford campus connects wellness, education and sustainability. The OxWell Initiative collaborates with the Oxford Organic Farm to provide nutrition education and access to fresh, locally grown produce for students and the broader campus community (including Emory’s Atlanta campus).

Looking for more? The Office of Sustainability Initiatives created a Food Security Resource guide, detailing available support for the Atlanta and Oxford campuses as well as the general Atlanta area. Strengthening food security across Emory was also the focus of this year’s National Nutrition Month. 

Community connections

Volunteering is one great way to connect with like-minded peers and make new friends — eligible employees can even earn a Healthy Emory reward! 

Opportunities to volunteer abound, including through Emory Open, Emory Cares, Volunteer Emory, leading sustainability efforts, serving as a wellness champion and more. 

Don’t be afraid to try something new, like volunteering in Emory’s educational gardens. The gardens are open to volunteers throughout the year, offering a hands-on opportunity to learn about growing food while spending time outdoors. By contributing as little as one hour per week, you can get your hands dirty, enjoy the fruits of your labor and take home the fresh produce.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are open to all employees, are another opportunity to connect with colleagues and make a difference in enhancing the community. There are currently six Emory University ERGs and five Emory Healthcare ERGs, each of which hosts events throughout the year. 

Family-focused resources

For benefits-eligible Emory University and Emory Healthcare employees, as well as James T. Laney Graduate School students with caretaking responsibilities, Emory offers emergency back-up care for infants through the elderly. There are also discounts within the Emory Child Care Network and onsite childcare is available at Northlake for Emory Healthcare employees. 

Emory offers adoption reimbursement, paid parental leave, workshops and webinars for caregivers, caregiving resources for adults and elders, lactation resources and more. 

Maven provides free virtual support for pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. The resource offers 24/7 virtual support and guidance, available to Emory University and Emory Healthcare employees enrolled on the Aetna medical plan. 

Financial resources for employees 

Financial well-being matters, too. Emory University now offers Truist Momentum, a financial confidence program available to all university employees at no cost. With online, self-paced learning, you’ll receive tools and advice for budgeting, saving, improving credit, planning for retirement and more.

For Emory Healthcare employees, Revive and Thrive offers financial coaching resources.

The Emory University Hardship Fund, Emory Healthcare Hardship Fund and Student Hardship Fund all offer financial assistance to those facing unexpected financial challenges.

For university employees looking ahead to retirement, individual retirement plan counseling sessions are available to schedule, and Emory has a variety of resources and support programs for transitioning to retirement. 

Looking for more? Head to the Emory University Human Resources site for complete details on benefits, rewards, work life resources and more.