UAH details $550,000 HRSA grant and clinic upgrades to expand student health services

The University of Alabama in Huntsville highlighted recent investments in student health services that officials said will expand diagnostic capacity and reduce barriers to care on campus.

Dr. Robert A. Blair, UAH Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, told trustees that University Health Services moved from a cash-pay model to direct insurance billing and that a $550,000 Health Resources and Services Administration grant — awarded with support from U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, as described in the meeting — funded several upgrades. "The most significant addition is a new digital X-ray system along with facility renovations to install appropriate lead shielding," Blair said, adding that the upgrades will allow on-site diagnostic imaging rather than referring patients off-campus.

Blair also described new laboratory equipment enabling in-house rapid tests (complete blood counts, lipid panels and metabolic panels), motorized exam chairs to improve accessibility, and a video microscope to support diagnostics and student education. He said these changes improve turnaround time for clinical decisions and expand educational opportunities during clinical rotations.

On mental health, Blair described the demand for counseling services and a pilot program that placed a part-time counselor in Spragins Hall to serve student-athletes, enabling quick check-ins and recurring appointments. He said coaches have requested team workshops on stress management and that the pilot has exceeded expectations.

Blair tied the investments to retention and student success: when students can receive timely care without leaving campus, he said, they are less likely to miss class and more likely to persist academically. The board received the report as an information item; no formal vote was required for the spotlight presentation.