Health Information

This FAQ includes information about safety measures on MICA's campus regarding COVID-19 and health information for employees.

Updated: July 14

Q: How will I know if I’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive?

State and/or local Health departments will notify any community member who may have been exposed with guidance and next steps.

Q: What preventative measures is MICA taking?

As the pandemic has unfolded, the College has kept safety at the forefront of its decisions. MICA is continuing to plan for the fall with this priority in mind, using it as a guiding pillar as decisions around in-person courses and on campus housing are made. In particular, the “Healthy, Safe, and Sustainable Campus” R5 group has been focusing their efforts on ensuring the safety of the physical campus.

In the Fall, the College will have enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, additional cleaning protocols, increased ventilation and HVAC and reduced touch points.

A full breakdown of these plans can be found on the College’s Reopening Website.

Q: What does quarantine / self-quarantine mean?

Quarantine means staying in a specific designated location (i.e., assigned housing, home) away from others for the purpose of observing and monitoring your health status for the development of symptoms. Typically, a COVID-19-related quarantine lasts for a 14-day period after a possible exposure. Quarantine is used for people who are not sick and is similar to, but not the same as, isolation, which is used when a person is sick.

Q: What additional resources are available to students who are struggling with their mental health? What initiatives are in the works to maintain a community for our students/staff/faculty outside of coursework?

For the summer, Student Health Services and Student Counseling remain up and running to support, assist, and triage students. Because of limitations in their ability to legally provide active counseling across state boundaries, Student Counseling can assist students who have left Baltimore by helping to coordinate or transition care at home. Faculty who have concerns about a student’s mental health can and should use and refer to all of MICA’s normal resources - ART, BIT, Student Counseling as well as individual staff such as Judi Kinney and Louise Cracknell. These resources remain viable support mechanisms. 

Student mental health is also largely driven by the health of the surrounding community and sense of engagement and belonging. To that end multiple offices are already hard at work doing everything imaginable to recreate the vibrancy of the MICA community in a virtual world. Wellness Wednesdays, engagement platforms with Baltimore community arts partners, online coffeehouses, and regular student community gatherings are just some of the examples we intend to provide to help maintain the sense of connection to the MICA community.

The College is also convening a Community of Care committee, with representation from various areas of campus, now including faculty and students as well as staff.  The committee is the think and feel tank that is looking and thinking of campus caring initiatives. For example, work is being done with Strategic Communications to turn the MICA Events page into a site where individuals who are holding or know of wellness, caring, or just playful online meetings can invite the MICA community to join in. Go to mica.edu/sharecare and then drop down to “community of care”.  We are also working to launch at a campus Minecraft site where a number of activities can happen, as well as a plan for a collective MICA memorial event if needed.

Q: How should MICA employees who think they may have contracted COVID-19 access care?

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should first call their primary care physician (PCP) to discuss their symptoms and treatment options. It is highly recommended that employees who have MICA’s health insurance use one of the two-24/7 options to receive care outside a provider’s office:

  • 24-Hour Nurse Advice Line –Members can call 800-535-9700 anytime to speak with a registered nurse to discuss their symptoms and get recommendations for the most appropriate care.

  • CareFirst Video Visit – Members can also register for CareFirst Video Visit to securely connect with a doctor, day or night, through their smartphone, tablet or computer – and no appointment is necessary.

Q: What is MICA’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and how do I access it?

HealthAdvocate, MICA's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work/Life program vendor, provides comprehensive COVID-19 resources to support you and your family during this global health crisis. These resources include topics such as supporting at-home children, support of employees and managers working remotely, and information for older adults and caregivers.  

The EAP and Work/Life program offers 3 free counseling visits and financial and legal resources. They will also coordinate health care providers and will assist with medical questions related to eligibility and medical bills. As a reminder, all of these services are completely confidential and you do not need to participate in MICA's health plan. 

For more information, visit MICA’s Employee Assistance Program pages on the web.