Health, Safety & Insurance in Siena 

All students should monitor the State Department website for Italy to stay abreast of health and safety advisories. 

All students are required to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP) The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Benefits of Enrolling in STEP:

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.

• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.

• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.

• All Holy Cross study abroad participants are automatically enrolled in International SOS (IntlSOS), a state-of-the art global security assistance and international health insurance provider. IntlSOS offers comprehensive medical, security, emotional support (counseling), as well as logistical expertise, to all Holy Cross students during their time abroad. 

• The cost of this Global Assistance Program is $200 per semester, which is covered by the normal HC Health Services Fee, so there is no additional cost to you.

Download “International SOS Assistance” in the app stores  and create a new app account with your Holy Cross email address in order to get the most out of ISOS. You can also visit Visit www.internationalsos.com and log in with Member ID: 11BCAS701139

There are four primary uses for IntlSOS:

1. PRE-DEPARTURE PLANNING

• Review country-specific guidance on health and safety issues via the app or website

• Pre-arrange medical services before you leave by chatting in to ISOS through the app, sending an email through the app, or calling   (+1) 215-942-8478

2. ARRANGING AND PAYING FOR MEDICAL CARE

• Coordinate all medical services in host country using three simple steps:

If you’re sick or injured, contact IntlSOS by phone, chat (in the app) or email (in the app)

Step 1: IntlSOS can find you a medical provider/hospital OR you can choose a medical provider/hospital and inform IntlSOS (before or whiler eceiving medical services.)

Step 2: IntlSOS contacts the medical provider/hospital and arranges for your insurance to be   billed directly.

Step 3: You receive medical care and pay no out-of-pocket expenses!

If you forget to contact IntlSOS and end up paying out-of-pocket for medical expenses, contact your Holy Cross study abroad advisor for instructions on submitting an online claim for reimbursement. Be sure to save your receipts for any medical expenses you pay for out-of-pocket, because you’ll need receipts to be approved for reimbursement.  

3. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND COMMUNICATION

• • • • • • • • Get real-time security alerts for your host country

              • “Check-In” Travel Registration Tool- Press the "check-in" button whenever you are in a new city or country! Press the button when you land in your host country, and whenever you are on an overnight trip outside your host city. 

              • Get immediate assistance and communication from Holy Cross in an emergency

4. MENTAL HEALTH HELP

• If you need mental health assistance or are feeling down, Call International ISOS at  (+1) 215-942-8478 or open the ISOS app and start a chat with an agent

• ISOS will put you in touch with a mental health provider on the ground, or connect you with a mental health provider via phone or a tele-health appointment 

lSOS Insurance covers you while you are abroad; however, students are required to maintain their domestic (U.S. based) health insurance coverage while abroad in case they need to return to the U.S. outside of the enrollment period.  

If you normally opt out of the Holy Cross SHIP insurance, you can still do that while you are gone, as long as you have some other type of coverage in the US. 

Prescription Medications

All students should bring enough prescription medications to last their entire semester or year away. 

If a student is unable to obtain enough of any given medication to 'cover' them during their semester or year abroad, they should begin working with ISOS International insurance before departure to find a provider in the host city that can prescribe their medication while they are way. You can also think ahead! If, for example, a friend or family member is planning to visit at any point throughout the semester or year, the friend or family member may be able to bring over prescriptions for the student. 

Keep in mind, certain medications, especially those typically prescribed for ADD/ADHD may not be available in Italy. 

You can do some quick googling and/or contact ISOS international insurance before you leave for Siena to find out if a certain medication is available. If it is not available, you have two options: work with your doctor to find an alternative that is available, or work with your doctor to bring what you'll need with you. 

Over-the-counter Medications

All students should bring a supply of any over-the-counter medications they take on a regular basis.

Medications in different countries can be called different things, or might not be available at all. In order to avoid unnecessary stress or confusion, it can be a good idea to travel with a supply of medications you might need. If you take Tums for an upset stomach, bring some Tums! If your go-to for a headache is Ibuprofen gel caps, bring some along. While these medications, or similar medications, are usually available abroad, it's nice to have a supply on-hand of what works for you.

Studying abroad comes with all kinds of changes that can effect student mental health. Adjusting to a new culture and new environment can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it can also be a challenging one. There are several mental health resources that we encourage students to access abroad:

Continuing Therapy

We find that students who have history of mental health struggles, or who speak to a therapist regularly, do the best when they continue their weekly sessions with their therapist via zoom/tele-health. 

ISOS International Health Insurance Mental Health Services

Students who are feeling down at any point or would like to speak to a therapist and don’t already have one can use ISOS Insurance (+1) 215-942-8478) to connect with a therapist via phone or on the ground (in-person). Don’t hesitate to reach out to Susan McCrory for help facilitating (508-561-4119) or smccrory@holycross.edu)! 

Office of Study Abroad Staff

Students who need support can reach out to Susan McCrory, Holy Cross Assistant Director for Italy, at 508-561-4119 via text or WhatsApp, or email at smccrory@holycross.edu

Holy Cross Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Study abroad students are still Holy Cross students, and still have access to Holy Cross Counseling and Psychological Services.  CAPS provides confidential assistance to students who have a wide range of concerns, such as stress, adjustment difficulties, relationship problems, anxiety, and depression. To reach an on-call crisis counselor 24/7 call 855-418-7282.

Siena is a provincial, safe city, but it is a city nonetheless! It is important to take normal precautions while in public. Keep your wallet in a zipped pocket and your bag securely under your arm. Be aware of your surroundings, don’t leave your phone, computer, or personal belongings unattended, and don’t walk by yourself late at night. 

Sexual Assault and Misconduct

Please do not separate from your group when/if going out at night and from people you trust. We have mostly heard of cases of assault when a student stayed behind/alone at a bar, or walked late alone at night. Still, it is never the victim’s fault when something happens, and we are here to support our students. 

If you are not the victim but you see something, please say something! 

You have many resources for reporting or getting support if you’ve experienced or witnessed sexual assault, including both confidential and non-confidential resources:

Confidential Support from Holy Cross  

• College’s Primary Confidential Resource Provider: 

  • Elizabeth Drexler-Hines, Director, Student Wellness Education 

Contact Elizabeth at 508-793-2302 and/or edrexler@holycross.edu

• Counseling Center

• Health Center

• Chaplains Office

*Non-confidential Support abroad and on-campus

• Office of Study Abroad

• Other Holy Cross students on site with you

• Office of Diversity and Inclusion

• Title IX: Sexual Assault

• Public Safety

• Study Abroad Ambassadors

*Non-confidential resources (known as “Responsible Employees”) are obligated by College policy to disclose reports and information concerning potential discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital or parental status (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual harassment (including, but not limited to, sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking and sexual misconduct), or retaliation toward any member of the College community that is shared with them to the Title IX Coordinator.