Dear Students and Families,
As a new academic year begins, I want to take a moment to warmly welcome our returning students and extend a special greeting to those just joining the Brown community. You may have noticed signage and branding for Brown University Health across Rhode Island. This change reflects an affiliation agreement between Brown University and Lifespan, the state’s largest healthcare system, which now operates under the name Brown University Health.
While this partnership is an exciting development for healthcare in our state, it has understandably caused some confusion among our students, families, and community members about who we are and how you access care while at Brown.
I am writing today as the Executive Director of Brown University Student Health and Wellness to clarify who we are, what we do, and—most importantly—how we serve Brown students. Student Health and Wellness at Brown University encompasses four departments: Brown Emergency Medical Services (BEMS), BWell Health Promotion, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and Student Health Services. Functionally located within the Division of Campus Life, these departments provide holistic and compassionate care to support undergraduate, graduate, and medical students’ clinical needs, self-discovery, intellectual growth, and overall well-being. Brown University Student Health and Wellness remains a separate healthcare system and is not connected to Brown University Health (formerly Lifespan).
While Brown University Health (formerly Lifespan) has over 1,620 patient care offices and locations, including six hospitals, the Brown University Student Health and Wellness Center is located at 450 Brook Street. Student Accessibility Services is located on the 5th floor of Page-Robinson. Our beautiful Student Health and Wellness Center was designed and built with the student experience in mind. The building was completed and dedicated as the Brown University Student Health and Wellness Center and Sternlicht Commons residential hall in October 2021.
Since Lifespan was officially rebranded as Brown University Health in January 2025, my team has received many questions about who can access our services and how. We created a detailed FAQ (available below) that can answer many of these questions. The top four things I want people to know are:
- Who we serve: Brown University Student Health and Wellness serves only actively enrolled Brown students at the Student Health and Wellness Center (450 Brook Street).
- Not the same as Brown University Health: Brown University Health (formerly Lifespan) is a large statewide healthcare system and is separate from Brown Student Health and Wellness.
- When might students use Brown University Health: Students may seek care from Brown University Health for after-hours urgent, hospital-level needs, or for specialist care. Health-related services offered away from 450 Brook Street are not provided by Student Health and Wellness.
- Emergency care on campus: Brown Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) provides 24/7 emergency response on campus and for Brown University students living off-campus in Providence. Call 401-863-4111 (or 4111 from a campus phone) for assistance.
The Student Health and Wellness Team works to create a health and wellness environment that seamlessly integrates support and care for students' physical and emotional wellbeing in and out of the classroom. And we want to ensure that our students know how to access what they need to grow in health and wellness here at Brown and beyond. I am grateful to work with a passionate team of dedicated healthcare providers and support staff who do this important work every day. Students, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team for your healthcare and wellness needs!
With warm wishes for a happy, healthy academic year,
Vanessa Britto, MD, MSc, FACP
Former Associate Vice President, Campus Life
Executive Director, Student Health and Wellness