The Harvard Kennedy School experience is incredibly rewarding. It can also be rigorous and demanding. Along the way, you may find some support can help keep you on track.
Trained as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Jimmy Kane focuses on supporting our students in their academic, personal, and mental wellbeing so they can continue to be successful during their time at HKS. If students are experiencing difficulties, Jimmy will connect them with individuals and resources on campus or in the community that will help get them the support they need. He will also follow up and work with students when someone in the HKS community submits a Care Report.
Schedule an appointment or submit a Care Report
Make an appointment with Student Support @ HKS if you find yourself needing guidance or support.
Send a Care Report if you're concerned about a student's wellbeing.
Mental Health
Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) includes short-term individual counseling, psychiatric care, support/therapy groups, and psychoeducational workshops. All services are free and confidential. In order to connect with CAMHS for brief therapy or secure a psychiatric provider for your medication, you are strongly encouraged to schedule an initial 20-minute phone consultation by calling 617-495-2042 or through the Patient Portal as soon as possible. Wait times for an initial consultation may increase as the semester progresses.
CAMHS Cares Line is a 24/7 support line for students who are experiencing any distress/have mental health concerns. Speak with a CAMHS Cares Counselor any time by calling 617-495-2042 (this number is located on the back of your Harvard ID).
Harvard students have access to virtual care services with TimelyCare at no cost, including 12 therapy visits, unlimited coaching, self-care content, TALK Now, and community forum.
Students looking to secure a long-term therapist or psychiatrist can utilize ThrivingCampus, Harvard's referral database, for providers in the community that accept their insurance. Students on the student health insurance plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) need to make sure while on ThrivingCampus that the list of providers is correctly filtered to BCBS under insurances.
Per policy year, Harvard students with the student health insurance plan (BCBS) have $0 co-pays for the first 8 sessions and then $35 co-pays after that. Students have coverage until July 31st each year. There is no limit on the number of sessions. Two-year students will have another set of free sessions starting August 1, 2026 (the insurance plan for the following year).
Learn more about finding an off-campus provider through CAMHS.
The HKS Mental Health & Drug Policy Caucus promotes mental health and wellness amongst the HKS student body through campus campaigns, workshops, support groups, and shared resources.
The Kennedy PhD Student Association’s Mental Health Committee makes sure students are aware of mental health resources at and outside of Harvard and hosts wellness events. They also conduct the annual PhD student survey. Current lead is Irene Lee.
HKS students can learn how to prioritize and support wellbeing, seek care when needed, and help others in need through the Mental Health and Wellbeing Training for Graduate Students (HarvardKey required).
Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress is an eLearning course for faculty and staff to provide them with increased knowledge and awareness about student mental health and wellbeing. It also provides information on skills, tools, and resources to support students experiencing emotional distress.
Medical/Wellness
Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) is a multi-specialty medical practice exclusively for members of the Harvard community.
- Urgent Care at HUHS > Call them at 617-495-5711 before walking into HUHS.
- HUHS Patient Portal > Communicate with your providers, review information that is available in your medical record, and schedule available appointments.
- Student Health Insurance Plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) > Familiarize yourself with plan benefits and coverage before you need care.
- ScriptCenter (Pharmacy kiosk at HUHS) > Grab over-the-counter medications/health care products at a price that is far less than what would be charged at CVS or another retail pharmacy. The ScriptCenter is available 24/7 in the entrance of HUHS on the 1st floor of the Smith Campus Center.
The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP) works to cultivate a healthy and engaged Harvard community through education and the promotion of holistic health and wellbeing.
- Schedule an acupuncture or massage appointment (there is a cost for these services)
- Mindfulness for students > explore their free mindfulness offerings/programs
- Request a workshop > CWHP offers a series of workshops FREE for students/leaders of student organizations including yoga, mindfulness, and health promotion topics. Request a workshop online or at a location convenient to you.
HKS students have access to community dance classes in a broad range of movement styles and dance traditions and are designed for all levels and abilities. Taught by the Dance Program's exceptional teaching artists, many classes also feature live musical accompaniment.
Harvard on the Move is a University-wide initiative that promotes various forms of physical activity in an effort to promote holistic wellbeing across the Harvard community. The program sponsors weekly walks and runs for both beginners and experienced runners. Any pace, any distance. All Harvard affiliates welcome!
Harvard Recreation provides fitness facilities and programming to the Harvard Community, with group exercise, personal training, and more. There is a membership fee for HKS students.
Sexual Harassment/Misconduct Support
Through the Office for Community Support, Non-Discrimination, Rights and Responsibilities (CSNDR), students have options to disclose a concern anonymously, request an informal resolution, or file a formal complaint.
CSNDR’s Prevention & Awareness Program delivers customizable trainings and programming in person or virtually, for faculty, staff, and students. Learn how to request a training.
Connect with a HKS Title IX Resource Coordinator to explore supportive measures or no contact orders. Learn about our Title IX policies and procedures and other important resources.
Reporting Concerns in our Community
HKS aspires to be a place for working and learning in which everyone can thrive.
Students should contact Professional Conduct and Community Support Specialist Cailin Burke if they want to discuss any discrimination or bullying concerns, or obtain information on available resources related to Harvard's Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying policies.
Speaking or making a report to Cailin does not in and of itself initiate an investigation or formal complaint.
The Anonymous Reporting Hotline is a resource to confidentially report your concerns and support a safe, ethical community at Harvard University.
Here is a useful page on responding to online abuse, harassment, and intimidation. If you ever are feeling unsafe on campus, receiving any threats, or are in immediate danger, contact HUPD at 617-495-1212. Any threatening emails should be sent to concerningemail@hupd.harvard.edu.
Academic
Each degree program team provides students with academic advising, guidance on course selection and degree audits, and ongoing support throughout their HKS experience. Students with questions or concerns about their academic progress should contact their degree program team at any time.
- Mid-Career MPA Program and Two-Year MPA Program: Emma Heffern, Suzanne Shende, Bobby Croke, and Zoraida Ibarra
- MPP Program: Cate Monahan, Tasha Thomas (first-year students), Emily Rogan (second-year students), and Joseph Solomon
- MPA/ID Program: Sarah Olia, Erin Meade, and Joseph Solomon
HarvardKey is required to access these page.
The HKS Communications Program helps students improve, develop, and execute written, spoken, and digital policy communications skills. They offer free private sessions with a writing and public speaking consultant.
HKS librarians can help students find resources (articles, books, data), conduct a literature review, assess source quality, cite sources and avoid plagiarism (including by using Zotero), collect and clean data, use programming/coding tools, implement analytical methods, visualize data, and manage their data responsibly.
Contact or make an appointment with a librarian (HarvardKey required).
Course Assistants (CAs) (HarvardKey required) can support MPP and MPA/ID students working on Policy Analysis Exercise and Second Year Policy Analysis projects with quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Food
Students have access to the nutrition team at HUHS. They can counsel you to help manage specific health concerns or conditions, such as diabetes, elevated lipids, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, and eating concerns/disorders. They also can advise you based on your personal needs, including sports nutrition, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, improving nutritional balance, becoming a competent eater, and weight management.
Students do not require a referral. Call 617-495-2068 to make an appointment.
HKS students may elect to purchase GradPlus, a declining balance meal plan for use in designated Harvard University Dining Services campus cafés. Receive a 10 percent discount for any purchase made with your meal plan.
The HKS Food Chain (HarvardKey required) seeks to make food leftovers available after events are finished to help reduce the volume of our campus' food waste and connect food with our community members.
Sign up by emailing foodchain-join@lists.hks.harvard.edu to be notified when the next Food Chain event is held.
Groups of 2-5 HKS students can invite an HKS faculty or staff member to the HUDS Café or a restaurant at the Smith Campus Center (Saloniki Greek not included) using a Crimson Cash Card provided by the Office of Student Services. Each participant may spend up to $15. Students can participate in this program twice each semester.
Learn more about the program and how to register (HarvardKey required).
Important Supportive Offices
HKS students request accommodations through the Office of Student Services' accessibility team. To receive accommodations, students must disclose and provide medical documentation about their disability, which may be physical, mental, learning, and/or temporary. Learn more about accessibility services at HKS.
University Disability Resources serves as a central resource on disability-related information, procedures, and services for the Harvard community.
Harvard Chaplains is a professional community representing many of the world’s religious, spiritual, and ethical traditions, and shares a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of Harvard University.
The Harvard International Office (HIO) provides information on a range of topics, including immigration issues (work permits, travel), financial questions, adjustment to life in the United States, and resources at Harvard and in the community. International graduate students are given the opportunity to participate in the HIO's Host Program for International Students, which connects them with local volunteer hosts living in the Cambridge and Boston areas.
Leah Boccaccio serves as the HIO Advisor for HKS and is available to help students with immigration services and other needs.
The Harvard Ombuds Office is a highly confidential and independent resource available to anyone from Harvard’s community seeking assistance with any issue affecting one’s work or studies. The Ombuds Office can help you think through potentially challenging communications you are initiating or to which you are responding.
Ombuds offers coaching in how, when, and if to have a difficult conversation and provides impartial facilitation of 1:1 and group conversations.
The Harvard Representation Initiative offers pro-bono legal immigration consultation and representation, inclusive of social work support, to members of the Harvard community who are undocumented, DACAmented, or non-U.S. citizens who are concerned about their immigration status.
Schedule a consultation: 617-495-6648 or hri@law.harvard.edu.
Harvard Students’ Spouses and Partners Association (HSSPA) is an entirely volunteer-run organization open to the spouses, partners, and family members of all Harvard students, post-docs, visiting fellows and other affiliates.
HSSPA membership is free, and you can join here.
Some core functions of the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) include responding to criminal incidents; checking on the well-being of students, faculty, and staff; responding to disturbances; providing escorts; taking reports of lost and stolen property; responding to lockouts; investigating suspicious activity; responding to alarms; and investigating trespassers or unwanted guests.
HUPD offers:
- A fingerprinting service as well as the ability to register your laptop and/or bicycle.
- Safety Escorts/Transportation Services for students to utilize supports in staying safe.
- Community Engagement Dog > Students can schedule a personal visit from Sasha or request her presence at an on-campus event by filling out an online form.
The Office of Belonging, Community, and Connection (HarvardKey required) is led by Director Ranya Brooks and Associate Director Harrison Nekoroski. Together, they serve the student community and are responsible for promoting belonging, fostering community, and facilitating connection.
The resources and support services listed above are available to HKS students. You can learn more and access these resources on Harvard’s student wellbeing and mental health website.
Office of Career Advancement
Your career is a journey. The Office of Career Advancement will support you, wherever you are on your path.
Title IX Policies & Procedures
Sexual and gender-based harassment is discriminatory, unlawful, denies respect for the rights and dignity of others and is clearly inconsistent with the nature of our community.
Student Activities
There are dozens of opportunities for extracurricular involvement. Volunteer. Play a sport. Join a professional interest group. Attend a conference. Share a skill. Learn something new.
Student Wellbeing Programming
Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) offers an array of virtual programs to promote mental wellbeing for all Harvard students who have paid the Student Health Fee.