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Appendix C – Colonel CARE Team

APPENDIX C: Colonel CARE Team

UNDER REVISION

Colonel Care (Coordinate, Assess, Respond, Educate)

Introduction
College students often have difficulty adjusting to college life, but in some cases students who are in distress (including but not limited to physical, emotional, situational or psychological) cannot function in their personal lives and/or focus on learning.  Colonel CARE’s (Coordinate, Assess, Respond, Educate) purpose is to assist with any situation that could potentially disrupt a student’s academic or social wellbeing within the university community.  The team provides early assessment and referral when an individual’s behavior is identified as concerning, risky, or potentially harmful to self, others, or the community. We plan to intervene early and support the student.  The team reviews individual cases and coordinates an appropriate action plan for response. An ethic of care and attention to the safety and wellbeing of individuals, the campus, and community guide all recommendations.

Nicholls State University is committed to providing a campus environment that is conducive to students to develop their full potential. In addition, there may be times when the university is required to respond to a person of concern. Through development of the CARE Team, the University has created a mechanism to identify students in distress. This mechanism will initiate support and safety interventions, which will provide the student with the greatest chance of success and the university community the greatest level of protection. 

This document will outline the University’s CARE Team procedures, which do not replace existing academic or Student Policy and procedures, nor does it supersede existing local, state and/or federal laws. Except where otherwise noted, the procedures in this directive apply to all students, faculty, and staff. The University may add, revoke, or modify these procedures to best meet the needs of the particular situation. Circumstances may dictate or necessitate procedural changes in policy implementation or enforcement that are not part of this policy, but this document will be continually revised or updated to best reflect the operating procedures of the University and the CARE Team. 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Nicholls State University CARE Team is to provide a program for identification, intervention, and response to person(s) of concern while balancing the needs of the individual with those of the community. The CARE Team identifies students, faculty, and staff whose behavioral patterns have raised concern about their well-being; centralizes communication to gain a more complete understanding of the whole individual; and develops a collaborative outreach plan with campus and community resources to address identified risks. 

Responsibilities 

The primary duties and responsibilities of the CARE Team include the following tasks:

  • Create a reporting mechanism that allows both the university and the surrounding community to easily and confidentially report behaviors of concern.
  • Facilitate referrals.
  • Develop an integrated case management plan. Monitor and provide a systematic response to situations involving students, faculty, or staff whose behavior or condition may be disruptive or harmful to themselves or others in the University community, or students who pose a direct threat (or create distress) to themselves or others.
  • Educate, consult, and support faculty, staff and administration creating awareness and access to resources for student support.

CARE TEAM MEMBERSHIP

The CARE Team consists of university personnel with expertise in law enforcement/threat assessment/tactical applications, residence life, student affairs, medical and mental health, disability services and compliance. Membership is based on the position and not the individual. The members selected have regular contact with campus community members in some capacity, which will aid in assessment of persons of concern. Members have the authority to receive a CARE recommendation and take the appropriate action. A collaborative process to assess concerns will be used. Depending on the situation, personnel with areas of specialization or responsibility may be called upon to assist the Team. The Team may also consult with other individuals as needed such as a faculty member who has a concern about a student.  A professional counselor may also be consulted (with a signed consent) who has information concerning a student, faculty and or staff. 

Team Members

The core CARE team is composed of the following disciplines.

Core Colonel CARE Team:

  • Dean of Students 
  • Residential Housing
  • Chief of Police (or designee) 
  • Case Management 
  • Forensic Psychologist 
  • Student Support Services Director

CARE Team Liaisons 

The CARE Team will work with other University personnel as needed based on the issues reported in the CARE Report. These Liaisons will assist the team with specific individual cases by providing additional resources and information. Liaisons include, but are not limited to, the following:  

  • Student ACCESS Center 
  • University Police
  • Counseling Center/Health Services
  • Academic Advising 
  • Bridge To Independence 
  • Student Affairs 
  • Human Resources/Title IX (When involving employees)
  • International Students 
  • Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Studies 

 Records 

Records created by the CARE Team related to individual students are considered “educational records” and as such are protected in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), CARE Team records will be maintained by the Office of Dean of Students in Maxient and will be considered confidential and accessible only to the student and parties with appropriate access (see FERPA Regulations here.). Any CARE team member can add comments to CARE reports.

Referrals 

Any person who has concern for any Nicholls community member is strongly encouraged to fill out an electronic CARE report form. 

In all emergencies or immediate threats to safety contact University Police at (958) 448-4911.

When to Refer

  • If your effort to manage a significant behavioral issue has not resolved the problem;
  • If you are concerned about the welfare of a student, yourself, and/or other students;
  • If a student asks for help in dealing with personal issues that are outside your role as a faculty or staff member; and/or
  • If you have referred the student for assistance in the past and there seems to be no improvement or behavior seems to be worsening.

Colonel CARE Team: Red Folder

 

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