CARE Team Purpose
The CARE (Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation team) is a multi-disciplinary team that works to address concerning or threatening behaviors of St. Thomas University community members. The team works to promote the safety and well-being of the university community while providing an institutional framework for information sharing and the development of support plans for community members of concern. The CARE Team serves as an early intervention team overseeing threat assessment and behavioral intervention.
Membership
The CARE Team consists of the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, Assistant Director of Housing, the ADA Coordinator, the Title IX Coordinator, the Director of the Student Health Center, a faculty representative, and public safety. Other community members with pertinent information such as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources or the Associate Dean of Students from the law school will be invited as needed.
Procedures
The team meets on a weekly basis and discusses each community member of concern report, assesses the risk to self and the STU community, develops an intervention plan, and conducts outreach to the community member.
The CARE Team is not a disciplinary entity. If reports constitute a potential code of conduct violation
STU community members should report concerning or threatening behaviors to the CARE team or public safety. To submit a community member of concern to the CARE Team, please utilize the Concerned person report found at:https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?StThomasUnivFL&layout_id=4
After receipt of the initial report, the Dean of Students will conduct an immediate assessment to ensure that no immediate action needs to be taken prior to the next scheduled CARE Team meeting. If there is an ongoing emergency, contact the Miami Gardens police department.
Reporting
Common behaviors that are reported to the CARE Team include, but are not limited to:
- Aggressive behavior
- Changes in eating
- Dating issues
- Depression
- Difficulty adjusting to campus
- Emotional support
- Extreme withdrawal
- False or distorted beliefs
- Family issues
- Harassment
- Inability to contact/locate someone
- Peer issues
- Physical health
- Self-esteem
- Self-harming behavior
- Social skills
- Substance abuse
- Sudden change in appearance or behavior
- Suicidal gestures or threats
- Unusual interest in weapons
- Verbal or written threats
- Violent or disturbing statements
- Violent or disturbing writings or art
Team Responsibilities
- Receive, review and maintain a record of information about concerns regarding student behavior that is potentially harmful and/or disruptive to the University community
- Perform initial assessment of risk and develop a support plan, within existing University policies, to mitigate risk and promote student well-being and success. Provide follow-up and assessment of the support plan.
- Make recommendations for action and share information with University faculty, staff and others, as appropriate, to assist with managing potentially harmful or disruptive behavior
- Educate the University community on the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) process and how to identify and report student behaviors of concern
- Identify University policy and procedural issues and recommend changes to appropriate entities
- Review Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) procedures and protocols, and assess team effectiveness and compliance with University policies
Confidentiality and retaliation
STU will not allow retaliation against another member of the campus community who reports in good faith, concerning or threatening behavior to the CARE team. CARE alerts can be submitted anonymously; however, anonymous reporting often limits the team’s ability to respond. Additionally, even though the CARE Team strives to maintain a high level of anonymity, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Community members who undergo a CARE Team evaluation will be treated with respect and action plans will be kept as confidential as possible while providing enough information to implement the support resource and plan.
For questions regarding the CARE Team please contact the Dean of Students at 305-628-6554 or email care@stu.edu.
