What is the K CARE Team?
CARE stands for Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation. The CARE team is a collaborative, multidisciplinary group that works together to identify, assess, and support community members who are struggling or are engaging in concerning behaviors. Our goal is to intervene, assist, and provide comprehensive support to students experiencing challenges and/or exhibiting threatening or concerning behaviors.
How to Respond
Are you or the person you are concerned about a danger to self or others?
Yes.
My (or the student’s) conduct is clearly and imminently reckless, disorderly, dangerous or threatening — including self-harm behavior.
RESPONSE: Call KDPS at 911 or Campus Safety at 269.337.7321. After hours and during weekends, Campus Safety can connect the students to the Kalamazoo College Counseling Center Crisis Phone.
National Suicide Hotline: 988
Gryphon Place: 269-381-HELP (4357)
No.
I am not concerned for the student’s immediate safety, but they are having significant personal issues and could use some support.
RESPONSE: Send a CARE referral with information about the student. The CARE Team will review the information shared and determine next steps to best support the student.
Not sure what to include? How to Make a CARE Referral
I’m not sure.
The student shows signs of distress but I am unsure how serious it is. My interaction has left me feeling uneasy and/or really concerned about the student.
RESPONSE:
During Business Hours: Reach out to the CARE Team Coordinator (269.337.7460 or haley.mangette@kzoo.edu) for a consultation.
After Hours and Holidays: Please reach out to Campus Safety. Campus Safety can connect the students to the Kalamazoo College Counseling Center Crisis Phone.
National Suicide Hotline: 988
Gryphon Place: 269-381-HELP (4357)
In an emergency, contact Kalamazoo College Campus Safety at 269.337.7321 or Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 911.
How to Make a CARE Referral
To make a CARE Referral, please send an email to Care@kzoo.edu or reach out to Haley Mangette, Wellness and CARE Coordinator at 269.337.7460.
When reaching out, please as much information from below as you are able:
- The name of the student
- Date of the incident or period of time behavior has been occurring
- Location of incident
- A description of the behavior(s) of concern
- See behaviors below for examples of language.
- Is the behavior more frequent or getting worse?
- Factors that may be causing or be affected by the behaviors of concern (e.g. employment, academics, legal issues)
- If you or someone you know has addressed the behavior with the student of concern.
- Any additional information not addressed above.
- Any attachments (e.g. text messages, videos, etc.)
Examples of behaviors, concerns, or challenges
- Abusive to people or animals
- Bizarre behavior or actions
- Bullying
- Destructive behavior
- Direct statements indicating distress
- Dramatic change in energy level (either way)
- Easily upset
- Exaggerated personality traits (more withdrawn or animated than usual)
- Excessive interest in weapons
- Expressions of hopelessness, fear, or worthlessness
- Fire setting
- Frequent state of intoxication (alcohol or drugs)
- Grief/loss
- Hallucinations
- Harmful Impulsive behavior
- History of being bullied
- Hospitalization for alcohol/drugs
- Hospitalization for illness/injury
- Hospitalization for mental health
- Inappropriate Boundaries
- Inappropriate emotional outbursts (unprovoked anger/aggression, hostility, or sobbing)
- Inappropriate interest in workplace/school violence
- Increase in substance use
- Law enforcement contact
- Makes direct threats
- Makes indirect threats
- No social support
- Paranoid behavior
- Poor hygiene
- Projects blame
- Repeated reports of illness/injury
- Reports being stalked
- Reports being victimized (e.g. financial crime, experienced violence).
- Reports family concerns that interrupt their ability to be a student
- Reports financial concerns
- Reports lack of access to basic needs (e.g. food, shelter, clothing, including outerwear for cold temperatures, etc.)
- Reports transition issues (homesickness, trouble making friends, etc.)
- Reports violence is an acceptable response to problems
- Self-injurious behaviors
- Sending frequent lengthy, ranting or threatening emails
- Signs of eating disorder (not eating, binging and purging, etc.)
- Signs of physical harm (cuts, bruises, burns, etc.)
- Stalking behaviors
- Suicidal remarks
- Suicide attempt
- Threat to others
- Unreasonable demands
- Withdrawn or Isolative
Team Process
- After a concern is submitted (i.e. through email, or report from campus member), the Wellness and Care Coordinator (WCC)— or designee— turns the report into a CARE team case. The case is then assigned to the WCC as the main point of contact. If the report is more relevant to a different team, the WCC will contact the respective team or individual.
- Once the concern becomes a case, other members of the team are notified. The team, then, collects information about the student to best support them (i.e. whether they live on-campus, had previous concerns submitted about them, what groups they are a part of, etc.).
- The K CARE Team meets once a week during the term to discuss current cases to decide next steps of support.
- The member to whom the case has been assigned will reach out to the student, the reporter, and any other relevant parties to gather information and arrange a conversation with the student. CARE Team members will abide by HIPAA and FERPA in this process.
- The team member will work with the student and any other relevant parties to assess the student’s needs and inform the student of options, services, information, processes and resources available to them. When possible and relevant, CARE Team members will be happy to connect the student with people, offices and resources to meet their needs.
- CARE Team will close the student’s case in the following situations:
- If the student is connected with resources and has their needs met.
- If a lower-risk student expresses they do not need or want CARE Team’s help.*
- If the student leaves the College.
*This does not apply in situations when the student has significant risk factors of harm to self or others.
K CARE Team Coordinator Contact
Haley Mangette (She/Her)
K CARE Team Members
Members of K CARE Team come from different areas on campus to help ensure relevant expertise is available for a wide variety of potential concerns.
Current members include:
- Adam Kubiak, Assistant Dean of Students, Residential Life & Student Conduct
- Dana Jansma, Senior Associate Dean of students
- Haley Mangette, Wellness and CARE Coordinator
- Dr. Erica Pearson, Director of Counseling Center
- Tim Young, Director of Campus Safety