The Connecticut College CARE (Concern, Assessment, Response, Evaluation) Team provides coordinated support for students in distress and addresses concerns about student behavior, academic progress, and personal issues, including mental health concerns. The CARE Team gathers information from personal contact with students, faculty, staff and family members, as well as from reports submitted by members of the community.
The CARE Team is committed to the following:
- Identifying students of concern who are in need of extra support
- Assessing the most appropriate way to intervene and support a student
- Addressing student behaviors that impact our community
- Intervening so a student may achieve academic and personal success
- Balancing the needs of an individual student with the needs of the community
When to be concerned
Community members are encouraged to report concerns about students who may pose a danger to themselves or others, who may be in distress, or whose behavior is disruptive to others in the community. Please note: If you believe a student may pose an immediate threat to the health and safety of themselves or others, call Campus Safety immediately at 860-439-2222.
Reasons to refer a student to the CARE Team include:
- The student remains distressed following attempts by you and others to be helpful.
- The student becomes increasingly isolated, unkempt, irritable or disconnected.
- The student's academic or social performance deteriorates.
- The student's behavior reflects increased hopelessness or helplessness.
- The student shows significant and marked changes in behavior or mood.
- The student expresses thoughts of suicide or other acts of self-harm.
- The student makes threats or displays aggression directed toward themselves or others.
- The student demonstrates an inability to care for oneself.
How to refer a student to the CARE Team
To refer a student to the CARE Team, please fill out the CC CARE Team Referral.
CARE Team members
The Dean of Students and Dean of the College co-chair the CARE Team. Members of the team include:
- Dean of Students
- Dean of the College
- Senior Associate Dean of Student Life
- Dean of Academic Support and Director of the Academic Resource Center
- Director of Campus Safety
- Director of Student Counseling Services
- Director of Student Health Services
- Assistant Dean for Residential Education and Living
- Dean of First-Year Students
- Dean of Sophomores and International Student Adviser
- Dean of Juniors, Seniors, and Transfers
- Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life
- Director of Race and Ethnicity Programs
- Director of Gender and Sexuality Programs
In addition to the CARE Team, there is a group of Student Life staff who meet weekly to review behavioral and medical incidents involving students. The information discussed at these meetings is shared with the broader CARE Team on a biweekly basis.
About the CARE Team
The CARE Team is Connecticut College's Behavioral Intervention Team. The CARE Team and the professional staff in the Office of Student Life participated in the certification course facilitated by the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association, as well as ongoing trainings.