Care and Concern Report (formerly Early Alert)
Safety on our campuses and in our communities is everyone’s responsibility.
Share a concern about a student’s academic progress, wellness, or safety. The main purpose of the program is to be proactive in assisting students by identifying students of concern and intervening early with students who appear to be having academic or health/safety issues. The Care and Concern System is also a reporting system for concerns related to threats to safety as it pertains to faculty and/or staff.
What are the goals of the program?
Early identification of students who are at risk in one of the following areas:
- Unresolved academic progress with faculty intervention; students not responding to faculty attempts related to class attendance, course performance, etc.
- Personal health or wellness; students who continue to exhibit symptoms of impaired health, even after appropriate referral to a health provider
- Students exhibiting behaviors or expressing comments which have the potential to impact the safety of self or others
- Students exhibiting behavioral patterns that have the potential for disruption to others and impaired performance; or extreme changes in behavioral patterns ( i.e. hyperactivity or very rapid speech, depressed or lethargic mood, deterioration in hygiene, etc.)
Early identification of faculty/staff that are at risk in the following area:
- Faculty and/or staff exhibiting behaviors or expressing comments which have the potential to impact the safety of self or others.
For mental health emergencies related to imminent danger to self or others please call 911.
The site is monitored daily and submissions are screened for priority standing. Referral sources are automatically notified by the system when their Web-based form is received. The Care and Concern Committee meets weekly to review the information submitted and determine the appropriate disposition. Referrals will be made to the appropriate departments. All submissions and interventions are documented and records are confidentially maintained.
This early identification system is not meant to replace individual interventions by faculty and staff, campus policies or procedures which are currently in effect. It should only be used if other direct methods have been tried and failed.
What about confidentiality?
All information is kept confidential by all members. Information regarding students may be shared on a strictly “need to know” basis in order to refer the student to the correct campus resource or intervene as appropriate. FERPA allows for communication to be shared among “school officials” who have a legitimate educational interest. Under FERPA, there is a clear exception for any risks to health or safety. Faculty/staff issues will only be viewed by Human Resources officials to determine appropriate action.