How and when to report a concern
NEOMED strives to cultivate a caring community in which students, faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in healthy, help-seeking behavior for themselves and others.
NEOMED’s CARE Team is comprised of trained representatives from key areas of campus who provide information, resources or expertise enabling the team to be most effective. The CARE Team, along with other key campus and community partners, focuses on prevention, early intervention and provision of support services for individuals dealing with a variety of “life” issues.
How to report a concern
The CARE Team Referral Form may be used to report behaviors and/or circumstances that have the potential to negatively impact the campus learning environment and/or potentially harm the health, welfare and/or safety of members of the University community or the individual(s) exhibiting such behaviors.
Not sure what to do? See the response guide lower on this page.
Guidance for student-related issues
For questions or concerns related to how a student-related issue should be addressed, please contact Dr. Nicole Kent-Strollo, Dean of Students, at nkentstrollo@neomed.edu.
Guidance for employee-related issues
For questions or concerns related to how an employee-related issue should be addressed, please contact Toccara Ball, Director, Employee Success and Development, at tball@neomed.edu.
In crisis
If there is an imminent risk, call 911 IMMEDIATELY!
Response guide
The response guide will help you determine how to respond to distressed, disruptive or at-risk individuals. The guide is divided into three categories:
- situations requiring immediate assistance
- situations requiring some assistance
- situations you can address on your own
Types of signs and symptoms:
- Situation presents an immediate threat of harm to self or others (e.g., individual has a weapon; verbal threats are being made)
- Multiple indicators of distress are evident (e.g., difficulty focusing, decreased appetite or weight loss, poor class attendance, difficulty sleeping, appears exhausted)
- Issue is impacting multiple areas of an individual’s life (e.g., family, academic, social, personal, other)
Examples:
- Individual threatens to cause physical harm to self or others
- Individual states that if a situation is not resolved appropriately (e.g., “You will pay for it.”)
- Individual threatens immediate danger to self (e.g., threatens to shoot self, take pills, jump off a building)
- Individual is unconscious, unresponsive, or states that pills were ingested
- Individual does not follow a repeated requests to cease disruptive behavior or leave the classroom/office
How to respond:
- Call 911 IMMEDIATELY
- Stay with the individual until help arrives
- Submit a CARE Team Referral Form AFTER calling 911
Types of signs and symptoms:
- Several indicators of distress are evident (e.g., difficulty focusing, decreased appetite, poor class attendance, can’t sleep)
- Expressions of hopelessness
- Emotional reaction is out of proportion to situation
- Issue is impacting more than one area of an individual’s life (e.g., family, academic, social, personal, other)
Examples:
- Individual exhibits behavior that seems disorganized or paranoid. Individual may not be in touch with reality
- Individual reports a history of self-injurious behavior (e.g., cutting or burning self) and reports the urge to engage in this behavior again
- Individual is experiencing a sudden and/or distressing event (e.g., death of a loved one, break up, divorce) and is emotionally inconsolable
How to respond:
- Consult with appropriate resource about your concerns (see quick links below)
- Call NEOMED Police at 330.325.5911
- Submit a CARE Team Referral Form AFTER calling NEOMED Police
Types of signs and symptoms:
- Individual does not express or indicate risk to self or others
- Visible distress, academic/employment difficulties, sleeping or eating issues, emotional outbursts, social withdrawal
- Issue is typically impacting only one area of the individual’s life (e.g., family, academic, social, personal, other)
Examples:
- Individual reports being distressed or anxious but denies suicidal or homicidal thoughts
- Individual sends an email with profanity demanding immediate response
- Individual appears to have distorted body image and frequently references a desire to lose weight
- Individual raises voice at the office receptionist and demands assistance
- Individual is stressed about an upcoming exam and discloses history of test anxiety
How to respond:
- Share your concerns and offer campus and/or community resources that may help with the individual’s issue
- Consult with the Dean of Students and/or Office of Student Services and/or Human Resources staff to determine an appropriate course of action for disruptive behavior
- Submit a NEOMED Concern Form
- NOTE: This form includes additional reporting options (beyond CARE Team Referral Form) that may better apply to the situation
For more assistance
CONTACT US
Office of Student Services
330.325.6735
studentservices@neomed.edu