The CARE Team* is a campus-wide team of appointed staff responsible for identifying, assessing, and responding to concerns and/or disruptive behaviors within the campus community and providing interventions and resources to support the overall wellbeing and safety of Ocean County College.
*”Membership of the CARE Team is comprised of a cross-section of the campus community.”
Responsibilities of the CARE Team
- Developing and implementing educational and training programs for all members of the college community regarding behavioral assessment. This should include resources designed to create awareness and understanding of the CARE Team and what to refer, as well as in-person training to develop deeper knowledge on how to identify, support, and refer an individual of concern.
- Maintaining a current webpage, which can be easily accessed from the Ocean County College home page and other relevant departmental pages. This site should include links to informational and referral sites and instructions for making a referral to the CARE Team.
- Receiving, coordinating, and assessing referrals received from faculty, staff, students, and others regarding individuals of concern.
- Coordinating interventions and resource assistance for individuals of concern.
- Providing an annual report to the leadership of the College.
Reasons to report:
- Noticeable change in behavior (appearance, mood, involvement/engagement, etc.)
- Academic Concerns (change in class attendance, participation, quality of work)
- Written or verbal disclosures of personal difficulties
- Suspected or expressed need for additional support
- Concern for a student’s well-being
- Concerning classroom behavior
- Financial Difficulties
While the following should also be reported to the CARE Team, any emergencies or imminent risk of harm should be immediately reported to the Department of Campus Safety and Security:
- Direct or indirect threats, safety concerns, or indication of risk for violence
- Direct or indirect signs of psychiatric crisis, suicidal ideation, or other mental health concerns
Care Team FAQs
Any support or interventions from the CARE Team are designed to be non-punitive and are not mandatory for students. Though the Office of Student Conduct may become involved if the reported behavior violated the Student Code of Conduct, this process is also intended to be developmental.
Unfortunately, we are limited in the information we are able to disclose about CARE Report outcomes due to privacy regulations and confidentiality laws surrounding student engagement with certain services. If there are continued concerns or the Team requires additional information about a report you submit, a CARE Team member may reach out to you for further discussion.
Once you submit a report, you will receive an automated response via email confirming your submission. The CARE Team will be immediately notified of your report and it will then be assigned to a member of the CARE Team to conduct intervention(s) as applicable. Each report is then reviewed at a CARE Team meeting, at which time the student(s) of concern will be assessed for level of risk, the intervention conducted will be reviewed for effectiveness and any need for further action will be determined. A report is considered completed if the issue has been resolved, the student has been connected with appropriate supports, or the concern has been elevated outside the scope of the CARE Team. Unfortunately, some reports are closed if the student does not respond to our outreach attempts or is not receptive to the available supports. Please note, every effort is made to support each individual student.
Anyone! All members of the campus community are encouraged to submit CARE Reports, including faculty, staff and students.
Yes, you can submit a report anonymously. However, this does limit the CARE Team’s ability to follow up with you if additional information is needed to best support the student of concern. If you have concerns about your privacy in submitting a report, you can always contact a member of the CARE Team to explore your options.
If it is an emergency, you should always contact Campus Security or call 911 first. If it is not an emergency, staff from the Counseling Center and Campus Security are both on the CARE Team and will be able to intervene as appropriate based on the information provided in your report. If you are still unsure, you can always contact a member of the CARE Team to discuss your specific questions.
Get in Touch
Questions? Contact:
Veronica Guevara-Lovgren
Executive Director Student Services,
Student Affairs
vguevara-lovgren@ocean.edu
Richelle Corbo
Director, Counseling Center
rcorbo@ocean.edu
Katie Mehler
Associate Director, Counseling Center
kmehler@ocean.edu
In Case of EMERGENCY
In case of emergency or an emotional distress situation, call Campus Safety and Security:
If you are calling from a Campus Phone, please dial:
Extension 2200
Off-Campus Emergency
In case of an emergency or an emotional distress situation off-campus: Dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.