CARE Team

Mission Statement

The UIW Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team is a multidisciplinary team dedicated to a proactive, coordinated, and planned approach to the identification, prevention, assessment, management, and reduction of interpersonal and behavioral threats to the safety and well-being of The University of the Incarnate Word students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Goals

• Prevention and Education: Take a proactive approach by educating the UIW community regarding the role of the CARE Team, the need and purpose for intervention, the procedure for filing a referral, and how to contact members of the CARE Team with concerns.
• Review: Review information from faculty, staff, students, and/or community members; conduct investigation to determine appropriate response.
• Communication: Centralize the collection and assessment of concerning student behaviors that may be known to various faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Intervention: Intervene in a timely manner, providing support and response to students displaying varying levels of distressed, disruptive, and/or disturbed behaviors.
• Coordination: Coordinate action and follow-up. Ensure that services, support, and resources are deployed effectively.

CARE Team Members

Luke Blum

Director, Residence Life and Housing Operations

CARE Team Expanded Team Members (as needed):

• Academic Deans
• Director of Health Services
• Director of Human Resources
• Director of International Students and Scholar Services
• Director of Title IX
• Director of Veteran Affairs
• Other campus personnel as deemed necessary by the Chair(s)

Reporting Concerning Behavior

To provide information to the CARE Team, utilize our online referral form. In any situation that warrants immediate emergency response, University Police at (210) 829-6030 and/or 911 prior to submitting a referral. University Police will report relevant police log entries and refer appropriate concerns to the CARE Team as well. Community members are strongly encouraged to report all safety concerns and incidents.

All referrals are reviewed by the Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability (or designee) and forwarded to the full CARE Team as appropriate. Once a referral is reviewed, appropriate action will be taken, which may include contacting the individual of concern, you and any witnesses identified for further details. Individuals who submit referrals anonymously should be aware that if insufficient information is provided in reports, it may be difficult to address referrals appropriately.

* *If you have any questions or would like to consult regarding any concerns you may have, please contact a member of the UIW CARE Team.

Concerning Behaviors Community Members May See

• Direct statements indicating distress
• Exaggerated personality traits (compared to baseline)
• Dramatic change in energy level (either way)
• Dramatic change in “typical” behaviors
• Extreme disorientation and/or out of touch with reality
• Frequent state of intoxication (alcohol or drugs)
• Intentional or unintentional overdose
• Deterioration of quality of work
• Disorganized or erratic performance or behavior
• Sending frequent, lengthy, ranting or threatening e-mails
• Paranoia that a student groundlessly believes they are being targeted;
• Writings or speaking that conveys clear intentions to harm self or others or that seems bizarre
• Evidence of expressed intent: self-injurious behavior, such as cutting, burning, etc.
• Suicidality, that is, if a person
  • Talks About: Being a burden to others; Feeling trapped; experiencing unbearable pain; having no reason to live; Killing themselves
  • Behavior: Increased use of alcohol or drugs; Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online for materials or means; Acting recklessly; Withdrawing from activities; Isolating from family and friends; Sleeping too much or too little; Visiting or calling people to say goodbye; Giving away prized possessions; Aggression
  • Moods: Depression; Loss of interest; Rage; Irritability; Humiliation; Anxiety
• Homicidal ideation
• Flat affect or extreme lack of responsiveness
• Elevated displays of anger
• Violent fantasy content
• Interest in previous shooting situations
• Alarming/inappropriate references to bombs or ammunition
• Alarming/inappropriate infatuation with fire or firearms
• Unusual interest in police, military, terrorist activities and materials
• Acts motivated by hatred or discrimination
• Disappearances, kidnappings or missing persons

CARE Team Actions

After review of the referral of concerning behavior, the CARE Team may take some or all the following actions:

1. Assign appropriate university personnel for follow-up and observation;
2. Recommend the notification of appropriate parents, guardians, and/or next-of-kin (within FERPA guidelines);
3. Refer individuals to professional counseling or other resources deemed appropriate;
4. Make recommendations to appropriate university personnel that may include, but are not limited to, the actions or sanctions consistent with the UIW Student Handbook and/or Student Code of Conduct.
5. Make recommendation(s) to appropriate university personnel regarding conditions for an individual to return as an active member of the campus community. This may include requiring internal or external psychological evaluations of the individual in question.