SPS CARE Team
SPS CARE TEAM
The SPS CARE Team (Campus Assessment Response & Evaluation) coordinates prevention, intervention and support efforts across campus and community systems to identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with students, faculty,
staff, and visitors exhibiting concerning behaviors.
By partnering with members of the University community, the CARE Team strives to promote student wellbeing and success while prioritizing community safety. The CARE Team develops a support plan for students to help them deal effectively with personal situations that might impact their academic performance.
Goals of the CARE Team:
- Outreach & Education: The CARE Team provides ongoing education and consultation to the SPS community on early warning signs for students in distress as well as campus resources available to proactively address wellbeing concerns.
- Early Intervention: The CARE Team intervenes early when faculty, staff, or students observe signs of distress or concerning behavior.
- Assessment: Assess needs of students and ensure access to the appropriate support resources.
- Crisis Response: In cases of immediate crisis, such as threats of self-harm or harm to others, the CARE Team will coordinate a rapid response to ensure the safety of the student and the campus community.
Our aim is to provide students with a central point for support and resources available through The School of Professional Studies and Columbia University.
Reasons to Refer
When you submit a referral form, you are informing the team that you have seen/heard something from or about a student that causes you to be concerned about the student's health, well-being, safety, and/or academic success.
If you are a current SPS student seeking support you may contact the Office of Student Wellness at sps-wellness [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu (sps-wellness[at]columbia[dot]edu) or schedule a wellness appointment here.
Examples for referral include but are not limited to:
- General well being concerns
- Sending verbal or written threats to another student, staff, or faculty member
- Writing about or verbally expressing feelings of hopelessness or suicidal ideation
- Exhibiting declining academic performance and/or having excessive absences
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
- Displaying physical signs of fatigue, disorientation, anxiety, stress, failing to eat, or poor hygiene
- Engaging in other actions which cause alarm or call into question the safety of the student or other members of the community
Submit a Referral
To submit a referral please fill out the SPS CARE Team Referral form located below. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note this form is to submit referrals for School of Professional Studies (SPS) students only. The referral form is not meant to be used for an emergency response. Referral forms will be followed up on within 24-48 hours.
The SPS CARE Team members are not emergency responders. If this is an emergency and you need to report an imminent threat or life-endangering situation involving a student, please contact Public Safety at 212-854-5555 and refer to the Emergency/Crisis resources.
FAQ
Columbia University Blue Folder
The Columbia University Blue Folder is a comprehensive guide intended to provide tips about addressing students in distress and University Resources.