CARE Team

The Coordinated Assistance & Resource Education Team (CARE Team) receives and responds to referrals from the campus community about students of concern. CARE Team services and resources include:

• connecting students with on- and off-campus resources
• consulting with faculty and staff about how to respond to various concerns
• facilitating formal and informal outreach and check ins.  

CARE Team referrals encompass a broad range of concerns, many of which are often independent of any behavioral concern about a student and/or indicate a lower-level concern that does not typically warrant an urgent intervention. Examples of non-behavioral referrals include

• the loss of a loved one
• unusual financial difficulties
• food or housing insecurity
• feeling overwhelmed with the transition to college life
• relationship and family concerns
• short- or long-term illness or injury
• challenges getting involved and connected

Other CARE Team referrals involve specific behavioral concerns, such as

• thoughts of suicide
• severe emotional distress
• disruptive behavior
• drastic changes in mood, appearance, or behavior
• threats to the safety of the student or the campus community 

If you have information that indicates an immediate safety risk, please call the Department of Public Safety at 206-296-5911. 

To refer a student for CARE Team outreach, please use the Student Alert form. Alerts will be triaged by the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Student Persistence to ensure the student receives the appropriate support. These alerts can be submitted by a student, parent/guardian, faculty, staff, administrator, or anyone looking to assist a student or request extra support.

All CARE Team outreach will be conducted with privacy and sensitivity.  At times, information may need to be shared with campus partners outside the Office of the Dean of Students; however, such information sharing will be done with extreme discretion.

We are here to help students overcome barriers to their success and promote a healthy and safe campus community. Upon receipt of your referral, the Office of the Dean of Students may coordinate outreach to the student to offer support and determine appropriate resources. This support may come in the form of

• a wellness check
• non-academic advising and coaching
• referrals to on- and/or off-campus resources
• assistance with access to services
• consultation with the reporting party to help you support the student