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Home » Academics » Student Success Center » CARES Team

CARES Team

 

Logo for CARES Team three abstract human figures in green, blue, and orange holding hands to form a circle with CARES Team written in center

Concern. Assessment. Response. Evaluation. Support.

The Columbia-Greene CARES Team provides personalized outreach to students experiencing barriers that may pose a risk to academic progression. These barriers may be academic or personal in nature.

If you know of someone or if you could benefit from additional support and resources, please complete the CARES Referral form below.

If you, or anyone else, from the campus community observes a situation that needs immediate intervention, please contact Campus Security immediately at 518-697-6170 or extension 6170. If you are not on campus, please call 911. Situations that warrant immediate intervention include violence, or someone who is an imminent threat to themselves or others.

CARES Referral Form Student Referral Form
Incident Reporting Emergency Needs Funding

Students should request support or be referred if they show signs of:

  • Potential threat of harm to self or others
  • Academic distress/disengagement
  • Concern for future – career, employment, continued education
  • Emotional distress
  • Financial, Food, or Housing insecurity
  • Grief/loss
  • Mental health concerns
  • Noticeable change in behavior/demeanor
  • Physical health concerns
  • Substance concerns

When you submit a CARES Form, you are informing the college 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.

Look for groupings, frequency, duration, and severity – not just isolated symptoms.

Academic Indicators
• Sudden decline in quality of work and grades
• Repeated absences
• Repeated
• Disorganized performance
• Multiple requests for extensions
• Overly demanding of faculty’s or staff’s time and attention
• Bizarre content in writings or presentations
• You find yourself providing more personal than academic support

Physical Indicators
• Marked changes in physical appearance (e.g., grooming or hygiene deterioration, weight loss/gain)
• Excessive fatigue or sleep disturbance
• Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
• Disoriented or “out of it”
• Garbled, tangential, disconnected, or slurred speech
• Behavior is out of context or bizarre
• Delusions and paranoia

Psychological Indicators
• Self-disclosure of personal distress (e.g., family or financial problems, grief, suicidal thoughts)
• Unusual/disproportionate emotional response to events
• Excessive tearfulness or panic reactions
• Irritability or unusual apathy
• Verbal abuse (e.g., taunting, badgering, intimidation)
• Concern from peers

Safety Risk Indicators
• Unprovoked anger or hostility
• Physical violence (e.g., shoving, grabbing, assault, use of weapons)
• Implying or making direct threat to harm self or others
• Academic assignments dominated by themes of extreme hopelessness, rage, worthlessness, isolation, despair, acting out, suicidal ideations/violent behaviors
• Stalking or harassing
• Communicating threats via email, correspondence, texting, or phone calls

Frequent Examples of Referable Concerning Behaviors
• Unusual or erratic behavior in class, in the residence halls, during advising sessions, etc.
• Extended absence from class or activities by a typically engaged student
• Written work or creative expression with troubling themes or references
• Verbal or written threats made by a student toward other students, faculty, and/or staff
• Written or verbal expressions of suicidal ideation or intent
• Other actions that cause an alarm or call into question the safety of the student or their peers

Additional Resource: California State University (CSL) Red Folder: Assisting Students in Distress

Students are encouraged to submit a self-referral if they think they may benefit from campus services or resources.

  • Let students know that it is not necessary to know exactly what is wrong to seek assistance.
  • Assure students that seeking help does not mean their problems are unusual or extremely serious.
  • Confirm that personal information and referral details are only shared with specific support resources, services, or CARES Team members.
  • Show students how they can seek assistance by using the self-referral form to refer themselves.

Once a referral has been submitted, a member of the CARES Team may contact the individual who submitted the referral for additional information, if necessary. Once necessary information has been gathered, a CARES Team member or campus support service may reach out to the student, but please note the specific steps we take are determined on a case-by-case basis. During our meetings, we provide students with appropriate resources and referrals as well as offer additional follow-up, when appropriate.

  • Catherine Carlson – Director of Student Success
  • Jon Coller-Takahashi – Registrar
  • Michael Cotrone – Assistant Professor of Science
  • Matthew Kenny – Associate Professor of Science
  • Andrew Ledoux – Dean of Student Development
  • Erica Nance – Academic Success Coach & Adjunct Instructor
  • Maria Ostrander – Director of Health Services
  • Julia Podpora – Counselor in Office of Advising, Career, & Transfer Services
  • KellyAnn Radzik – Director of Career Services & Experiential Learning
  • Jess Sachs – Bursar
  • Ember Traino, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs