CARE Team
CARE Assessment and RESPONSE (CARe) TEAM
Medgar Evers College prioritizes the safety, health, and well-being of all students, faculty, and staff.
The Care Assessment and Response (CARe) Team identifies, investigates, assesses, refers, monitors and takes action in response to behaviors exhibited by Medgar Evers College students that may pose a threat to the campus community. The team’s primary goal is to provide threat assessments and early intervention for reported students before a crisis arises on the campus. These students may display moderate to elevated levels of distress, disruption, or poorly modulated emotional responses. We may recommend psychological assessment, medical leave, and/or withdrawal to the student, when necessary, pursuant to CUNY’s Medical Withdrawal and Re-Entry Policy and Procedures.
Anyone who is concerned about a student and his or her behavior can make a CARe referral; including students, parents, faculty and staff, and other members of the campus community.
As a result of a referral to CARe, the Team will assess the situation and make recommendations for action. Such actions may range from a counseling or academic support referral to removing the student from the college community by means of the appropriate University processes. When appropriate, CARe will refer students, not deemed to be high risk, to campus resources and services that will enable them to remain in good standing at Medgar Evers College.
Members of the committee offer consultation on how to respond to various concerns, facilitate outreach and check-ins, and provide wraparound support services.
The CARe Team is not an emergency response unit. For emergencies, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 718-270-6003.
Mission
The Care Assessment and Response Team’s mission is to:
- Utilize the expertise of each team member to manage each case individually.
- Balance the individual needs of the student with those of the greater campus community.
- Provide a structured method for addressing student behaviors that impact the college community and may involve mental health and/or safety issues.
- Initiate appropriate intervention without resorting to punitive measures.
Reportable Behaviors
There are four categories of student behavior that the Care Assessment and Response Team addresses:
- Self-injurious behavior, suicidal ideation or attempt.
- Erratic behavior (including online activities) that may disrupt the mission and/or normal proceedings of the College.
- Behavior that may compromise the safety, health and/or wellbeing of students, faculty, staff, or the general College community.
- Behavior that may lead to an on-campus mental health emergency.
The following are examples* of behaviors that should be reported:
- Emotional outbursts (i.e. yelling or screaming that may be accompanied by the use of profanity and threatening gestures)
- Verbal or written threats of any nature
- Intimidating or harassing others including disturbing or threatening phone calls, text messages, emails, social media postings, etc.
- Disruptive behavior on campus (including, but not limited to classrooms)
- Concerns of intimate relationship violence, family violence, or spousal abuse
- Involuntary transportation to the hospital for alcohol and drug use/abuse
- Written or verbal expressions of possibly harming oneself or others
The success of the Care Assessment and Response Team depends on the campus community’s commitment to reporting concerns. *Please note, the aforementioned list is not exhaustive.
Membership
Dr. Jesse Kane
Senior Vice President, Student Success and Enrollment Management/CSAO
E: JKane@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-6046
Dr. Latoya Blount
Dean, Student Success
E: Latoya.Blount18@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-6046
Kevin Adams (co-chair)
Director, Community Standards
E: KAdams@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-6046
Ch. Jerry Hoffman
Interim Chief, Campus Police and Public Safety
E: JerryH@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-6909
Dr. Jewel James
Doctoral Lecturer/Counselor, Department of Special Programs/SEEK
E: JJames@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-4972
Anthony Phifer, M.S.Ed.
Coordinator, Office of Accessibility and Accommodations Services
E: APhifer@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-5027/732-860-8475 (Google voice)
Dr. Makeba Pinder (co-chair)
Interim Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
E: MPinder@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718.270-5123/973-946-8120 (Google voice)
Althea Willie, MSN, RNC
Director, Office of Health Services
E: AWillie@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-6077
Yvanne Joseph, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
E: yjoseph@mec.cuny.edu
P: 718-270-4989