CARE Team Holds Workshop for Faculty and Staff

By Kirsten Moss-Frye

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

         SMYRNA -- Motlow's Crisis Assessment and Risk Evaluation Team hosted a special workshop on the Smyrna campus on June 14 to help faculty and staff members better handle student-related concerns.

         According to Dean of Students Kirsten Moss, Motlow's Behavioral Intervention Team is designed to respond not only as the college threat assessment team, but to connect students with emotional and/or behavioral concerns to appropriate resources before they become a crisis.

         The two-hour "CARE Team Foundations" workshop, which was facilitated by Moss and Director of Public Safety Ray Higginbotham, provided an overview of the team's role, the process for reporting student-related concerns, and what happens after a report is received by the CARE team. Attendees worked case scenarios in small groups.

         "All attendees thought the session was valuable, would recommend it to others, and reported feeling more confident responding to issues of student concern or crises after completing the training," Moss said. 

         The CARE team recommends the following policies and procedures.

Question: How can I identify a distressed student?

Answer: Has the student's personality or behavior changed? Are the student's basic needs not being met (food, shelter)? What kind of support does he or she have?

Question: When do I report a student concern?

Answer: Depending on your role, you could be the first one to identify that a student is in need of help to provide them with resources that will benefit them during a challenging time. Many students are identified through journal entries, papers or a shift in baseline behavior.

If a concern arises, we recommend your contacting the student, speaking privately and in person, if possible. If needed, refer them to an appropriate resource, such as the Dean of Students office; Title IX Coordinator Brian Stacey at (931) 393-1713 or bstacy@mscc.edu; Disability Services; our Licensed Therapist at Motlow; or the student's Completion Coach.

Please know that the CARE Team is available to help! If you feel a student's needs are beyond what you feel prepared to assist with, submit a Behavioral Referral Form. If you have any questions on whether a situation or student should be reported, you can contact the Dean of Students or Public Safety. If there is an immediate emergency, call 911.

For information on classroom behavior that may constitute reporting, read Examples of Disruptive vs. Dangerous Behaviors.

Question: Where do I report?

Answer: The Behavioral Referral Form is located in MyMotlow under the Employee Tab or Faculty Tab, and can be utilized by any Motlow employee.

Students spend most of their time in class; therefore, the CARE Team has put together a Classroom Response Flowchart to address various student concerns that might arise in the classroom. This is meant to be a helpful document to determine where to report specific circumstances.

Click on this link to see the flowchart: Classroom Response Flowchart related to Student Concerns/Crises

Question: How can I find out the status of my student?

Answer: You will receive a response to indicate your report was received and is being reviewed. The student will be given the support and assistance they need by the College and community resources. Please note that often times information can only be given out in general terms for confidentiality reasons, and therefore employees often do not hear the outcome of each case. However, since the majority of reports are from faculty with students in the classroom, it is always appropriate to contact the dean of students if the case is impacting the course or grades. Often times, there is a need for faculty to provide information to the CARE Team for the wellbeing of the student.

Question: How does the process for case determination work?

Answer: The CARE Team acts as the campus threat assessment team and Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). The NaBITA Threat Assessment Tool is used to determine if there is a threat to self or others. Most cases do not pose a threat and require behavioral intervention by a member of the team. If the Student Code of Conduct has been violated, the case is handled by the dean of students.

See Policy 6:10:00:34: Crisis Assessment & Risk Evaluation (CARE) Team.

Together, we all work to create a healthy and safe environment for our students and campus community… Because Motlow Cares.