13.01.02 – UH Care Team
Section: Student Affairs
Area: Campus Life
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The University of Houston is committed to providing a learning environment that promotes the safety and well-being of its students. The UH Care Team provides a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to support students presenting concerning behaviors. The purpose of the Care Team is to assess reported concerns and develop a comprehensive plan to help guide and support students and the UH community. Led by the Dean of Students, the Care Team is comprised of university officials with relevant expertise and access to campus resources. The Care team meets regularly to address cases and issues that promote student success and wellbeing, community safety, respect for individual rights, and preserve the learning environment.
II. POLICY STATEMENT
This policy establishes the UH Care Team, identifies its membership and enables the team to coordinate university assets and resources to assess and respond to university students who exhibit concerning and/or disruptive behaviors. Specifically, the UH Care Team may execute actions such as, but not limited to, the following:
A. Meet on a regular basis to conduct the business of the UH Care Team.
B. Develop processes and procedures designed to facilitate the effective and efficient management of cases of threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive student behavior brought before the UH Care Team.
C. Gather information and assess situations involving students who may pose potential risk of harm to self and/or persons or property in the university community or who may cause substantial disruption to the university community because of their concerning behaviors.
D. Consult with university community members affected by students who exhibit threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive behaviors.
E. Mobilize university assets and resources to respond to situations involving threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive student behavior.
F. Develop specific strategies to manage or intervene with threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive student behaviors to protect the rights of university community members and to minimize disruption to university activities.
G. Make recommendations to appropriate university officials regarding actions that might be taken to protect the rights and safety of university community members and that are consistent with university policy as well as federal, state, and local laws.
H. Develop and disseminate informational materials designed to assist university community members in the identification and prevention of potentially threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive student behavior.
I. Develop and facilitate training programs which inform university community members of strategies designed to help them identify students in distress and interact with students who exhibit threatening, concerning, and/or disruptive behaviors.
J. Develop and disseminate materials designed to inform the university community of the existence of the UH Care Team and identify contact information for the UH Care Team to facilitate the reporting of concerning and/or disruptive student behaviors.
III. MEMBERSHIP
A. Core group members:
1. Dean of Students, Chair
2. Associate Dean of Students
3. Assistant Dean of Students
4. Dean of Students Care Manager
5. Representative of Student Housing and Residential Life (SHRL)
6. Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Academic Affairs
7. Representative of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
8. Representative of Equal Opportunity Services (EOS)
9. Representative of the University of Houston Police Department (UHPD)
10. Representative of Integrated Enrollment Services
B. Additional members:
1. An Attorney from the Office of the General Counsel will serve as an ex-officio member to provide legal advice.
2. Additional university community members may be added to the UH Care Team as necessary or as required by the situation.
IV. CONFIDENTIALITY
Records created by the UH Care Team related to students are considered educational records and are, therefore, subject to regulations set forth under the Family Educational Records and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). All activities of the UH Care Team shall comply with FERPA and state and federal laws concerning the privacy of mental health records and information. All other information and the identities of individuals providing information will remain confidential to the extent allowed by law
REFERENCES
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Web Site
Conduct Assessment and Response Team (CART) Web Site
UH Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Web Site
Issued: 10/13/2010
Last Reviewed/Revised: 06/23/2023
Responsible Office(s): Student Affairs