Sonoma State University
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Care Team & Students of Concern

Submit a Care Report  Request a Care Team Presentation

Resources for Faculty & Staff  Resources for Students

About Us

The Care Team serves as a central network focused on assisting students displaying behaviors that may impede their ability to be successful in the University community. Our focus is to offer supportive intervention and guidance to any students who appear to be struggling and help restore their lives academically and personally.

Care exists to ensure continuity of services and to connect students with the support they may need. It does not preempt any other University department in performing its duties in enforcing the law or managing student situations.

Learn More About the Care Team

If you’re interested in learning more about the Care Team and what we do, we are happy to do a presentation for your school, department, or class to explain the resources available to members of the Sonoma State community. Please fill out the following form to request a presentation.

Care Team Roadshow

Request a consult with the Care Team: Email dos@sonoma.edu 

 

To Refer a Student

Please complete a Care Report.

The confidentiality of the student is protected to the fullest extent of the law and within University policy parameters. Those submitting a Care Report are not guaranteed confidentiality as the student may request the report itself; for this reason, we strongly encourage you to let a student know when you have submitted a report. In addition, informing the student also helps with the transition of support. 

Playing Your Part

If a student appears to be in imminent danger of harming self or others please call University Police at 707-664-4444 or call 911 from a campus phone line to connect to the University Police emergency line.

**If you are concerned about a student but not sure what to do, please contact us at 707-664-3225, Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. We will gladly help work through the situation with you.

Faculty, staff, fellow students, and families play an integral role in assisting students who may be experiencing a personal concern or exhibiting outward signs of academic or personal distress. Please refer to the CSU Red Folder for recommendations and resources.

Resources such as "Helping Students in Distress" can be found on the Counseling and Psychological Services website.

If you are uncomfortable speaking directly with the student you can refer the student to the Care Team by submitting the student of concern report. We will assess the need for support services including both the safety of the student and the overall community.

The following behaviors may warrant a referral to the Care team:

Academic Indicators

  • Persistent unexplained absences
  • Deterioration in quality/quantity of work
  • Extreme disorganization or erratic performance
  • Written or artistic expressions of unusual violence, morbidity, social isolation, despair, or confusion
  • Verbal or written aggressive/violent statements beyond the scope of classroom discussions or assignments
  • Persistent pursuit of special accommodations (deadline extensions, delayed exams)
  • Disproportionate response to grades or other evaluations
  • Drastic drop in academic status
  • Refusal to comply with classroom rules
  • Poor concentration and struggling with workload

Emotional Indicators

  • Direct statements indicating distress
  • Significant change in mood
  • Angry or hostile outbursts; yelling or aggressive comments
  • More withdrawn or animated than usual
  • Excessively demanding or dependent behavior
  • Failure to respond to outreach
  • Disorientation and/or bizarre cognitive/interpersonal behavior
  • Expression of emotions that are inappropriate to the context of the conversation
  • Poor impulse control
  • Intense emotion

Physical Indicators

  • Deterioration in physical appearance or personal hygiene
  • Dramatic weight fluctuation
  • Excessive fatigue
  • Erratic or disjointed thinking (skips around a lot; unable to stay focused on one topic; topics don't align)
  • Noticeable cuts, burns, or bruises; signs of self-destructive behavior
  • Frequent or chronic illness
  • Disorganized, rapid, or slurred speech; confusion
  • Often appearing under the influence

Resources for Students

If you are experiencing some form of hardship and would like someone to help you navigate the resources available to you please fill out a Care Report for yourself.

Know that there are a lot of resources available to you, and we encourage you to reach out directly to them before submitting a report on your behalf. Please review the following:

Advising Center: 

Support accessing remote and in-person advising; assistance with registration and enrollment; creating educational plans and pathways; developing personal, educational, and professional goals; understanding degree requirements; identifying and interpreting academic policies and processes; and help building connections with/to academic resources, as well as curricular and co-curricular opportunities.

Basic Needs:

Support with food and housing insecurities, transportation issues, and emergency situations affecting basic needs (food, housing, transportation).

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): 

Confidential individual and group counseling, same-day urgent appointments and crisis intervention, consultations with family, friends, faculty, and staff who may be concerned about a student, workshops, 24/7 outside hours counseling service, website with self-help resources, and information on services.

  • Hours: Appointment Hours 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Phone hours for scheduling appointments are 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Outside of phone hours, all calls are forwarded to our 24/7 counseling service. 

  • Phone: 707-664-2153

  • Email: Note that this email is checked only periodically and is for non-urgent and non-confidential issues only: caps@sonoma.edu 

Confidential Advocate:

Confidential support for those impacted by sexual and/or power-based violence, including dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, or trafficking.

Dream Center:

Support navigating undocumented citizenship for yourself and family.

  • Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; Friday, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm

  • Phone: 707-879-8185

  • Email: dreamcenter@sonoma.edu

Disability Services for Students (DSS):

Disability Services for Students (DSS) ensures equal access to students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations and specialized support services.

Office of the Dean of Students:

Office of the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment (OPHD/Title IX):

Student Health Center (SHC):

Medical support for students and low-cost medications. SHC handles non-emergency short-term care, as well as vaccinations, and testing services.

Care Team and Students of Concern

The Care Team serves as a central network focused on assisting students displaying behaviors that may impede their ability to be successful in the University community. Our focus is to offer supportive intervention and guidance to any students who appear to be struggling and help restore their lives academically and personally. Care exists to ensure continuity of services and connecting students with the support they may need. It does not preempt any other University department in performing its duties in enforcing the law or managing student situations.

Submit a care report
Request a Care Team presentation
Care Team charge and membership