Care Team

The Health Science Center cares about our students’ success, not only academically, but emotionally and physically. Because of our commitment, we provide services across campus that respond to our students’ unique needs. But sometimes, students do not ask for help when they need it. Through the creation of a collaborative interdisciplinary team, the university will provide a caring, confidential program of identification, intervention, and response in order to provide students with the greatest chance for success and the university community with the greatest level of protection.

If you have any questions or concerns for the Care Team about a student or an incident, contact the Care Team at (817) 735-2740 or CareTeam@unthsc.edu. Referrals can be submitted through the online Student of Concern Reporting Form.

The Care Team serves as an interdisciplinary team, designed to support students by connecting them with resources and serving as an on-campus source of support. The Care Team often collaborates with other offices within the campus community. Other offices with similar purposes include the Division of Student Affairs, Center for Academic Performance, and the HSC Police Department. The Care Team operates under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in a non-clinical, case management capacity, and does not provide psychotherapy. Information may be provided to appropriate faculty and staff members based on a business need to know and/or for health and safety reasons and always works to respect the privacy of the student.

To refer a student to the Care Team, please submit your concern through the Person of Concern Reporting Form. If you are concerned about a student, but have not witnessed any distressing or disruptive behavior, please explain your concern in detail.

The Care Team meets regularly throughout the year, and will review your referral at the next meeting. If a situation requires immediate attention, an emergency Care Team meeting can be called at the determination of the Care Team chair. The multidisciplinary panel will determine, based on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or the best available objective evidence, whether a student may pose a direct threat to themselves or the university community. Be assured that the Care Team exists to assist students and will handle all referrals professionally in an effort to best meet the needs of students and the HSC community.

As a staff member, faculty, friend, peer, or parent, you see students on a regular basis and play an incredibly important role in identifying students who might need additional support. If you notice that a student is exhibiting any of the following academic, physical or emotional indicators, or you just have a “gut feeling” that something is wrong, you can make a referral to the Care Team. The referral process provides students with the opportunity to connect with an on-campus source of support and identify resources that may be helpful.

– Excessive procrastination and poorly prepared work, especially if this is not typical of the student’s performance;
– Missing assignments or exams;
– Decline in interest or enthusiasm;
– Inability to follow instructions or tasks, despite attempts to clarify/encourage;
– Repeated requests for special consideration (e.g. deadline extensions); or
– Dependence on professor/tutor that is beyond what is usual for a student needing assistance in your class.

– Extreme or prolonged display of emotion (sadness, nervousness, fearfulness, etc);
– Change in personality (e.g. more outgoing or more withdrawn than usual);
– Difficulty connecting with others;
– Difficulty dealing with a personal life event (e.g. death in the family , relationship break up); Expressing feelings of hopelessness, isolation, or worthlessness; including thoughts or mention of suicide, self-harm or reference to death and dying;
– Displays or irritability, anger, hostility
– Mention of dealing with a mental health diagnosis, substance abuse, eating disorder, etc; or
– Strange or bizarre behavior that is clearly inappropriate to the situation.

– Chronic fatigue or falling asleep at inappropriate times;
– Marked change in personal hygiene or appearance;
– Noticeable or dramatic change in energy level;
– Dramatic weight loss or weight gain;
– Impaired speech or confused/disjointed thoughts; or
– Noticeable signs of self-harm on student.