Care Team

The purpose of the CARE Team* is to facilitate communication, assessment, decision-making and action about potential and real risk situations, involving persons of concern, including students, faculty, staff and visitors. The CARE Team is focused on the safety of the individual and the campus community through pro-active and early intervention activities.

The CARE Team continues its important functions during remote operations. An essential function of the CARE Team is to respond to CARE reports submitted by faculty, staff and others. We are providing information about filing CARE reports. After a CARE report is filed, the CARE Team responds by contacting the student, and perhaps the reporter. Many CARE reports are related to students’ well-being and mental health, and are handled by the counselors. To report a concern, the CARE reporting form is available below.

The counseling staff is available Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at ext. 2911, or 732-255-0386, or email us at: counselingservices@ocean.edu

*Membership of the CARE Team is comprised of representatives from faculty, student affairs, academic affairs, human resources, college administration, and security.

Responsibilities of the CARE Team

• Educate the campus community on practices and policies to reduce risk and concern
• Educate the campus community on how to make appropriate referrals
• Enhance communication among CARE Team members and improve communication and collaboration across college departments.
• Assess situations that are brought to the Team through the conduct, disciplinary, emergency response, and consultation processes
• Identify individuals whose behavior is generating concern or is considered to be at-risk
• Investigate reports of at-risk behavior by students, faculty, staff and visitors
• Determine when individuals have been involved in situations in different areas or departments of the college
• Manage the individuals or situations to reduce the risk or concern
• Identify and evaluate trends
• Assess OCC’s needs
• Keep current on state and national trends and practices
• Develop and recommend practices and policies

For more information, contact the CARE Team at care@ocean.edu.