Taking Care of Our Firehawks
The UT Southern CARE (Coordination, Assessment, Response, and Education) Team assists with any situation that could disrupt a student’s academic or social well-being.
The CARE Team is committed to serving our community by aiding students who encounter barriers that may limit their success. The Team promotes students’ academic, social, and mental well-being and provides supportive care, connections to campus and community resources, and aids in navigating the academic landscape. We hope to intervene early to help support students. The Team reviews individual cases and coordinates an appropriate action plan for response.
How can I help?
As members of the university community, all faculty, staff, and students have a responsibility to ensure the safety and Security of others. Anyone (students, staff, faculty, parents, and community members) can submit an alert regarding a student(s) health, safety, and overall well-being.
If someone exhibits threatening behavior or a situation occurs, this must be taken seriously and reported to the Care Team.
Call Security at 931-309-7502 or Pulaski PD at 911 if the threat is imminent.
For non-emergency or preventative assistance, please contact the Care Team at 931-424-4073. (This number is monitored during business hours. Please call Security outside of business hours.)
What will you do with a report?
We continually assess the urgency and severity of each report and respond promptly. Our most common next steps include:
- Reaching out to students via email or phone to offer an appointment.
- Evaluating threat and assessing risk to self and/or the community.
- Arranging for appropriate medical or mental health care.
- Maintaining contact and meeting with students to address needs.
- Fostering self-advocacy in the student to manage their academic, personal, and financial responsibilities; and/or
- Advocating for students individually and systemically.
Our CARE Team coordinates the proactive and follow-up case management services for students referred for personal, emotional, mental health, and/or academic concerns in a non-clinical setting. Our CARE Team coordinates care within the community as well as across campus resources such as the Student Health and Counseling Services, Office of Disability Services, Student Success Center, Office of Financial Aid, etc.
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit a report for any incident of the following:
Reports submitted online are viewed within 24 hours.
All reports are safeguarded to ensure the confidentiality of our students.
This system is not designed to address emergencies.
In case of emergency, call 911 or contact Security at 931-309-7502.
Suicide Prevention
The University of Tennessee Southern strives to maintain a safe campus community free from violence directed at oneself or others. We use our Suicide Prevention Plan, available below, to guide faculty and staff in responding to crises and students of concern.
- If you suspect a student is in imminent danger, [1] call 911, then [2] call Security (931-309-7502).
- If you believe a student needs immediate help but isn’t in imminent danger, call CARE on Call (931-309-1670) or Counseling (931-424-7338).
- If you believe a student is a concern but does not need immediate help, submit a CARE Alert.
ON CAMPUS SUPPORT NUMBERS
| Security | Call 931-309-7502 |
| CARE on Call | Call 931-309-1670 |
| Counseling Services, via Clinic | Call 931-424-7338 |
REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SUPPORT NUMBERS
| National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 |
| Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line | Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) or Text “TN” to 741-741 |
| Centerstone of Giles County | Call 931-363-5438 |
| Health Connect America | Call 931-347-0811 |
The Care Team
The purpose of Care Team is to assess student behavioral incidents and to coordinate and implement early intervention and formalized support strategies that prevent student behavior concerns, conflicts, and high risk situations from escalating to the level of a crisis or threat.
The Care Team was formed to assist students who may benefit from additional support as they strive to be successful at UT Southern. Members of the team include representatives from:
- Student Life & Student Affairs
- Clinic & Counseling Services
- Student Conduct
- Residential Life
- Safety & Security
- Athletics
You are not alone.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.