Referring a Student

If you’re concerned about a student and unsure what to do, it’s always ok to contact us directly or submit a Care Report.

Some common reasons you might refer a student include if they are:

• Suddenly missing class or activities for an extended period after regular attendance.
• Engaging in behavior that seems unusual, upsetting, disruptive, or erratic.
• Sharing recent significant injury, hospitalization, or other medical emergencies.
• Making verbal or written threats to you or other community members.
• Sharing or alluding to thoughts of harming themselves or ending their life.
• Expressing troubling themes in coursework that cause worry about their safety or the safety of others.

You can also read through the UC Berkeley Gold Folder: Faculty/Staff Reference to Assist Students in Distress for detailed information on recognizing distress, taking action, and additional resources.

Students who are seeking support can also submit a self-referral to our office via a Care Report, too.

Please note that our office is separate from the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and the Center for Student Conduct.

While our response to referrals is tailored to students’ unique challenges or concerns, here is an overview of what happens after we receive a Care Report.

Referral and Review

Anyone can refer a student to our office by submitting a Care Report. You are also welcome to email or call if you have specific concerns and/or are unsure how to proceed. When a Care Report is received by our office, it is usually reviewed the same day, typically within a few hours during CSI’s business hours. Our team will do an initial review of the information to screen for and prioritize urgent concerns, and then assign a Case Manager to the referral. Once a Case Manager is assigned, they will review the information again and begin taking steps to learn more about the student’s circumstances, strategize next steps, and connect to provide assistance.

Connect

Case Managers connect with students through direct outreach - typically by e-mail, though we might reach out via phone in certain circumstances. In these outreaches, we introduce ourselves, explain why we are reaching out, and express support for the student given the information we have. These messages also typically include information about appropriate support resources on campus, as well as an invitation to meet with us to discuss what the student is experiencing and navigate next steps together.

In addition to connecting with the student, we also contact the person who submitted the report. We try to follow up with anyone who submits a referral within 3 business days. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other student privacy regulations guide how much we can communicate with others about student records, depending on their relationship to the University. If you’re a student, family member, or other community member not employed by the University, we may be limited in what we can share. For more information, please refer to the sections below.

To streamline our support of students and the campus community, we also connect with and consult other campus partners and departments regarding student concerns. One way we do this is through the Support, Outreach, and Coordination Committee (SOCC). You can find more information about this committee in the last part of this section.

Support

When a Case Manager is able to connect and meet with a student, they work together to address the challenges and concerns the student is experiencing. Case Managers seek to understand each students’ perspective and prioritize their goals, safety, and wellbeing in exploring support resources and potential next steps. For more detailed information on what this looks like, please visit our I’m Seeking Support page.

Our support also extends to our community members, too; Case Managers are available to provide consultation to community members who are worried about a student, helping referrers to assess safety and threat, identify next steps, and connect with resources relevant to their concern. Case Managers may also reach out to other impacted parties to provide assistance.

Support, Outreach, and Coordination Committee (SOCC)

SOCC brings together various campus departments to communicate important information, coordinate response and resources to best support students, and consult about potential next steps in individual cases. While all referrals to CSI receive team consultation and review, select referrals are also brought to this committee when cross-campus coordination is necessary or beneficial. The members of this group follow Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requirements to ensure student privacy and any student information that is shared is protected according to educational privacy laws.

SOCC Team Members

• Basic Needs Center 
• Berkeley International Office
• Center for Student Conduct
• Center for Support and Intervention (Chair)
• College of Letters and Science
• Counseling and Psychological Services
• Disabled Students’ Program
• Financial Aid & Scholarships
• Graduate Division
• Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination 
• PATH to Care Center
• Residential Life
• UC Police Department: Threat Management Unit

The SOCC also consults with other advisors, faculty, and staff as necessary.

Contacting CSI Case Management Support

UC Berkeley staff, faculty, and GSIs can refer a student to CSI by submitting a Care Report through our secure online form here. We aim to follow up with reporting parties within 3 business days of the report being received and reviewed. We may also contact reporting parties for more information, share our next steps, or coordinate action if needed.

If you have questions about submitting a report or would like to talk with someone about a concern you have, please email us at csi@berkeley.edu or call 510-664-4218.

Other Support Resources

You can find more support information on our Campus and Community Resources page, including the UC Berkeley Gold Folder: Faculty/Staff Reference to Assist Students in Distress.

Please Note

Our office is separate from the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination. As a Responsible Employee, you may be required to share certain kinds of information with OPHD in addition to or instead of our office.

Common Questions

Q: Is what I submit confidential?
A: Care Reports are private, but not confidential. A Care Report is considered an official student record; therefore, students have the right to request a Records Release from our office. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, we do not broadly share this information; instead, we coordinate with other campus offices and share the information in this report on an as-needed basis.

Q: Will the student be told that I submitted a referral for them?
A: Typically, we do not focus on who submitted a referral and focus instead on the concern itself. However, a student does have the right to know who submitted a referral if that person is a university employee, and a Records Release would also show that information. Whenever possible, we encourage you to inform the student that you are referring them to our office and to encourage them to respond to our outreach. If there are concerns about your identity being known to a student, please contact our office.

Q: Will I receive updates after submitting a referral?
A: Yes, you will receive a response from a Case Manager within 72 hours with initial updates and questions. Depending on the concern, we may not follow up on all updates related to the referral as we continue to work with the student. However, you are always welcome to contact us with follow-up questions.

Q: How do student privacy rights influence making a referral?
A: All Case Managers adhere to the privacy guidelines outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We also do not share student information with other students.

Q: Could a referral to CSI cause harm to a student or get them in trouble?
A: Our goal is to offer someone who needs support an opportunity to connect with us and explore their options. While we are required to report concerns regarding sexual harassment and sexual violence, or possible child or elder abuse, we are not involved in university adjudication processes. It’s their choice whether they want to meet with a Case Manager, and we are sensitive to any possible concerns related to our contact before reaching out. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office, and we will be happy to consult with you.

Contacting CSI Case Management Support

Peer support is one of the most important and effective resources for students managing difficult life circumstances - thank you for showing support to your fellow Bears! 

If you’re concerned about another student at Berkeley and not sure where to start, we welcome you to contact CSI for Case Management support. Although we won’t be able to share specific student information with you directly, we’re here to support you and any student you refer to us, and sharing your concern with us is a valuable part of creating a community of care.

To share a concern about a student, please submit a Care Report through our secure online form here. If you have questions and would like to talk to a Case Manager, please email us at csi@berkeley.edu or call 510-664-4218.

Other Support Resources

It can also be really helpful to share information about supportive campus resources with peers. For comprehensive information about campus resources, you can always check out Supportal - a resource hub designed to help UC Berkeley community members find support. We also have campus resource information on our Campus and Community Resources page.

Please also refer to the CAPS Support Guide for Students Helping a Distressed Friend.

Common Questions

Q: Could a referral to CSI cause harm to a student or get them in trouble?
A: Our goal is to offer someone who needs support an opportunity to connect with us and explore their options. While we are required to report concerns regarding sexual harassment and sexual violence, or possible child or elder abuse, we are not involved in university adjudication processes. It’s their choice whether they want to meet with a Case Manager, and we are sensitive to any possible concerns related to our contact before reaching out. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office, and we will be happy to consult with you.

Q: Will CSI tell a student who submitted a referral for them? Can I make a confidential referral?
A: If you are a UC Berkeley student submitting a referral for another student, we cannot disclose your information because your student record is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, a student can submit a Records Release request from our office and see the content of the Care Report submitted about them (your information would be redacted).

Q: Will I receive updates after submitting a referral?
A: We're not able to share updates about another student’s record because all students are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We understand that this can be challenging when you are concerned about someone you care about, and we can provide you with information on how our office typically addresses the type of concern(s) you shared, as well as relevant resources for you or that person on campus. You are also welcome to share updates with us so that we can support this person as best as possible.

Q: Can I get help, too?
A: Yes, we are happy to help. You are welcome to submit a Care Report for yourself or email our office to request to speak with a Case Manager. We also provide resource information for students impacted by or supporting people they care about.

Contacting CSI Case Management Support

Families and community members outside of UC Berkeley can be important parts of a student’s support network during their time in college or graduate school. You are welcome to share concerns about students with CSI, and Case Managers are able to answer general questions about support resources and processes at the university. In accordance with FERPA federal law, Case Managers are required to maintain privacy around student records, and therefore we are generally unable to share information with parents and families about a specific student.

To share a concern about a student, please submit a Care Report through our secure online form here. If you have questions and would like to talk to a Case Manager, please email us at csi@berkeley.edu or call 510-664-4218.

Other Support Resources

It can also be really helpful to share supportive campus resources with students. For comprehensive information about campus resources, you can always check out Supportal - a resource hub designed to help UC Berkeley community members find support. We also have campus resource information on our Campus and Community Resources page.

We also recommend Cal Parents and Families’ Resource Guide for Cal Parents and Families and University Health Services’ Parents & Community Guide.

Common Questions

Q: Why would a student receive outreach from CSI?
A: Someone in our community (including you!)  who cares about this person, let us know if they might be in need of support.

Q: Will CSI tell a student if I share information/refer them?
A: Typically, we do not focus on who submitted a referral and focus instead on the concern itself. However, a student does have the right to know who submitted a referral if that person is an employee, family member, or other non-student community member. Students can also request that Records Release show that information because Care Reports are student records. Whenever possible, we encourage you to inform the student that you are referring them to our office and to encourage them to respond to our outreach. If there are concerns about your identity being known to a student, please contact our office.

Q: Can I work with a Case Manager to help? Will I receive updates?
A: All university employees, including Case Managers, are legally required to adhere to the guidance of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which prohibits information sharing about a student’s record (including contact with our office, services accessed, etc). We understand that this can be challenging when you are concerned about someone you care about, and we can provide you with information on how our office typically addresses the type of concern(s) you shared, as well as other relevant resources on campus. You are also welcome to share updates with us so that we can support this person as best as possible.

Q: Could a referral to CSI cause harm to a student or get them in trouble?
A: Our goal is to offer someone who needs support an opportunity to connect with us and explore their options. While we are required to report concerns regarding sexual harassment and sexual violence, or possible child or elder abuse, we are not involved in university adjudication processes. It’s their choice whether they want to meet with a Case Manager, and we are sensitive to any possible concerns related to our contact before reaching out. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office, and we will be happy to consult with you.