When a Colorado State University student is faced with a crisis, Student Case Management utilizes campus resources to help the student through it.

“We don’t define the crisis for the student,” said Student Case Management Assistant Director Jennie Baran. “If they feel like they are in crisis … we are here to help them mitigate the impact of that crisis, and to get them back to their studies as quickly as possible. Sometimes when you’re in the midst of a crisis, you don’t always think about the resources that are available to you.”

Although Student Case Management does not attempt to categorize what may be considered a crisis, examples of issues the office handles include medical emergencies, chronic health conditions, mental health concerns and substance abuse, according to its website.

A student will meet with a case manager to determine which resources may be helpful, and then the student will report back.

“Initially we would look for internal resources that would match the student’s needs, but if there’s a reason why they would prefer to use an outside community provider, or that’s more convenient or cost-effective, then we can refer to community resources as well,” Baran said.

The goal is ultimately for the student to better understand the resources available, so that he or she may handle future crisis without the help of Student Case Management.

“What works really well for one situation, one student, might not be a great fit in another case,” Baran said. “(For example) if a student were really struggling academically, we might refer them to the TILT tutoring resources, and that might work really well for them. Another student who maybe struggles with ADHD or some other kind of learning disability might not thrive in that environment, and may do better in a one-on-one kind of tutoring environment.”

Unlike the CSU Counseling Center, Student Case Management does have the ability to respond to concerns from outside sources or approach a student who is likely experiencing crisis.

“We’re a little bit more on a proactive basis here in that we can do that outreach, even though the student may not have requested it,” Baran said. “We’ll get daily reports from the police department, we’ll get reports from housing, other students are sometimes calling in—there’s a Tell Someone line … sometimes students are seeking us out, and frequently, we are reaching out to that student population and offering support.”

The Student Case Management office is located in E 203 Newsom Hall. To discuss concerns about someone at CSU, call (970) 491-1350. However if someone appears to be in immediate danger of harming themselves or someone else, call the CSU Police Department at (970) 491-6425.

Collegian Reporter Ellie Mulder can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @lemarie.

Number of students served by Student Case Management per year

FY 08: 176 students served
FY 09: 330 students served
FY 10: 808 students served
FY 11: 745 students served
FY 12: 1391 students served
FY 13: 1615 students served