New Mexico Junior College

New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) cares about our students' success, not only academically, but emotionally and physically. Because of our commitment, we provide many departments and services across campus that respond to our students' unique needs. But sometimes, students do not ask for help when they need it. In an effort to identify those students proactively, NMJC has created a network of professionals from across campus that are committed to a caring, confidential program of identification, intervention, and response in order to provide our students with the greatest chance of success and our community with the greatest level of protection.

NMJC believes it is important to foster an environment that encourages students to maintain a standard of responsibility for self-care which includes the ability to respond adequately to one's emotional, physical, and educational needs. Some students who are distressed engage in behaviors that compromise their own welfare, as well as the welfare of the university community.

The presence of demonstrated distress, disruptive or dangerous student behavior can be a predictor of future harm to self, others, and the larger NMJC community. While we acknowledge that no one can predict with any degree of confidence whether a student will eventually progress to acts that are harmful to themselves or others, there are behaviors indicative of higher risk. These behaviors may require further assessment by appropriate professionals to promote the safety of the student and the NMJC community.

What is the CARE Team?

The CARE (Concern, Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) Team is a collaborative interdisciplinary committee of College officials that meets regularly to discuss students exhibiting behaviors indicative of high risk. The committee may include other college departments or personnel who are deemed to have information pertinent to the student’s individual situation.

Any member of the college community who has reason to believe that a student may endanger the health, safety, or welfare of another person may report the concern by contacting the proper authority on campus like Campus Security or the Dean of Students.

CARE Representative by Department

Dean of Students – Chair	575-492-2575	Sarah Patterson
Student Counseling & Accessibility Services	575-492-2559	Kelly Rueda
Residence Life	575-492-4735	Eric Garcia
Student Activities & Intramurals	575-492-5366	Mari McCoy
Athletics	575-492-2740	Deron Clark
Campus Safety	575-492-2530	Dennis Kelley
Arts, Sciences & Learning Support	575-492-2841	Dr. Diane Marquez
Applied Sciences & Learning Technology	575-492-2643	Dr. Stephanie Ferguson
Workforce Training & Professional Studies	575-492-4711	Dr. Larchinee Turner

 

Referring a Student to the CARE Team

To refer a student to the CARE Team, please submit a referral through the Student Incident Reporting Form and include a brief narrative of their behavior. If you are concerned about a student but have not witnessed any distressing or disruptive behavior, please explain your concern in detail. After submitting a report, a NMJC staff member will reach out to the student within the next business day. A crisis or emergency involving a NMJC student should be reported to the Campus Safety & Security by calling 911 or 575- 492-2530.

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 a CARE Team chair. All the representatives will have the opportunity to investigate any other information available about the student through their appropriate discipline prior to the meeting. Be assured that the CARE Team exists to care for our students, and will handle your referral in a professional manner in an effort to best meet the needs of the UNT community and our students.

When should a report be made?

Referral Guide

Resources

Faculty and Staff Guide