Help available to support students in crisis

Yana McGuire

Staff Writer 

After the tragic mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007, campuses nationwide began to implement safety measures by assembling behavior intervention teams to survey danger levels. Leadership from multiple WCC disciplinary departments decided that not only would they put together a team that would protect the campus, but the team would also make sure that students could receive help ranging from mental health issues to home instability. 

Public safety, student affairs, and counseling department faculty members formed the WCC CARE team. They meet bi-weekly to discuss and follow up on all reported concerns. 

According to Linda Blakey, provost chief operating officer, there are two ways to report a concern. The first is a concern form that anybody can fill out. Concerns do not have to be connected to the Ann Arbor community and may be reported anonymously. 

The CARE team form, however, asks more specific questions and cannot be filled out anonymously. A request not to share the reporter’s name when reaching out to the person in need can be made. 

“We have students’ self-reports,” Blakely says. “Students can use either form to self-report.”

It generally takes a day to receive a response. Understanding that each case is different, the team carefully plans out a course of action that will produce positive results for all involved. 

“I have been here for two and a half years. Mental health has been a fair concern. Unfortunately, I expect that to continue for a while,” John Leacher, chief of public safety, states. “We make sure everybody is aware that we are here to help you. There are a ton of resources available. We do not want a student to spiral and do something that requires us to get more involved in an enforcement capacity.” 

Chief Leacher encourages people to report sooner rather than later, regardless of their fear of losing a friend or getting the law involved. 

“Is it worth losing a friend to save their lives?” He asks. “We arrested one person in two and a half years. That is an absolute last resort. We want you all to get the education that you deserve, and we want to make sure you do it in a safe and secure environment. That is our mission.”

Visit https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/personal/wcc-care-team/ for more information about CARE. 

Editor’s note: The headline of this story has been updated.

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