Case Management

 

The Office of Case Management helps students navigate on and off campus resources and support. The Case Manager’s role is to provide support to students who may be having a difficult time for one reason or another – with the goal of assessing their needs and linking them with supports that will help them be a successful Lafayette student and adult in our greater community.

Case Management supports students as they develop mentally, physically and socially at Lafayette College.

Staff accomplish this by:

• Assisting and empowering students to access resources both on and off campus;
• Performing outreach to increase student awareness of resources both on and off campus;
• Consulting as appropriate with students, parents, faculty, staff, and other partners;
• Helping students identify and build a support network to meet their individual needs;
• Valuing and validating the experiences and voices of marginalized students; and
• Recognizing student well-being and mental health are affected by the intersectional identities they hold.

We help students identify barriers to resources and help them secure services or resources that will further enhance their experience at Lafayette.  Examples of this include referrals to outside providers to address physical and mental health needs, food and housing insecurity, navigating on campus resources, and connecting with resources that may not be available on campus.

Students can self-refer to the Office of Case Management, or sometimes another community member will refer a student to the office. Other times, students are connected to the office through OnePard.  To that end, the Case Manager may:

• reach out to students via email, text or phone call to offer an appointment;
• evaluate and assess risk to self and/or the community;
• help arrange for appropriate medical or mental health care;
• maintain contact and meet with students to address needs;
• foster self-advocacy in students to manage their academic, personal, and financial responsibilities; and/or
• advocate for students individually and systemically.

The Office of Case Management is non-punitive; you are not ‘in trouble’ if the case manager reaches out to you; the service and support is in place to help students who may be having a difficult time for any number of reasons.

A word on OnePard…
OnePard is Lafayette’s way of identifying students who may be struggling or in need of extra support. OnePard is designed to help students help their fellow students; it is not an emergency response system and it is not used to “report” students in order to get someone in trouble.  We encourage students to look out for and support their fellow students; however, there are times that looping in college administrators may be needed, especially if your attempts to help a friend have started to negatively impact you, or you no longer feel able or prepared to continue to support your friend.  For more information on ways to support a friend during a difficult time, you can click here to read a guide on helping a friend. 

Have you recently submitted a OnePard?  If so – click on this link to learn about the process that happens one you submit your concern. 

 

How to find us…

Case Management is located in Feather House (17 Cattell Street).  You can reach the Case Manager, Bridget Gunn by calling (610) 330-3572 or by emailing gunnb@lafayette.edu