Student Wellbeing Interventions
Students who engage in conduct that endangers the health and safety of themselves or others, or who otherwise are unable to function as a student may, among other things, be expected to participate and make satisfactory progress in a program of medical/mental health evaluation and/or treatment as a condition of continued enrollment.
The Student Care Network endeavors to assist students who are at risk for harming themselves and/or others. However, the University, in its discretion, may require the immediate withdrawal of a student when, following an individualized assessment, the University determines the student poses a direct threat to themselves or others or who otherwise is unable to function as a student. Students who withdraw—voluntarily or involuntarily—under these circumstances, will be able to reenroll following a finding by the University that the condition(s) for reenrollment have been met.
The University maintains two primary means of institutional review for assessment and implementation of this intervention process: the CARE Team and the Welfare Panel.
Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation (CARE) Team
The Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation (CARE) Team is a multidisciplinary team of campus professionals (faculty and staff) dedicated to a proactive and collaborative approach for the prevention, identification, assessment, and management of challenges impacting students’ academic and personal success. The purpose of the CARE Team is to facilitate purposeful information sharing regarding students of concern and where a thorough or extensive collaborative support strategy may be needed. Students are discussed in CARE Team meetings with the intent of creating appropriate and individualized support plans for each student. The CARE Team meets regularly during the academic year. More information about assisting students of concern and submitting a student of concern report can be found SCC webpage.
Welfare Panel Overview
A Welfare Panel will be convened by the Vice Provost and Dean of Students or designee (Dean), when the Dean, through an individualized assessment, determines that a student (1) is a danger to the health and safety of themselves and/or others or (2) is otherwise unable to function as a student and (3) the inclusion of treatment recommendations or evaluations may be beneficial to stop the concern and prevent its reoccurrence in addition to outlining behavioral expectations or actions. The University may place a student on an Interim Restriction(s) effective until the Welfare Panel has made a final recommendation on the Intervention Plan or determined reasons for imposing the Interim Restriction(s) no longer exist. Interim restrictions stemming from the Welfare Panel typically are for concerns about threat to others; students placed on an interim restriction for concerns regarding threat to others may, at a minimum, be required to meet with a Vanderbilt University Police as well as complete a threat assessment with Student Care Network prior to returning to campus. Threats that a reasonable person would conclude could lead to the serious bodily injury or the death of two (2) or more persons; will be reported to the police department with appropriate jurisdiction in accordance with TCA 39-16-517.
A Welfare Panel is comprised of individuals who would provide information necessary for an individualized assessment of the situation and the student. The composition of the Welfare Panel in any individual case is set by the Dean and is confidential, though individuals may choose to disclose their participation to a student. The Welfare Panel may consult with others not included in the initial composition of the Welfare Panel while conducting its individualized assessment.
Determination
After a Welfare Panel has been convened, the Welfare Panel may make additional requests for information, which can include, but are not limited to, requesting the student be assessed by the University Counseling Center or another health provider. Using well-reasoned judgment and taking into account the individual circumstances, the Welfare Panel will recommend to the Dean an individualized assessment and plan (Intervention Plan) that addresses whether a student (1) may remain enrolled without conditions, (2) may remain enrolled with conditions that are to be described in writing, or (3) should or must take a leave.
In making a recommendation about the contents of an Intervention Plan, the Welfare Panel will consider available relevant information. When appropriate, the student may be asked to sign a health records release to authorize direct communication between and among the Welfare Panel and the student’s healthcare provider(s). If a student declines to provide requested information and/or authorizations, the Welfare Panel will make their determination after considering the available relevant information.
The Dean will make a final decision about conditions of enrollment after hearing, considering, and weighing the information provided by the Welfare Panel.
Notice of and Response to Intervention Plan
The Dean will provide prompt notice to the student in writing and may attempt to meet with the student to outline the conditions of enrollment as informed by the Welfare Panel. A student may, but is not required to, bring an adviser who is a current faculty, staff, or student at Vanderbilt. If a student is currently hospitalized, treating clinicians and social workers at the hospital may also be asked to participate by the Dean. Finally, parents may be informed of the intervention plan in connection with a signed release of information from the student or other grounds that satisfy an exception to the requirement for a signed release under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
If the student agrees to the Intervention Plan, the process is deemed concluded and SCC will monitor compliance. If the student does not comply with conditions of enrollment, the process may be reopened.
If the student disagrees with the Intervention Plan, the student will have three (3) business days to propose an alternative plan, which should be supported and endorsed by a licensed medical professional unaffiliated with Vanderbilt University in order to carry the most weight (Note: Vanderbilt University Medical Center providers will be considered unaffiliated for purposes of this policy but should not be faculty within the School of Medicine who currently have or have had a role in evaluating the student’s academic assessment or promotion). The student may request an extension in writing within the three-day window for good cause, which the Dean will review to determine if the extension is appropriate.
If the student submits an alternative plan, the Welfare Panel will weigh the additional information before finalizing its Intervention Plan recommendation to the Dean. Greater weight will be given to an alternative plan supported and endorsed by a licensed medical professional unaffiliated with Vanderbilt University (as defined above) with an understanding of the student’s collateral information so as to provide an individualized assessment. If no alternative plan is submitted, the original Intervention Plan will be considered agreeable, the process is deemed concluded, and SCC will monitor compliance. The Dean has final discretion on the Intervention Plan as informed by the Welfare Panel and may, in the Dean's discretion, reject any and all portions of an alternative plan supported and endorsed by a licensed medical professional unaffiliated with Vanderbilt University.
Medical Leaves of Absence as Part of Intervention Plan
If a medical leave of absence (MLOA) is indicated by the Intervention Plan, the student will typically be given the opportunity to take the leave voluntarily. If the student declines to take a voluntary leave, the Dean, in Dean's discretion as informed by the recommendations of the Welfare Panel, has the authority to place the student on an immediate mandatory leave. When a student takes a voluntary or mandatory MLOA under this policy, the Welfare Panel will recommend any conditions for reinstatement on an individualized basis and the Dean will communicate this information to the student in writing in addition to requiring the student to complete the MLOA return process outlined in this section.
If a student begins a voluntary or mandatory MLOA after an academic semester has begun, the student’s registration will be canceled. The student’s tuition will be refunded as provided in the Tuition Refund Schedule. A student on voluntary or mandatory leave may register for classes for the semester they anticipate they will return to; however, registration may be cancelled if return from leave is not approved. MLOAs are approved by the Welfare Panel through Student Care Coordination. A student’s transcript does not denote a leave of any type (voluntary or mandatory).