Student Support and Case Managment FAQs

Student Support and Case Management (SSCM) suggests you try to contact the student first. If you have contacted the student and haven’t received a reply, and there are additional concerns (they have mentioned recent mental or physical health concerns, they were previously engaged in class and suddenly stopped showing up/turning in work, etc.) please fill out a Student Care Referral and a case manager will attempt to contact them.  

SSCM only sends out faculty notifications to instructors when extreme or unexpected circumstances exist (the student is in the hospital, the student has experienced a significant loss, or the student does not feel comfortable disclosing their circumstance to their professor due to its nature). SSCM will never ask for verification from a medical professional regarding a student’s health.  

If you have further questions, please refer to the University’s excused absence policy.  

Referrals sent during business hours (Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM) are addressed the same day. If the referrals fall outside of these hours, they will be addressed the following business day or when SSCM staff is back in the office. Referred students will be assigned a case manager who will attempt to reach out to the student and offer support.  

Please note that SSCM is not an emergency service and should not be treated as one. If you believe there is imminent danger of the student harming themselves or others, call 911. Once the call has been completed and risk has been addressed, please consider submitting Student Care Referral.  

If you believe there is imminent danger of the student harming themselves or others, call 911. 

Listed below are examples of when you should refer a student to SSCM: 

• The student is experiencing distress, be it academic, financial, or personal 

• The student is returning to KU after an absence or a difficult life circumstance and needs assistance transitioning back to campus 

• The student is experiencing a significant mental or physical health issue and needs guidance on how and where to get help 

• The student needs help finding and navigating resources at KU and in the community 

• The student has been the victim of an assault or crime and needs assistance navigating legal and other resources 

If you are unsure when to submit a referral, you can call our office at 785-864-7022. We can provide advice with or without knowing the student’s information.  

• Ask the student directly if they are experiencing thoughts or suicide or wanting to die 

• If the answer is yes, encourage them to walk to CAPS for an urgent appointment at no cost. You can also call CAPS for assistance.  

• If you believe the student is at imminent risk or CAPS is not accessible, do not leave the student alone and call the KU Police Department, as they can have an office conduct a mental health assessment and determine if the student needs transported to the hospital.  

• If you are no physically present with the student, you can call KUPD or 911 to request a well check 

• Follow up with a Care Referral to help ensure the student receives ongoing support from SSCM.  

• Remember, the student is disclosing this to you because they trust you. Remain calm and compassionate and provide them with the information needed for them to seek help.  

We encourage anyone who submits a referral to let the student know they are doing so. If a student is disclosing personal information to you, it is because they trust you. Sharing with them that you are submitting a referral builds on that trust you have already built. It also increases the chances that a student responds to our outreach and ensures they are not caught off guard by our correspondence.  

If you believe there would be a safety concern for yourself or others by telling a student you are submitting a referral, please do not share this information with the student. We still encourage you to submit a referral. While we do not share referral source information unless asked, students can sometimes determine who may have submitted the referral based on the information provided. There is an option on the Care Referral to submit it anonymously.   

While your faculty are the only members who can grant you an excused absence, there is an excused absence policy that may apply to your situation. We also encourage you to check each faculty member's syllabus for their absence policy.  

Per the excused absence policy, f you are unable to contact your faculty due to extreme or unexpected circumstances (you are in the hospital, you have experienced a significant loss, etc.) please submit a Student Care Referral on your own behalf, or call 785-864-7022 or email studentsupport@ku.edu,  and a member of our team will contact your faculty for you. If you can send emails to faculty yourself, we encourage you to do so.   

If you are not already connected to mental health services, we suggest you connect with our on campus mental health resource. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is open Monday-Friday from 8 AM- 5:00 PM. They can be reached at 785-864-2277 or by visiting their website.  

We encourage you to discuss the impact of your mental health on your academics with your provider. Some mental health diagnoses are eligible for academic accommodations through the Student Access Center.  

We also encourage you to discuss your current mental health concerns with your faculty if you are comfortable doing so. Often, faculty will work with students who are facing personal challenges to complete their course.  

Options for withdrawal are dependent on the academic calendar. We know this can be a difficult decision to make and we encourage you to visit the University Registrar’s website regarding withdrawals, as well as connect with your academic advisor. If you had unexpected circumstances that led you to withdrawal, please check out the University Registrar’s website to see if you are eligible for tuition reimbursement.  

No, you are not in trouble. SSCM reaches out to students when we hear they might be facing some challenges. Our case managers want to connect with you and help you navigate the resources available to you at KU and in the community. Meetings with SSCM are optional, however, we suggest you still meet with a case manager to discuss what resources are available to you even if you are unsure of what may be helpful to you.  

Yes, we encourage anyone who has a concern about a student or themselves to reach out to SSCM at 785-864-7022 or submit a Student Care Referral.  

The Emergency Grant application is for any student facing unforeseen expenses or hardships. Funds are limited and usually offered for $500 or less. Please visit the Emergency Grant applications at https://help.ku.edu/emergency-funds to apply.  

If the Emergency Grant application is not open, please reach out to SSCM at 785-864-7022 or studentsupport@ku.edu to see what other aid options may be available.  

• On campus students: Please contact KU Student Housing at 785-864-4560 to see if someone can check on the resident. If you are concerned about imminent harm to your student or others, please contact the KU Police Department at 785-864-5900.  

• Off campus students: If you are concerned about imminent harm to your students or others, please call 911. If you are not concerned about their imminent safety, please submit a Student Care Referral  and we will attempt to connect with your student.

• Please contact the SSCM office by submitting a Care Referral through the link above or by calling 785-864-7022 or emailing studentsupport@ku.edu  

The Campus Cupboard is a free food pantry that is open to all KU students, faculty, staff, and affiliates.  

The Campus Cupboard is open from 9 AM- 5 PM Monday-Friday. Anyone in need can use it twice a week.