Student Support & Complex Case Management

Student Support Case Managers provide outreach, information, referrals, and support to students who are identified as being at-risk or are experiencing complex or multifaceted concerns that are having a significant impact on their personal and/or academic life goals. A Case Manager can work with students to explore options and develop an action plan for navigating and connecting with resources on-campus or in the community that may be helpful in their situation.

When to refer?

Faculty, staff, and community partners can complete a referral if a student is:

  • Experiencing a sudden change in circumstance that is significantly impacting their academic, personal, or financial situation
  • Transitioning to/from campus due to medical leave and/or hospitalization
  • In distress and in need of early intervention support to become connected to appropriate services on-campus or in the community
  • Struggling or overwhelmed and experiencing barriers toward accessing other services
  • Demonstrating concerning behaviour that does not fall under the Code of Student Conduct

Click here if you need help with:

How to refer?

Faculty, staff and community partners can reach out to consult on a situation or refer a student by completing a Referral Form to case management:

What will a Case Manager do?

Once a referral is received, a Case Manager will review the information and reach out directly to the student within 1-2 business days. This outreach will include information and referrals to services on-campus and in the community that are relevant to the identified concern.

In situations that are assessed to require a more coordinated or elevated approach, this outreach may include an invitation for the student to meet with a Case Manager to discuss their concerns further. In this meeting, the Case manager will support the student to identify attainable goals, and collaboratively develop a plan for next steps. In many situations, this one meeting will be enough, but in other situations, there may be follow-up meetings required to continue working through the steps of the support plan.

When a concern is assessed to include a level of risk to the student, someone else, or the campus community, the Case Manager may refer the situation directly to Western’s Behaviour Consultation Team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is case management different than counselling/therapy?

Counselling uses therapeutic interventions to support an individual, while case management focuses on exploring options, identifying resources, and navigating systems and policies.

For example, if a student experiences a fire in their off-campus house then a Counsellor may assist them in processing and managing their emotions related to the incident while a Case Manager may assist them in finding emergency housing, exploring resources to ensure their basic needs are met (ex. food, clothing, etc), and accessing academic consideration. 

Can a student reach out to a Student Support Case Manager directly to request support?

At this time, referrals to Student Support Case Managers can only be made by faculty, staff, and community partners. If you are a student looking for support, please look here for more information about the many supports and services available to you.

Someone else referred me to the Student Support Case Management Team. What will happen next?

A Student Support Case Manager will review the information provided and then reach out to the student directly within 1-2 business days to offer support. This may include sending information about relevant resources or offering to schedule a meeting to learn more about the situation. Except for situations in which there is a safety risk, it is the student's choice whether to accept this support and follow-up with a Case Manager.

What happens when I meet with a Case Manager?

During an initial meeting with a Case Manager, a student will be asked to share what their current concerns are, what other services they are already connected to, and find out more about what their goals for case management may be. The Case Manager will then provide some information about potential options or resources so that the student can begin developing a collaborative plan for next steps.

In some situations, this initial meeting may be enough to provide a student with the information they need to move forward on their own but in other situations, there may be follow-up planned via phone, email, or further meetings.

Who has access to the information shared with the Student Support Case Manager?

Student’s privacy is important. Information is restricted to the Case Managers involved in supporting the student. In situations that require an elevated response, the Behaviour Consultation Team may be provided with information that allows them to evaluate risk and develop an appropriate response.

Information shared with Case Managers will not become part of the student's academic record.

I'm not sure if a referral is appropriate. Can I consult with a Case Manager first?

Yes, you can fill out the Referral and Intake Form and in the section asking if the student is aware that a request for support is being made, select “No” and a Case Manager will reach out to you directly first to discuss the situation further.

What happens when I refer a student?

Once you submit the Referral and Intake Form, you will receive an email confirmation that the referral has been received. A Case Manager will review the referral information and reach out to the student directly within 1-2 business days.

To protect the student’s privacy, information cannot be shared about whether they have followed-up with a Case Manager. If you have an ongoing relationship with the student, you can check-in with them to ask if they have been able to connect with a Case Manager.

If you continue to have concerns about the student, you can submit another referral or contact Student Support & Case Management at student.case.manager@uwo.ca.