Guide for Students

Case Managers in CSI provide support to students on a wide range of issues, and can be a helpful resource for understanding the support resources that are available at the university. We often reach out to students when we receive a referral of concern from someone within our campus community.

I need help / I am concerned about myself

Case Managers are glad to work with students in need of support. If you need help and it is not an emergency, please contact us at csi@berkeley.edu or Submit a Care Report and a Case Manager will connect with you as soon as possible. Our office is open during business hours 9am-5pm, and is closed on the weekends and during university holidays and closures.

If you need urgent help related to managing your mental health, you can contact a counselor in the Tang Center at any time - during business hours, call 510-642-9494. After business hours and on the weekend, call 855-817-5667.

If you need urgent help related to an incident involving sexual violence or sexual harassment, you can contact a Confidential Advocate at the PATH to Care Center at 510-643-2005

You are also welcome to review Campus and Community Resources listed on our website.

I received a letter from a Case Manager

When you receive a letter from a Case Manager, this means that we received information suggesting that you might benefit from a supportive conversation and connection with additional support. Our goal is to meet with you, hear about what you have been experiencing, and try to connect you with the right resources to help manage your needs.

Case Managers in CSI are not part of the Center for Student Conduct or Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD), and are not meeting with you as part of a formal investigation. Meeting with a Case Manager is intended to be a non-punitive measure to help support you through whatever you may be going through. We encourage you to contact us to schedule a time to meet.

I am concerned about another student

Peer support is one of the most important and effective resources for students managing distress or difficult life circumstances. If you are concerned about a UC Berkeley student, you are also welcome to share your concern with a Case Manager in CSI. Although CSI is not able to disclose information about students or share information about actions that we might take, your insights about another student can be incredibly helpful to us in creating a community of care.

Please consider offering support resources and encouraging students to contact campus resources. One resource that students commonly use is Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at the Tang Center - students can stop by the Tang Center for drop-in counseling between 10am-5pm Monday through Friday. There is also a 24 hour phone number for counseling support - 855-817-5667.

Please also refer to the CAPS Support Guide for Students Helping a Distressed Friend

Guide for Staff, Faculty, and GSIs

UC Berkeley staff, faculty, and GSIs can refer a student to CSI by submitting a CARE Report through our secure online form here. Once a report is accepted and assessed, someone from our office may contact you to gather more information and/or share the coordinated plan of action if needed.

If you have questions about submitting a report, please email us at csi@berkeley.edu or call 510-664-4218. For more resources on how to help a distressed student, refer to the Campus & Community Resources Page.

Please also refer to the UC Berkeley Gold Folder: Faculty/Staff Reference to Assist Students in Distress for additional resources and support.

Guide for Parents and Families

Parents and families can be important parts of a student’s support network during their time in college or graduate school. Parents and families are welcome to share concerns about students with CSI, and Case Managers are able to answer general questions about support resources and processes at the university. However Case Managers are required to maintain privacy around student records, and therefore we are generally unable to share information with parents and families about a specific student.

To share a concern about a student, please Submit a Care Report.

Additional Resources

• Resource Guide for Cal Parents and Families (Cal Parents & Families Office)
• Parents & Community Guide to University Health Services (UHS Tang Center)
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Guidance for Parents (UHS Tang Center)

Privacy and Confidentiality

Information provided to the Center for Support and Intervention is protected according to educational privacy laws. This is different from the type of confidentiality a student would have when working with a mental health or medical professional, or with an attorney.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows University faculty and staff to share observations about the behavior of students, statements made by students, and concerns about students generally with UC staff and faculty who have responsibility for the welfare of students, and with law enforcement.

FERPA and other student privacy regulations generally allow the University to release such information to parents, police, or others whose knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals. Appropriate consideration for student privacy should be given before information is shared with people other than those suggested in this document, and questions about when such disclosure is appropriate can be answered by the campus Office of Legal Affairs.

Additional Resources and Options:

• Students may sign a FERPA waiver in cases where they would like for a Case Manager to be able to communicate information about their student record with an outside provider, such as an off-campus counselor, doctor, parent, or attorney.
• Students may also sign a Release of Information with the Tang Center when they would like greater coordination of care between the Tang Center and the Center for Support and Intervention.
• If you are seeking a confidential resource to consult about a mental health concern, you can contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) during business hours at 510-642-9494 (or after-hours at 855-817-5667).
• If you are seeking a confidential resource to consult about an incident involving sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can contact the PATH to Care Center at 510-643-2005.