About the CARE team
Guttman Community College is committed to providing a safe environment for the community. The College’s CARE team was established to identify, assess, and monitor students displaying levels of distress, disruption, or concerning behaviors that might warrant timely intervention. The team’s primary goal is to provide threat assessments, early intervention, and support before a crisis arises.
Behaviors to refer to CARE include, but are not limited to, unusual or bizarre behavior, passive expression of aggressive thoughts, psychological or behavioral concerns, physical/sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, stalking, disruptiveness, behavior that may be dangerous to oneself or others, or other behaviors that raise concern.
The Guttman CARE team meets monthly and as needed. During meetings, the CARE team discusses how to best support students of concern and together create an action plan to ensure that the student is well connected to resources and the necessary personnel.
CARE Mission & Goals
The Stella and Charles Guttman Community College CARE team is a collaborative group of professional staff members that do the following:
Coordinate systematic responses to disruptive students’ behavior in order to prevent threat/crisis before it occurs
- Support student success with a caring and preventable approach by recognizing threatening behaviors
- Enhance the physical and emotional safety of students, faculty, staff, and others to support the teaching-learning environment
- Utilize the online Referral Form for faculty and staff to report suspected cases/students of concern
- Disseminate informational materials focused on identification and prevention of disruptive behavior
- Assess the information about each case in a systematic way to determine the most effective response for that particular person and situation
- Define the plan/response in a way that deescalates a potential crisis, reduces or removes threats, and attends to the needs of the individual who is demonstrating the concerning behavior
- Serve as an advisory panel to college officials in coordinating action plans and/or making recommendations for students of concern
- Monitor the disposition of the case to gauge whether any additional follow-up is needed, whether the response was effective, and what lessons may be learned for future cases, especially in terms of implications for school policies and procedures
- Meet monthly and as necessary for high risks cases
CARE Team Members
Tier 1:
Courtney Stevenson, Interim Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
(646) 313-8165
Courtney.Stevenson@guttman.cuny.edu
Rufus Massiah, Director Public Safety
Rufus.Massiah@guttman.cuny.edu
Jennifer Cultrara, Case Manager
(646) 313-8866
Jennifer.cultrara@guttman.cuny.edu
Andrew Bennett, Director of Student Life
Andrew.Bennett@guttman.cuny.edu
(646) 313-8163
Vacant
*Director of Student Counseling and Wellness Services
Vacant
Conduct Officer
Tier 2:
Crystal Vazquez, Director of AccessABILITY
(646) 313-8833
Crystal.vazquez@guttman.cuny.edu
Marcia Edwards, Clinical Professor Human Services
(646) 313-8035
Marcia.edwards@guttman.cuny.edu
Vacant
Legal Counsel
Vacant
Chief of Staff
*The Counseling and Wellness Services representative serves as a consultant for CARE and not as an official member due to the potential for dual relationships and conflict of interest.
A CARE Referral Form can be completed by submitting the CARE online form. For any questions regarding a CARE referral, please email GuttmanCARE@guttman.cuny.edu.
If you, or anyone else, from the campus community observes a situation that needs immediate intervention, please contact Public Safety immediately at 212-221-4630 or extension 3-8102. If you are not on campus, please call 911. Situations that warrant immediate intervention include violence, or someone who is an imminent threat to themselves or others.
A CARE Referral Form should be submitted AFTER emergency personnel have been contacted. You can submit the CARE Referral here.
