Emergency Support Function 18: Student and Community Crisis Support
PURPOSE
ESF-18: Student and Community Crisis Support coordinates the provision crisis support services to individuals and university community when dealing with the personal effects and impacts of a crisis or incident.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
Coordinating Unit: Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students Office Administrator on Call for the Crisis Management Team has primary responsibility for coordinating small scale student and community crisis support services for the Cornell community. For large scale crisis support needs the Dean of Students Office will engage other units of the Division of Student and Campus Life (SCL) and determine the most appropriate SCL unit to coordinate crisis support services.
For most situations the Cornell community includes current students and employees and in some circumstances may include their families as well as Cornell alumni, retirees, and active university volunteers.
Crisis support services may be required as the result of personal, community, or widespread emergencies, incidents, and disasters that result in consequences such as loss of personal property, loss of housing, emotional or physical injury, and even death. Crisis support services include but are not limited to physical, emotional, financial, and academic support services.
ESF ACTIONS
Dean of Students
- Assessment of crisis support needs.
- Determine the need for other SCL units as needed to coordinate and support crisis support services
- Coordination of crisis support needs including:
- Provision of direct support to individuals
- Provision of support, resources, and management to other individuals and organizations providing crisis support services
- Evaluating the need for and coordination of the deployment of the Community Support Team
- Serve as the main point of contact for the families of impacted students or as appropriate delegate to others and provide any necessary guidance.
- Coordinate community crisis support resources involved with support operations.
- Delegate crisis support coordination responsibilities to other SCL units as appropriate.
Cornell Health
- Coordination of clinical mental health services as outlined in ESF-9: Health Services.
Cornell University Community Support Team
- Provide on-scene mental health first response services.
- Provide extended campus support service availability during evening and weekend hours when other in-person mental health services are not readily accessible.
- Provide direct support to impacted campus community members through referral and resource navigation.
- Support post-incident continuity of care by providing updates to other support services and divisions when follow-up care is required.