Health Emergencies

Support is available during and after physical health and mental health emergencies

A physical or mental health emergency can be frightening, and it can feel overwhelming to think about what happens with school while you're focused on your health. You don't have to figure it out alone. Student Affairs and the campus CARE Team are here to help you get through a crisis, connect you with the right resources to support your recovery, and coordinate your return to campus when you’re well.

Hospital Visits & After-Care

Being in the hospital for an emergency — whether it's a physical health crisis, a mental health crisis, or something else — is hard enough without also worrying about classes, housing, or who's been told what. A Student Affairs staff lead or Student Life On-Call Team member can step in to help with the practical, University-related pieces so you can focus on your care.

During a hospital visit, staff support can include:

Notifying family or friends that you're in the hospital
Helping gather belongings from campus if you need them for a longer stay
Letting your Community Advisor in Residential Life know about your absence
Notifying your instructors that you'll miss class, with a Student Affairs Verification of Legitimate Absence for make-up work
Answering any University-related questions that come up

After you're discharged, we can help connect you to:

Support for major health events or chronic conditions when a longer absence is needed — including exploring options like completing coursework remotely, withdrawing from a course(s), or taking a medical leave of absence
The Disability Resource Center, for short- or longer-term accommodations
Residential Life, for housing changes or accommodations
Student Counseling, to schedule an appointment or update your counselor on current needs
Intercollegiate Athletics/coaches, if an injury or illness affects your participation

If you're hospitalized in Morris

A member of the Student Life On-Call Team may visit you at the hospital as a courtesy, to check in and help with any University-related matters. Hospital staff will let you know a team member is there and ask whether you'd like to see them — your visit, your call. The team member will only interact with you if you give verbal consent. (If you're unable to consent — for example, due to unconsciousness or intoxication — the team member will act in your best interest, which may include sharing information with hospital staff or reaching out to your emergency contacts.)

You can ask the response team member to leave at any time, for any reason, and that request will be honored.

A note on privacy: interactions with University staff are governed by FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). In general, schools need a student's written permission to share information from their education record with people outside the University. FERPA does allow some exceptions without consent — for school officials with a legitimate educational interest, in health and safety emergencies, and for parents if the student is claimed as a dependent for tax purposes.

After you're released, a Student Affairs staff person may reach out to check in and help line up the right support for your recovery.

The CARE Team

The CARE Team provides case management and referral services to students facing challenging circumstances that affect their health, safety, or academic success — whether that's a single hospitalization or an ongoing, harder-to-navigate situation.

We work one-on-one with you to understand what's going on, gather the relevant information, and build a plan together. Depending on what fits your situation, that might look like coordinating an academic success plan with your faculty or connecting you with campus and community resources. Support happens by whatever method works for you — email, phone, or an in-person or virtual meeting.

Common areas the CARE Team helps with:

Coordination of care after a hospitalization
Stress management and mental health support
Substance use or recovery support
Unexpected financial hardship
Food and housing insecurity

If a CARE Team member reaches out to meet with you, you are not in trouble. It simply means we learned about something that happened and want to make sure you have the support you need.

For Family Members

Our students' health, safety, and wellbeing is our highest priority.

We welcome family members reaching out to the Student Affairs CARE Team with any concerns about their student. We are always glad to listen, offer guidance, and with your student's involvement help connect them to the right campus resources.
FERPA provides the opportunity for universities to share information with parents of dependent students (for tax purposes as defined by the IRS). UMN Morris Student Affairs staff are happy to connect with parents of dependent students to coordinate support for their student's care, recovery, and return to academics after a significant physical or mental health challenge.

After-Care: What to Expect

Discharge planning. Hospital staff can coordinate with University staff to help put health resources, home and campus supports, and academic accommodations in place.
Re-entry planning. You'll typically connect with a Student Affairs staff member to map out a personalized plan for returning to classes and campus life. Do you need some time at home with family support before returning to campus? We can help with a workable plan for returning to academic work as your recovery and return to good health allow.
Ongoing support. As needs come up during your recovery, we'll help connect you to additional resources — academic, financial, housing, or otherwise.

Health Emergencies

Support is available during and after physical health and mental health emergencies

Hospital Visits & After-Care

The CARE Team

For Family Members

After-Care: What to Expect

Ways to Contact Us

University of Minnesota Morris

Contact

Visit

Emergencies

Find

System Campuses

Support UMN Morris

Health Emergencies

Support is available during and after physical health and mental health emergencies

Hospital Visits & After-Care

The CARE Team

For Family Members

After-Care: What to Expect

Ways to Contact Us

University of Minnesota Morris

Contact

Connect With Us

Visit

Emergencies

Find

System Campuses

Support UMN Morris