The CARE network has launched a smartphone application that will provide students with quick access to all the wellness resources available on campus.
While the Student Support Network has been functioning for decades, the CARE Network has existed in its current form since 2011. It was designed as a tool to provide students with resources to wellness programs.
“CARE exists to basically be a system that helps identify and then triage students to resources on campus,” CARE coordinator Erin Halligan said. “Anytime anyone is concerned about a student they can submit a CARE report. I review the reports, assign a level of severity and then determine how best to reach out to the student to let them know about the resources that are on campus.”
Despite the abundance of resources available to students, the administration has found minor difficulties in making students aware of all the programs available.
Prior to the launch of the application, in order for a student to access the information that the CARE network provided they would have to contact the program via email or come in to the office.
“We are so resource-rich on this campus that we just need a way to help students identify where those resources are located. Also, it doesn’t help a student, specifically students new to a campus, to just see the name of an office if they don’t know what resources that the office provides.”
Qith the launch of the application, students that want to get connected with resources but don’t necessarily want to meet with someone from the office now have all the resources available to them.
The idea for the application emerged when Halligan wanted to expand the availability of these resources to the students and, then approached a friend for help to develop the app.
“I also worked closely with the SA who ran focus groups of students to identify what types of concerns they wanted to be included in the app in addition to the actual formatting. I thought it was really important to work specifically with the student body on this since it’s students that are going to be using this,” said Halligan.
Many of the wellness offices on campus provided funds to the creation of the app, showing their support for the intiative for increased connectivity.
The application is an extension of the UR Mobile application.
Smith is a member of
the class of 2014.
