Since its formation in 2010 as a part of Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaW), Northwestern’s Center for Awareness, Response, and Education (CARE) has provided a safe, confidential space for students impacted by sexual or relationship violence to get the support they need. This fall, CARE has transitioned into its own independent office in an effort to continue providing students with high levels of service.
CARE’s transition comes in response to growth in the number of staff members at both CARE and HPaW, and is intended to give CARE more space to establish its own identity and implement its own strategic plan. The change will not impact services to students or the day-to-day functions of the CARE office, which remains in Searle Hall. Erin Clark, the center’s new director, hopes that the long-term effects of the transition “will allow our services to be more efficient and responsive to student needs.”
Although CARE’s director will report to the Executive Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the organizations will operate separately. CAPS will continue to provide students with clinical mental health expertise, while CARE’s more informal services center around support and advocacy, as well as connecting students to valuable on and off-campus resources.
For more information on CARE, visit their website.