The Care Team is here to support all undergraduate and graduate students at Bentley. If you are seeking support for a fellow student, we encourage you to submit a Care Referral so we can help connect the student with appropriate resources. We also recognize that seeing a friend or peer struggle can be tough and you may need help navigating the situation or may need help connecting to resources for yourself.
While the way you may notice concerns can vary depending on your relationship with the student, the following list provides some areas to consider when identifying a student who may be able to benefit from a Care referral:
- Spending more time alone than usual
- Loss of interest in discussions or group projects where they previously contributed
- Withdrawal from social activities or groups they previously enjoyed
- Skipping classes regularly, especially if this is a new pattern
- Consistently missing deadlines
- Significant decline in academic performance
- Increase in expression of feeling overwhelmed about academics
- Eating more or less than usual
- Significant weight change
- Sleeping more or less than usual
- Sleep patterns interfering with academic, work, or personal commitments
- Increased use of alcohol or other substances
- Engaging in reckless or self-harming behavior
- Difficulty coping with daily stressors or challenges, seeming more worried and stressed than usual
- Increasingly sad, irritable, anxious, or angry
- Neglecting personal hygiene like frequency of bathing or changing clothes
- Looking consistently tired or significantly energized
- Spending majority of time online at the expense of in person activities or responsibilities
- Talking about feeling depressed or anxious and having difficulty functioning
- Expressions of hopelessness, overwhelming stress, or comments indicating a lack of purpose
- Disorganized speech or behavior
Sensing that something is "off" or not right with a peer, even if you can't pinpoint specific behaviors or changes
Submit a Care Referral
Have concerns for a student but are not sure on how to start the conversation? Below are some suggestions from the Care Team:
| "I’ve noticed you’ve been skipping meals and classes. I’m really worried about you. Maybe we can grab lunch together today and talk?" |
| "You haven’t been yourself these past few weeks, and I’m starting to get worried. If there’s anything on your mind, I’m here to listen and help you get connected to support on campus." |
| "You're not alone in this. Let’s figure out the next steps together when you’re ready." |
| "I know things have been tough for you. Have you thought about talking to someone at Bentley for support? There is a group on campus called the Care Team that can assist students in identifying which campus resources may be the most helpful to them. Would you like help in connecting with them?" |
| "It’s okay to need help sometimes. What do you think about getting connected with the Care Team on campus? I would like to submit a referral to their team and a staff member will reach out to you to offer support." |