Student Outreach and Support

Please note: this information is for Homewood undergraduate students only.

Student Outreach and Support staff is committed to assisting students in successfully navigating the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus. Student Outreach and Support helps students manage physical and mental health concerns, personal and family emergencies, financial issues, and other obstacles that may arise during their college experience.

Case managers provide one-on-one support, including interventions, advocacy, referrals, and follow-up services for undergraduate students who are experiencing significant difficulties related to mental health, physical health, family emergencies and/or other areas of concern. They offer resources and information to help students navigate university systems and policies while prioritizing their well-being and academic success. Additionally, Case managers will assist students in making connections with faculty, staff, and other offices that can collaborate with them to ensure their needs are met. Lastly, the goal is to help students to develop self-advocacy skills that prepare them for involvement in the larger community and life beyond college.

Case managers work with students who may need to take a Medical Leave Of Absence for physical health or psychological reasons.

Student Outreach and Support is not counseling or therapy; rather, case managers have the opportunity to develop close helping relationships with students while coaching students toward appropriate self-care and self-advocacy.

Phone Numbers for 24/7 Immediate Support on Campus

Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team (BHCST): 410-516-9355

Counselor On Call: (410) 516-8278 (option 1)

Public Safety: 410-516-4600 or 410-516-7777

Supporting our Graduate Students

A collection of available resources and support services for graduate students can be found at homewoodgrad.jhu.edu, including helpful information on navigating life issues as a graduate or postdoctoral fellow.

Get Connected with a Case Manager

Office Location: AMR II Ground Level Annex (entrance is between the Blue Jay statue and Hopkins Café)

Office hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday

Phone number: 410-516-7857

If you are new to Student Outreach and Support, please schedule with your case manager based on the first letter of your last name or based on an identity or concern.

If you’ve met with a case manager before, please feel free to schedule with them even if your last name does not fall in their alphabet:

  • Joe Reyes (they/them) – A-E/First-Generation, Limited Income (FLI)
  • Lindsay Jeffers (she/her/any) – F-K/FLI
  • Maura Knestout (she/her) – L-N/student-athletes
  • Christine Choi (she/her) – O-S/Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA)
  • Susan Kodzwa (she/her) – T-Z/international students *some evening virtual appointments available
  • Ruth Sherman (she/her): students wanting to take a MLOA/Emergency Leave of Absence (ELOA)

For anyone attempting to connect a student directly using the breakdown above: Many students are ALREADY connected to a case manager that does not match the current breakdown of the alphabet or specific needs. If you are unsure whether a student already is connected to a case manager, please either complete a CARE report or send an email to studentoutreach@jhu.edu if you have questions.

For general questions and inquiries that are non-emergent, please email studentoutreach@jhu.edu. For staying up-to-date on our office and services, please follow us on Instagram.

Chat with a Case Manager is open to all students, regardless if a student is connected with a case manager or not. The chat is an opportunity to speak with a case manager about an urgent question or for a student who is not sure if they need to work with a case manager or not. This chat is not for students who may be experiencing a crisis; in that case, students should still contact the Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team (410-516-9355) for support in a crisis situation.

Chat with a Case Manager is held every Wednesday from 5:30–7 p.m. over Zoom.

Refer a Student

Anyone fellow student, parent, faculty, staff, concerned community member can refer a student to the Office of Student Outreach and Support. If you have concerns for a student and feel like they could use support to navigate resources, please let us know by completing a CARE report. Please note that Care Referrals are only reviewed during normal office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., except for holiday closures).

Request a Presentation

If you would like Student Outreach and Support to come present to your office or department, please email us at studentoutreach@jhu.edu. This presentation is 45 minutes and outlines all services available through the Office of Student Outreach and Support with time at the end for questions and discussion.

Resources for Academic and Interpersonal Success (RAIS) at JHU. Staff from Student Conduct, Student Disability Services, Office of Institutional Equity, Health Promotion and Well Being and Student Outreach and Support have partnered to create a holistic presentation on resources and processes for supporting students at JHU. This is a 60-minute overview of the various systems and processes in place at Hopkins to support our Blue Jays’ success in their academic careers. Please fill out this online form to schedule a RAIS presentation.

Resources and Support Services

Student Outreach and Support offers a variety of support services on-campus in addition to referring students to on- and off-campus resources.

These are the support services that function through the office of Student Outreach and Support:

CARE Team

The Johns Hopkins University Crisis Assessment Risk Evaluation (CARE) Team provides care and access to resources to promote a safe and secure environment and to maintain the safety, health, and wellbeing of the campus community through a proactive, objective, supportive and collaborative approach. The CARE team intervenes to address and respond to student needs, attempting to avoid disruption to the integrity of the learning environment.

Members of the university community should inform the CARE Team/Student Outreach and Support of any student exhibiting behavior(s) that are concerning, a significant disruption, and/or pose a substantial risk of harm by submitting a referral to Student Outreach and Support. All referrals will be handled in a private manner, with information released only on a need-to-know basis.

In addition to implementing the following protocol for referrals of concerning or disruptive behaviors, the university may also refer such behavior for investigation of violations of the Student Conduct Code or Office of Institutional Equity policy.

The CARE Team is dedicated to the prevention, identification, assessment, intervention, management of and coordinated response to student situations and behaviors that pose a significant disruption to the student’s living and/or learning environment and/or a substantial risk of harm to individuals and/or the safety, health and wellbeing of the campus community.

The CARE Team members consist of the Dean of Student Life, Student Outreach and Support, Counseling Center, Student Health and Wellness Center, Residential Life, Student Conduct, and Student Disability Services. When needed, we call upon our campus partners in the Office of Institutional Equity, Legal Counsel, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Graduate School, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Whiting School of Engineering, Athletics, Student Community Liaison, and Religious and Spiritual Life.

Contact Us

For general questions and inquiries:
studentoutreach@jhu.edu

Elizabeth Winberry
Sr. Director of Student Outreach and Support
410-516-7857
elizabeth.winberry@jhu.edu

Chat with a Case Manager

Chat with a Case Manager is available every Wednesday from 5:30 – 7 p.m. over Zoom.

Emergency Fund Process and Policy

The emergency fund is designed to help Homewood undergraduate students facing financial difficulty due to emergency situations or one-time hardships. The funds are awarded to help alleviate short-term financial need and are managed by Student Outreach and Support in collaboration with Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Eligibility

  • Applicant is currently enrolled as an undergraduate at Homewood
  • Applicant must demonstrate financial hardship resulting from an emergency, accident, or other unplanned event
  • Applicant has not already received monies from the emergency fund this semester
  • Applicant has exhausted all possible other financial resources, including student loans, Medicaid, personal financial accounts, etc. A case manager in Student Outreach and Support can help a student navigate other financial resources if needed
  • Emergency funds are capped at $500

Students interested in accessing the Emergency Fund must fill out the application and a case manager will follow up with the student to meet and talk about the need.

Things not covered by the emergency fund:

  • Tuition and Fees
  • Legal Fines/Expenses
  • Parking Tickets/Fines
  • Health Insurance
  • Study Abroad costs
  • Animal needs
  • Gift cards

Emergency Leave of Absence

Emergency Leave of Absence (ELOA) allows students to take an unplanned mid-semester leave of absence to address pressing personal (non-medical and non-psychological) and family issues. The ELOA is for students needing to take time away from the university to manage a personal situation that is impacting their ability to manage school and personal commitments. Emergency Leaves of Absences will not be granted to avoid academic consequences and will not be granted retroactively. The last day to apply for an emergency leave of absence is the last day to withdraw from classes. To apply for an Emergency Leave of Absence, fill out the application through the link below and a case manager from SOS will contact you. Student Outreach and Support, in conjunction with Academic Advising, will approve the leave request.

In order to help support students while on an ELOA, as well as help keep them connected to the JHU community, students on an ELOA are connected with a case manager who will check in with them throughout the leave. When the student is ready to reinstate, their case manager will help walk them through the process.

To return from an emergency leave of absence, a student must file a reinstatement application that will be reviewed by Student Outreach and Support and Advising.

Before embarking on a leave, students with an F-1 visa must notify the Office of International Students to update their immigration records and avoid compromising their eligibility to return to the U.S.

Once a student decides to take an Emergency Leave of Absence, the case manager will contact the student’s faculty to confirm the last day that the student attended class. This is used to determine any tuition refund if applicable.

The case manager will then send a memo to the student and campus partners, including:

  • Student Accounts
  • Academic Advising
  • Housing Operations
  • Financial Aid
  • Office of International Services
  • Student Health and Wellness Center
  • Counseling Center
  • J-Card

This email includes when the student has left and when they are expected to return if known. This memo also indicates any refund that the student can expect to receive and will trigger the Registrar to place a hold in SIS to be removed upon reinstatement.

Apply for an Emergency Leave of Absence

Return from an Emergency Leave of Absence

Food Insecurity Resources

General Food Resources

  • Hopkins Food Pantry: The Hopkins Food Pantry was founded to help address food insecurity for all Hopkins affiliates, and operates in partnership with the Maryland Food Bank. Hopkins affiliates can apply online to gain access to the pantry.
  • SNAP Supplemental Nutritional Access Program: SNAP is a county food benefits program formerly known as “food stamps.” This program is meant to provide ongoing access to nutritious food through monthly benefits. Benefits are deposited each month onto an EBT debit card. You can use these benefits to buy groceries as well as prepared food wherever EBT is accepted. Your eligibility will depend on several factors, including residency status, income, as well as part-time/full-time enrollment in school. The benefit amount awarded each month will depend on those same factors. To find more information, visit this link.
  • The College SNAP Project is a SNAP benefits application for college students. There is an application process and there are no penalties for applying or re-applying. Call (866) 821-5552 to learn more or apply online. As this is a state-based resource, international students are not eligible.
  • 211: 211 is a community resource hub available to Maryland residents. You can access resources for potential assistance with food, housing, utilities, legal information, and more through the website or by dialing “211.” On the “Food” section under “Resources” you can find information regarding food pantries, food distributions, food vouchers, and other food resources by inputting your zip code. This service is available throughout the country and resources change within each county.
  • Maryland Food Bank: Access this link to find food pantries near you by inputting your address.
  • Baltimore Free Foods Sites: Access this interactive map to find fee food pantries/distributions/resources in the Baltimore area. The legend provides additional access details.

Food Resources Near JHU

  • The Franciscan Center: The Franciscan Center offers food pantry bags as well as prepared food plates.
  • Saint Phillip & James: The Saint Phillip & James church has weekly pantry hours.
  • The Church of the Redeemed of The Lord food pantry: Information regarding distributions and times can be found here.

Homewood undergrads can also reach out to Student Outreach and Support at 410-516-7857, or studentoutreach@jhu.edu to get connected with a case manager about food insecurity or other support resources they may be needing—in particular, those students who are home in a different state and need help navigating the resources available to them there.

Illness Notes and Absences from Class

Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus has an official policy on missed class time and assignments due to illness and other absences. The Student Health and Wellness Center, Counseling Center, and Student Outreach and Support do not provide documentation for students who miss individual classes for reasons outside of our policy:

  1. If Student Outreach and Support is notified of a student’s hospitalization, an email will be sent to faculty
  2. If a student has to leave campus because of an emergency, Student Outreach and Support will notify faculty

If a student is seen at the SHWC for a serious or extended illness that causes a student to miss a number of classes over several days or major academic assignments, such as midterms and major presentations, the SHWC may provide verification of the visit to the student and also alert Student Outreach and Support. Verification will not be provided retroactively.

Student Outreach and Support is available for consultations around student issues (health, family emergencies, etc.) that impact class attendance. However, whether a student’s absence is excusable is the faculty member’s decision. Faculty may also wish to consult with the Director for Undergraduate Studies or Department Chair should they be unsure how to handle a student’s absence (or missed major assignment/exam) from a course.

Medical Leave of Absence

A Medical Leave of Absence is a temporary break from enrollment to allow students to devote their attention to medical treatment when their need for care prevents them from being able to be a successful student. Learn more about Medical Leave of Absence.

SOS Laptop Loaner

Student Outreach and Support in partnership with Hopkins IT have a laptop loaner program for all Homewood undergrads who need short term use of a laptop.

Guidelines:

  • Open to all Homewood undergrads
  • Student may borrow a laptop for a maximum of two weeks
  • Loaner laptops are to be used for academic purposes only
  • Laptop must be returned in the same condition as on the pickup date

If interested, please fill out the SOS Laptop Loaner Application and a case manager will reach out to you and connect you with the Technology Center. Laptop pick up and drop off is located in Levering Hall, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Welcome Back Blue Jays Luncheon

All undergraduate students who are returning from a separation from the university are invited to the Welcome Back Blue Jay Luncheon offered at the beginning of the fall and spring semester. The luncheon is an opportunity to meet other students in addition to getting reacquainted with campus resources and involvement opportunities. The luncheon includes information from these offices: