About

Creating a culture of compassion and care at Carolina.   

Creating a community of care at Carolina means that we look out for each other. We take an interest in each other and work to address the well-being of all community members. 

The Heels Care Network website is  a place for all Tar Heels — undergraduate, graduate and professional students, and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff — to come together in support of each other and access the many mental health and well-being resources at Carolina. 

History

In October 2021, Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz first announced the Heels Care Network was in development. In November 2021, the campus hosted a day-long Mental Health Summit, which included more discussion about the kind of resources the campus needs.

Who We Are 

The Heels Care Network is a collective effort of a wide range of people and entities across campus.

The website is currently supported by staff from UNC Student Affairs, UNC Human Resources, UNC Gillings School of Public Health and University Communications, along with students from Peers for Progress, the UNC Mental Health Coalition, the Mental Health Task Force, the Carolina Together Ambassadors program, and many other partners across campus. 

JED Campus Partnership

In February 2022 Carolina launched a partnership with the JED Foundation and was officially designated as a JED campus. JED is a nationally recognized resource center that provides access to experts and will improve the University’s ability to prevent and respond to mental health issues.

Why We're Here 

This is a gateway for mental health and wellness resources for everyone on campus: to find a support group, learn strategies for mental health, connect with trainings and advocacy organizations or find wellness events on campus.  

If you know someone who is not doing well, you can access an anonymous outreach form to make a student care referral request. 

There are so many issues that affect our mental health. Members of the Heels Care Network collaborate to address environmental and systemic issues that may affect our community's well-being. One strategy to do just that is to remove barriers to accessing resources like the many mental health and well-being resources on campus that exist to help you build resilience and support your success. 

We are in this together. We care about you and we want to see you thrive. There are places to get help if you need it, and the Heels Care Network is your gateway to find that support and get connected.  

How We Can Help You Help Yourself … and Others 

Check in with your colleagues and students to see how they are doing. Listen with interest to their response. And if they aren’t doing well, encourage them to access the wide array of resources accessible on the mental health resource hub. There you will find programs offered by CAPS, Student Wellness , and the UNC Human Resources Work-Life program, along with peer support groups, student organizations, community resources, and so much more. 

If you are concerned about someone, check out our Suicide Prevention Strategies. But more importantly, you can  let us know, and a member of our student care team will check in on them.

If you are looking for more individualized help, we have an online chat (see the link in the bottom right-hand corner of every page on this site) with LSN students (peer supporters) who can help you connect with a resource that fits your needs. 

Immediate help is available. Find the resource that fits your needs best.