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 (HCN) website is  a comprehensive mental health resource with all things related to mental health and well-being including events, news, a filterable resource hub, and a peer support chat. HCN is 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.

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.

Who We Are 

The Heels Care Network is a collective effort of a wide range of people and entities across campus. Currently, HCN is 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, and many other partners across campus. 

Why We're Here 

The Heels Care Network serves as a gateway to mental health and wellness resources for everyone on campus. It helps our community find what they need - whether that's accessing a support group, learning strategies for mental health, connecting with trainings and advocacy organizations or attending wellness events on campus.  

Members of the Heels Care Network collaborate to address environmental and systemic issues that may affect our community's well-being. We work to remove barriers that keep people from accessing the many mental health and well-being resources on campus that help build resilience and support success. 

We are in this together at Carolina. 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 can help you find that support and get connected. If you know someone who is not doing well, you can access an anonymous outreach form to make a student care referral request. 

How We Can Help 

If you are concerned about someone, check in with them. 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. 

In most cases that don't involve imminent harm to self or others, a conversation with the person may be the best strategy. You can check out the Suicide Prevention Strategies for guidance. But more importantly, you can  let us know, and a member of our student care team will check in on them.

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