Frequently Asked Questions - University of Houston
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is SOS?

Student Outreach and Support (SOS) responds to referrals regarding concerns about student safety and wellbeing, connects and collaborates with campus and community partners to ensure students are offered a continuum of care and support.

Q: Who can refer students to SOS?

Students are primarily referred to SOS services by UH community members – faculty, staff, family members, and other students. Students may also self-refer and/or be referred by the UH Care Team.

If a student is an immediate threat to themselves or others, it should be considered an emergency and directed to the UH Police Department at (713) 743-3333.

Q: Can students self-refer?

Student to Student referrals and self-referrals can be referred directly to the Case Manager, at 832-842-6183 or by email at casemanager@uh.edu

Q: What happens after the referral?

A SOS services team member will reach out to the referred student and request a meeting to discuss the incident report and available services. It is up to the student to respond to these outreach efforts. The reporter will be notified once the report is received and outreach efforts are made.

Please note, in certain circumstances, such as when a student has been transported from campus to a hospital, a check-in between the student and SOS services team is required. If the student does not respond to outreach, a hold will be placed on their student account until contact is made.

Q: How is SOS different from working with Counseling and Psychological Services-CAPS?

CAPS provides mental health therapy, skill building, and consultation to help students cope with challenges they are experiencing. CAPS is a confidential resource. SOS services receives concerns, assists with short-term planning, and refers students to resources on and off campus. SOS services are not confidential.

Q: How is SOS different from working with Student Advocacy?

Student Advocacy Services is able to assist students with General questions, Information, Emergency Loans, University Procedures, Campus Referrals, Policy Clarifications with more of an administrative focus and

Advocacy Services provides administrative problem solving resolutions to students while Student Outreach and Support provides specialized outreach and support for students experiencing complex personal difficulty such as crisis or distress that impacts their social, personal and/or academic stability.