Support

UMKC offers a variety of support services to students and employees after they have experienced, witnessed, or been identified as having expressed exclusionary behavior, discriminatory conduct, or harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.  Below you will find a list of these support services, as well as options available to you in the community and beyond.

Click the type of support below to view the opportunities available to students and employees.

Supportive Measures (link)
Support Persons (link)
Confidential Support – UMKC (link)
Additional Private/Confidential Support (link)
Coping with Discrimination, Harassment, & Bias (link)


Supportive Measures
Supportive measures are available to any individual who has experienced protected identity discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, even when those individuals do not wish to file a formal complaint or participate in an investigation. Individuals accused of discrimination or harassment may also access supportive measures.

Supportive measures are individualized services offered without fee or charge and must be reasonable, non-disciplinary, and non-punitive. These measures are designed to restore or preserve equal access to UMKC’s educational programs and activities and employment opportunities. The University will maintain as confidential any supportive measures provided to any individual, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair UMKC’s ability to provide the supportive measures.

These measures may include any of the following:

  • Referral to or assistance in contacting campus support services, including those providing counseling, academic support, and medical services
  • Issuing mutual contact restrictions between individuals
  • Providing campus safety escorts
  • Increasing security and monitoring of certain areas of campus
  • Adjusting courses, assignments, exam schedules, extracurricular activities, work schedules, work assignments, supervisory responsibilities, or work arrangements
  • Altering on-campus housing assignments, dining arrangements, or other campus services
  • Providing limited transportation accommodations
  • Informing individuals of the right to notify law enforcement authorities of the alleged incident and offering to help facilitate a report
  • Implementing a a student organization’s interim suspension or an employee’s administrative leave

To find out more about the availability of supportive measures, reach out confidentially to RISE: Resources, Intervention, Support, & Education (link), serving victims, survivors, and their allies, or contact the Office of Equity & Title IX (ETIX) by visiting Contact Us (link).


Support Persons
Students and employees may select one individual of their choice to accompany them to any meetings related to concerns of protected identity discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. These Support Persons may be family members, friends, colleagues, attorneys, counselors, advocates, etc. Support Persons should provide guidance and support to the student or employee directly and may consult with the student or employee during meetings and breaks. However, Support Persons are not allowed to offer information to the University on behalf of the student or employee nor represent the interests of the student or employee to the University.

Upon request, UMKC will provide a trained Support Person to assist students or employees during the investigation and resolution of a formal complaint. These Support Persons cannot be called upon as witnesses to provide testimony about information learned while acting as a Support Person. For more information on obtaining a Support Person, visit Contact Us (link).

Additionally, in the Equity Resolution Process, Support Persons may be present during the hearing (if applicable). In hearings under Title IX, Support Persons may only be present at a hearing when they are also serving as an Advisor (link).


Confidential Support – UMKC
Employees of the offices noted below are considered confidential and exempt from reporting disclosures of protected identity discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, to the University so long as the disclosure occurs in a confidential communication while they are acting as support advocates, professional counselors, or medical personnel. An exemption does not extend to these employees when the disclosure is made in non-confidential setting. If you have a question about confidentiality when making a disclosure, you should first ask whether the exemption applies. For more information, visit Mandated Reporting & Exemptions (link). 

RISE: Resources, Intervention, Support, & Education (link) assists any member of the campus community with basic crisis intervention and on-going case management and advocacy as needed for survivors/victims of sexual misconduct, sexual violence, relationship abuse, and stalking.

Counseling Services (link) provides students eight free sessions per academic year. Walk-in crisis hours are available; call (816) 235-1635 for more information.

Community Counseling and Assessment Services (link) offers a professional setting with full-service expertise provided by UMKC graduate students under the supervision of the Counseling and Educational Psychology Faculty. All counseling is strictly confidential and tailored to meet the specific needs of each client.

Faculty/Staff Ombuds (link) provide employees with independent, neutral, confidential, and informal consultation.

Student Health and Wellness (link)  functions as a general health care facility that provides students evaluation and treatment for a wide variety of health concerns.

Sojourner Health Clinic (link) is a free health clinic provided by UMKC School of Medicine and treats over 300 uninsured and under-served patients annually from the Kansas City area, accomplished through 2,500+ student volunteer hours.


Additional Private/Confidential Support*
The services listed below have no obligation to report disclosures to the University.

Employee Assistance Program (link) offers UMKC employees access to confidential professional counselors trained to help with issues related to family or relationship difficulties, stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse problems, work concerns, and financial problems. Employees are eligible for up to three phone or in-person counseling sessions for any personal issue. If more sessions are needed, referrals are available.

WellConnect (link) links UMKC medical students and their household families with licensed counselors for up to six, confidential in-person or telephone counseling sessions, or three sessions with a financial consultant or attorney.

Crisis Support Services (link): Provides 24/7, free, confidential, and caring support to people in crisis.  (800) 273-8255 or text 839863

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (link): The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255; text MHA to 741-741; or chat online
Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 888-628-9454
Options For Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 800-799-4889

Kansas City Center for Inclusion (link) provides safe, inclusive LGBTQIA+ community spaces where people can come for education, resources, and activities, as well as supports a more cohesive LGBTQIA+ community in the greater Kansas City area.

KC Care Health Center (link) provides quality care, access, research and education to the under-served and all people in the KC community – whether you have private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare or are uninsured.

JayDoc Free Clinic (link) is a free student-run clinic providing non-emergency urgent and preventative care to the uninsured and under-insured populations of Greater Kansas City. 

Kansas City Victim Assistance Unit (link) provides crisis intervention, referrals to support services, and information regarding victim rights, compensation, and the criminal justice system to any victim, witness, family member or survivor of a violent crime who has suffered physical, psychological or economic harm as a direct result of a criminal offense.

LGBT National Help Center (link) connects individuals with resources locally, nationally, and internationally, and offers support, acceptance, and affirmation. Access these services through hotlines, online chat programs, email services and publicly-accessible online database of resources. Services are always free and confidential.

Mental Health America Referral Services (link) provides information on accessing mental health resources.

HEARTMOB (link) lets you report and document online harassment and get the kind of help you want, including emotional support, guidance on how to protect yourself, and help in ending online harassment.

7 Cups (link) is an on-demand emotional health service and online therapy provider. They utilize bridging technology to anonymously and securely connect real people to real listeners in one-on-one chat.

btherapy (link) connects you with random strangers around the world who are willing to talk to you about your problems, as well as sharing their own.


Coping with Discrimination, Harassment, & Bias*
Below is a list of resources for those who have or are experiencing discriminatory, harassing, or biased interactions with others, causing distress and emotional trauma.

 

*Please note, UMKC does not endorse any specific organization, service, or author and provides this list for informational purposes only.