FAQ

How Do I Know What to Report?  

The Office of Student Mental Health and Behavior (SMHB) uses NOVACares to track reports in three main areas: Academic Dishonesty; Concerning Behavior; and Code of Conduct and/or Criminal incidents. Please see the list of concerns on the NOVACares Reporting Form. There is also a selection of “other” for issues that concern you but aren’t on the list. The rule of thumb is that if it concerns or bothers you, report it. You may feel that some behaviors are mildly concerning, but do not require intervention. In such cases, you may submit your report as an FYI and the information will be held in the database for future referrals.

Where Can I Report Concerns?

In non-emergency situations, please submit a NOVACares Report. In emergency situations, you should contact NOVA Police if you are on campus or are reporting an incident that occurred on campus. NOVA Police may be contacted by dialing 9911 from an on-campus phone or by calling 703.764.5000. If the incident occurred off campus, contact the law enforcement office that serves that locality. Afterward, please submit a NOVACares Report on the incident, even if the police responded. 

Who Can File a Report? 

The NOVACares Reporting Form can be completed by anyone. If you feel that a member of the NOVA College Community (students, faculty, staff, vendors, contractors or visitors) is displaying or exhibiting concerning behavior of any form, you are encouraged to make a report using NOVACares. 

Can I Make a Self-Report? 

Yes, you may complete a NOVACares Report for yourself if you need help dealing with issues that compromise your mental, emotional, or physical safety. If you need immediate intervention, please contact emergency services by dialing 9911 from an on-campus phones, 703.764.5000, or 911 off campus.

Can I Submit a Report Anonymously?

Yes, you may submit an anonymous NOVACares Report by leaving the identifying areas of the report blank. You must complete all mandatory fields, which are marked with an asterisk (*). Anonymous reports will be evaluated based on the information provided, so we encourage you to provide contact information so that we can follow-up on incomplete or missing information.

What Happens After I Submit a Report?

Once a report is submitted, the database will generate a confirmation response indicating that your report has been received using the NOVACares Reporting Form. The system will generate an immediate message to the reporter indicating that the report has been successfully submitted. The Office of Student Mental Health and Behavior then screens the report for immediate risk level and assigns the report to the most appropriate responder.

Is My Report Confidential?

NOVA strives to keep the reporter’s identity confidential. In cases of violations of the Student Code of Conduct or criminal matters, this may not be possible. However, the reporter will be notified in cases where their identity will be shared.

Will I Be Told How My Concerns Are Being Addressed?

Resolutions will be shared on a “need to know” basis. Due to privacy laws, you may not receive detailed information on the intervention that took place.

For further information please contact SMHB at mchenault@nvcc.edu.