OSU Assist

The following informational section is taken from the OSU website: https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/osu-assist

OSU Assist, an enhanced approach to crisis response being developed at Oregon State University's Corvallis campus, brings together new personnel and existing university services to better support students facing challenges or crisis with the right resources at the right time. This effort recognizes that it is not necessary for every first responder to a crisis to be law enforcement a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals, peer support specialists, community health workers and/or other first responders provides a more appropriate response in many situations.

OSU Assist information:

Locations that an OSU Assist call might drop off to:

Good Samaritan Hospital
CARDV
Off campus or on campus housing
Benton County Mental Health
Shelters

OSU Assist team members:

Nat, Chris, Reiman, Tawn, & Javier
Public safety officer(s)

Beginning of a ride:

Ride request comes in:

OSU Assist will call our dispatch line and request a ride.
Dispatcher who answered the call will input 'OSU Assist' in the ride comments.
NOLs in the office will radio the vehicle, informing them that their upcoming ride is OSU Assist and confirm the drop off location.

Passengers with OSU Assist come to vehicle: (BEFORE LETTING THEM IN)

Confirm they are OSU Assist. If it is not 2 team members from the OSU Assist team, DENY THE RIDE)
Ask to see their badge. (If they don't have their badge, DENY THE RIDE)
Confirm their drop off location.
Allow them in the vehicle.
Remind everyone to put on their seatbelts.
Don't ask the rider questions about what they are up to or where they are going. Be polite and not pushy or aggressive.

During the ride: OSU Assist can ask for...

Us to Pull Over

The police do not need to be called, the OSU Assist team members could simply just need to regroup.

Pull over as soon as you can.
Turn the vehicle hazards on.
Get out of the vehicle (if needed, even in the rain).
TAKE THE KEYS WITH YOU.
Radio the NOLs and let them know what is going on, but no police action is needed.
Re-enter the vehicle when the OSU Assist team members give you the all clear.

Vehicle 10

If at any time, either after pulling over or when driving, that the OSU Assist team members ask you about vehicle 10, the police need to be called.

Pull over ONLY if the OSU Assist team members say so.
Radio the NOLs and ask them if Vehicle 10 is on.
Let them know if you are pulling over or are continuing to your destination.
The NOLs will call the police and send them to your location/destination.
When meet with the police, exit the vehicle, provide them all information that you can give, and keep the keys with you.

If either of these above things happen, SUBMIT AN INCIDENT REPORT.

End of the ride:

Reaching your destination:

OSU Assist members may or may not exit with the passenger. You do not need to wait for them to finish up.
If they need to be picked up later, they will call our dispatch line for a ride.
If asked to stay, it will only be temporary.

Things to note:

Mandatory reporter:

You are a mandatory/responsible employee who needs to report anything that falls under Title IX disclosures: Sexual assault, IPV, Gender based discrimination.

After the ride:

You have the option to debrief with the OSU Assist team after the ride, either later that night or in the following days. Submit an IR requesting us to get you in contact with their team, and we will make that happen.
If you are stressed from the ride and need to go home from the shift early, that is totally fine.

Recognize the passenger:

If you recognize the passenger, be kind and acknowledge them, but don't ask what is going on or why they are with OSU Assist. If, for some reason, you overhear something in the vehicle when the passenger is someone you know- you will have to include their information in your report.

Why SafeRide?

You might be asking, why is SafeRide helping with this initiative and not DPS (the Department of Public Safety? This is to de-stigmatize the idea of asking for help. It wouldn't be helpful if someone asked for help then was put in a police vehicle, transporting them to where they want to go. We are excited to be part of this initiative and help students feel more safe on campus!

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