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Amnesty Eligibility

To be eligible for Amnesty, you must complete the following three steps.

Call

call graphicCall for help. In substance use medical emergencies, immediate action should be taken so that you can get help  for the person in need as soon as possible.  

Who to call:

Keep in Mind

  1. Make the call in private if you are worried about retaliation for calling professional help.  
  2. Remain calm and answer all questions to the best of your knowledge that may be asked by emergency personnel or University staff.  
  3. Be prepared to provide accurate information such as your specific address and room/apartment number, condition of the student, etc. 
  4. If you cannot make the call yourself (DIRECT HELP), get someone who can (INDIRECT HELP). Involve a responsible person, such as an RA on duty, party host, Sober Sister or Risk Manager
  5. If you are in a residence hall, you should always contact the RA/CSO on duty after you’ve called for help. 

Stay

stay graphicStay in place with the person until responding staff or emergency personnel arrive and they inform the student caller that their assistance is no longer needed. While you wait:

  1. Try to gather information (ask friends, look in wallet, look for medical ID bracelet or information) for the EMTs such as: 
    1. How much alcohol the person consumed 
    2. How long the person had been drinking 
    3. Any medical conditions or allergies 
    4. Any other drugs the person consumed, etc.
  2. You may not know how much they’ve had to drink, so their BAC could rise dangerously while unconscious. For that reason, don’t leave them alone. 
  3. Manage the other people around the area and delegate responsibilities to others if possible. This could look like controlling the crowd to give the individual space. 
  4. Make sure the individual is in a safe place.
  5. If it is safe to do so, put the person in the recovery position, a stop-gap measure until emergency help/assistance arrives. The recovery position may help by causing the vomit to drain away from the mouth and prevent them from aspirating or choking. Here is a helpful video about the recovery position. 

If You Encounter Someone Who is Unconscious

  1. Do NOT let the person "sleep it off." If their BAC is high enough, they may slip into an alcohol induced coma. 
  2. Do NOT leave the person alone. 
  3. Do NOT leave the person lying on their back. 
  4. Do NOT try to give the person anything to eat or drink. 
  5. Do NOT put the person in a cold shower. 

Cooperate

cooperate graphic

Cooperate with emergency officials once they arrive, including emergency medical technicians, NUPD, Evanston police, CSOs, RAs and Resident Directors.

Emergency officials are in charge once they arrive. You must answer all questions to the best of your ability to ensure they have the correct information. You must also cooperate with University staff, including those from the Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness (CSAW).  

 

 

 

Next Steps

Follow ups after an incident might include one-on-one meetings with CSAW, educational interventions or other wellness measures.

FAQs

Can Amnesty be used more than once?

Amnesty is not a one-time use policy. If you are in a substance use emergency again, you can follow the call, stay and cooperate steps to receive Amnesty again.

Is Amnesty only applied if I call for help for someone else?

Amnesty applies when you call for help for yourself or others, including student groups.

Where can I find the Amnesty Policy in the Student Handbook?

More information can be found in the section titled, "Amnesty for Taking Responsible Action in Response to Impairment or Overdoses Involving Alcohol, Cannabis, and/or Other Drugs" starting on page 13 in the Student Handbook.