Behavioral Intervention Teams
Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is common name associated with college or university multi-disciplinary teams which review reports, coordinate response, and follow up with students or employees who may be risk to themselves or others.
Most cases originate from reports from faculty, administrative staff, university police, and residential life. The cases the teams handle range in focus, but most involve aspects of noted shift a persons mental health. Teams review academic, behavioral and emotional, and physical indicators and use those to same items to training people on signs of distress to look for on campus.
History[edit]
Although some campuses had informal teams which looked at student violence or mental health situations for years it wasn't until the Virginia Tech Shootings that most campuses realized the need for a formalized team, set of protocols, regular meeting structure, and targeted training. Some states and university systems now have legal directives to have such teams.
Membership[edit]
Membership varies from campus to campus and often involves a set group of inner-circle members who regular attend meetings and have direct ability to influence or make decisions as well as have close 1:1 communications with students. Often times there is middle and even outer circle of membership who are pulled in occasionally for their expertise in a specific field, have institutional memory on a situation/policy/student, or direct contact with the individual being discussed.
The most common members would be a Dean of Students or VP of Student Affairs, Director of Student Health, Director of Counseling Services, Director of Housing (if residential campus), Director of Student Conduct, and Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police. Other membership can include representatives from Faculty Affairs, Human Resources, Title IX, Case Managers, Director of Disability Services, etc. Staff normally not on the team but that can provide guidance or perspective include Directors Cross Cultural Offices, Directors of GLBTA Centers, Legal Council, Risk Management, Athletics, Fraternity and Sorority Life, etc.
Most teams designated a Chair from the membership to facilitates the meeting, creates agendas, meeting notes, and coordinates the official records of the cases reviewed. With growing numbers of cases reviewed some teams are looking to hire Directors of BIT or Case Managers to facilitate the meetings, provide internal and external training, and give additional follow up to the cases.
Team Name[edit]
According to the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA)[1], Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is the most common term for such groups other terms such as Student Crisis Action Team (SCAT), Communicating Action Response for Emergency (CARE), Students of Concern (SOC) Committee, Campus Assessment Team, and Behavioral Assessment Team (BAT) also exist.
Training and Resources[edit]
Some campuses have created extensive resources for employees including training sessions/presentations, websites, and resources lists.
The California State University System (CSU) and University of California [2](UC) System have both created a digital and physical Red Folder resource which provides listing of signs of students in distress, resources to connect them to, and ways to report such behavior.
Best Practices[edit]
Although it can still be seen as a newer part of student affairs programs withing higher education there are a number of professional organizations who offer specialized training, certification, help guide best practices. National/International organizations such as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Behavioral Intervention Team Association NaBITA[3], and Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) to name a few
References[edit]
- ↑ "Balancing Safety and Support on Campus: A Guide for Campus Teams" (PDF). Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA). Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ↑ "Red Folder Initiative". Red Folder Initiative. University of California. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ↑ National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NaBITA) https://nabita.org/. Retrieved 16 September 2015. Missing or empty
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