BEST Academy
Training Resources
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Multi-Disciplinary Team Approach (MDT)
February 19, 2025 12:00 – 4:00 PM PT
February 20, 2025 12:00 – 4:00 PM PT
Behavioral Intervention Teams
Standards for BIT/CARE and Threat Teams
Our BIT/CARE team assessment rubric looks at thirty-five key items for optimal team functioning. This document provides descriptions for each item and the supporting research.
Building a Concern Form
This paper offers general discussion points and template examples for building out the form to use to collect information from community members.
Building a Team Website
Marketing your team its services is crucial to BIT/CARE work. You need to educate and train your community around the importance of sharing concerns with the team. This includes an effective and informative website.
Behavioral Threat Assessment Units
The National Threat Assessment Center's guide for law enforcement forming behavioral intervention teams to prevent violence.
Threat Assessment
Be prepared if a student at your school makes a threat.
This policy includes all the forms and tools you need to gather information on the threat, assess the risk, develop a plan, and monitor the student.
We can also help you customize the plan for your school, provide fillable PDF forms, and train your teachers and staff on how to assess and respond to disruptive and dangerous behaviors.
View excerpts here. Contact CTC for more information.
Cleveland vs. Taft Union: Court Opinion
The court's opinion in the Cleveland vs. Taft case, in which the school was found to be largely responsible for the attack.
Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model
A guide for preventing school shootings from the National Threat Assessment Center.
The Evolving Nature of Threat and Violence Risk Assessment
While focused on college counselors, this article provides insight for K12 staff into the differing purposes of psychological evaluations and threat assessments.
Threat Assessment Glossary
A glossary of terms used in threat and violence risk assessment.
Cleveland vs. Taft Union: Threat Assessment Team Negligence
This article examines the shooting at Taft Union High School and the school's response to the warning signs prior to the attack.
Recognize: How You Can Notice the Warning Signs of Violence
A CISA fact sheet on recognizing the warning signs in someone who may be on a path to violence.
The Role of Warning Behaviors in Threat Assessment
The concept of warning behaviors offers an additional perspective in threat assessment. Warning behaviors are acts which constitute evidence of increasing or accelerating risk.
Types of Threat
An exploration of the types of threats and the components that make up a threat.
Active Assailant Response
Active Shooter Event Quick Reference Guide
A brief guide to run, hide, fight from the Department of Homeland Security.
Debunking the Myths: Mental Illness and Mass Shootings
This article addresses the assumption that mental illness equates to dangerousness and violence as it relates to mass shootings.
Active Shooter: How to Respond
The Department of Homeland Security offers this guide for responding to active shooters and training staff in active-shooter response.
Five Facts about Mass Shooting in K-12 Schools
A summary of the National Institute of Justice's research into mass shootings.
De-Escalation and Intervention
A Review of Crisis De‐escalation Techniques
This paper explores the literature available on crisis de-escalation methods in K-12 and higher education.
De-Escalation: How You Can Help Defuse Potentially Violent Situations
CISA's infosheet on crisis de-escalation
Creating Intervention Plans with Students
Recommendations for intervening with at-risk students effectively.
Referral Checklist and Service Audit
Suggestions for developing Interventions to ensure a high likelihood of follow through and buy-in from those being offered the intervention.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Back-to-School Safety Preparation
This checklist offers safety and security suggestions for K12 schools.
Crisis Media Relations for Educators
Schools and school districts will eventually be faced with navigating a crisis. The guide helps prepare you for the onslaught of questions from parents, the media, and community stakeholders.
K-12 Emergency Operation Plans vs. Emergency Guidebooks
A school emergency operation plan (EOP) and a school emergency guidebook (wall flipcharts) are essential documents designed to keep students, staff, and visitors safe during a crisis or critical incident.
Creating a Logistics Resource Binder for Your K-12 School
Helpful guidance in building a logistics binder to facilitate obtaining the resources and services the school community will need in the immediate aftermath of the event.
Emergency Plan Ready Sheet
This handy chart provides guidance on responding to a variety of emergency events and alerts.
Two-Way Radio Use in the Educational Environment
This useful guide on two-way radio communication offers information about these devices, guidance on how they should be used, and language that is commonly agreed upon.
Case Examples: Transient or Substantive Threat?
Please rate your stress level related to the following issues on a scale of 1–5 where:
1 = Not a concern
2 = I see others worry
3 = No strong feeling
4 = I worry about this
5 = A big concern for me