3.24 Behavioral Intervention Team


(Adopted 3-4-2019)

East Central College recognizes the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) as an official College team. It is the responsibility of the team to review behavioral incidents and concerns and ensure a systematic response to students whose behavior may be disruptive or harmful to themselves or other members of the College community.

Procedures (Adopted 3-4-2019)

3.24.1 Team Charges

The specific BIT charges are:

  1. Assess student situations when concerning behaviors are identified.
  2. Consult with administration, faculty, staff, and other students affected by concerning behaviors.
  3. Coordinate the College response to a violent, threatening, or significantly disruptive student or a student’s situation.
  4. Develop a specific strategy to manage the threatening, disrupting, or concerning behavior with regard to the safety and rights of others, as well as those of the student at issue, and to minimize the disruption to the College community.
  5. Make recommendations to responsible College officials on appropriate action consistent with College policy and procedure statements, and with state and federal law.

3.24.2 Team Composition (Revised 12-6-2021)

  1. The BIT is chaired by the Chief Student Affairs Officer (CSAO) or a designee.
  2. The core members include:
    1. Chief Student Affairs Officer
    2. Director of Advising and Counseling Services
    3. Up to two licensed Counselors or Social Workers on staff
    4. Campus Police Officer(s)

    The auxiliary members include:

    1. Up to two faculty appointed by the Chief Academic Affairs Officer
    2. One representative from Rolla Campus appointed by the site director
  3. The CSAO may consult with other College officials as needed and request that other College officials serve on the team in specific situations.

3.24.3 Operations and Procedures Guidelines for Case Management (Revised 12-6-2021)

  1. At the beginning of each fall and spring semester, the CSAO or designee will send a notice to faculty and staff, through appropriate communication channels, stating the team is available for consultation when they are concerned about potentially harmful, threatening, or disruptive behavior of a student or students.
  2. Emergency or extreme situations immediately by calling 911 if a student displays an imminent threat to self or others, or serious disruptive or threatening behavior.
  3. A student’s behavior that is not extreme or severe should be reported to the BIT. Once the report is received, the CSAO or designee will present the case to the BIT for an assessment and develop an appropriate response plan. The BIT’s response will be based on the nature of the behavior, the severity of the risk, and the needs of the student and will be consistent with the codes of conduct, mandatory reporting responsibilities, and applicable laws.
  4. The core team meets weekly, but in a time-sensitive high-risk situation a special team meeting may be called by any member.
  5. The team uses the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association’s threat assessment to support interventions.
  6. The desired outcome of a consultation and or intervention with a student by a member of BIT is to recommend a course of action. Specific issues to be considered in a consultation or intervention include assessment of potential violence, evidence of mental illness as the possible cause of behavior, containment of disruption, appropriate referral resources, and setting appropriate behavioral boundaries within existing College policies.

3.24.4 Case Information and Confidentiality Procedures

Members of the Team may provide each other, faculty, staff, and students involved in a particular case, or outside parties in connection with the situation, with information as is necessary to protect the health, safety, and privacy of the student or other persons, and to generate a recommended course of action, in accordance with applicable legal and professional standards of confidentiality, including the release of information pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.