The South Dakota State University Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) seeks to identify those who are or may be at risk of harm to self or others. The early identification is crucial to the mitigation of risk.
BIT enlists the support of all in a community-wide effort to ensure the safety and security of the community.
- This process relies heavily on community members caring about those with whom they live and work.
- Behavioral intervention is a restorative, not a punitive process that takes action for and not to members of the community who have exhibited concerning behavior.
The BIT seeks to identify and reduce potential sources of conflict before they result in harm.
- The BIT is responsible for evaluating reports of threatening and concerning behaviors.
- All concerns and complaints must and will be taken seriously and will be reviewed and addressed.
- The BIT understands that at times members of the community will come to the attention of the team when little or no need exists for further assessment or case management.
The BIT has established operating procedures to identify, access and manage threats that pose a danger to an individual's own safety and/or to the safety of others. When an assessment of a concern or threat is deemed necessary, one of two actions are available.
- The assessment may indicate that no current threat to self or others exist, but the behavior of the person is unhealthy and if not addressed may cause additional and more serious problems. In this instance, more appropriate campus and/or community resources may be used to address the behavior.
- The assessment may indicate the need for an intervention which may include a management plan developed by the BIT in cooperation with the appropriate existing university resource(s). In this case the appropriate resource(s) will be responsible for implementing the plan and will report to BIT.
Violence or threatening behaviors that are violations of law and/or university policy may result in action taken through referral to the appropriate campus processes and referrals. The BIT will not take direct action but will coordinate information sharing and design, implementation and monitor progress of a management plan.
Behaviors do not have to be violations of the law to be of concern. In addition to illegal conduct such as threats, assault and harassment, the BIT may also review instances of changed or changing behaviors that may singularly or in combination, generate concern. These behaviors include but are not limited to:
- Suicidal comments or threats
- Disruptive actions
- Increased absenteeism from work or class
- Incidents involving other members of the community
- disturbing communications
- Violations of university policies and procedures
- Reduction in academic or employee performance
As stated in "How You Can Help" and "Identifying and Responding to a Situation", you should use the appropriate resources depending on the situation. It is the responsibility of the campus resource to inform the BIT of the situation.
Behavioral Intervention Team FAQs
As a community of caring and understanding the behavioral intervention process is restorative and not punitive. The purpose of the team is to facilitate timely communication among different campus departments about behavioral concerns related to students, employees, visitors and other affiliated, as well as non-affiliated persons, in order to identify individuals in distress as early as possible. Having this central repository of information will allow the team to recommend interventions and case management strategies that connect community members with needed resources and de-escalate any threat to the community. The purpose of this team is not to profile individuals or target community members for disciplinary actions or sanctions; rather the team’s goal is to use the expertise of team members to accurately identify threats and defuse them in a timely manner.
The Behavioral Intervention Team is a multidisciplinary team composed of individuals from various constituencies on campus to allow for effective collaboration and coordination of efforts. Team members include representatives from: Student Affairs, Residential Life and Housing, Counseling Center, University Police Department, Division of Technology and Security, Athletics, Human Resources and Academics.
Anyone who feels an individual is a threat to self or others, or is exhibiting concerning, disruptive, worrisome or threatening behaviors, can make a referral, including students, parents, faculty, staff and other community members.
All concerns requiring immediate attention (potentially criminal activity, violent, threatening or imminent suicidal behavior) should first be directed to the police department by calling 111 from a campus phone or 911 from a cellular or off campus phone. The UPD non-emergency number is 605-688-5117.
If a member of the university community or a visitor to the campus behaves in a way that is concerning, disruptive, worrisome or poses a potential threat to the safety and well-being of the campus community or any member of it, such behaviors should be reported to the Behavioral Intervention Team.
Experience shows that tragedies affecting college campuses are very often preceded by warning signs or patterns of behavior. Early communication and intervention may help to prevent an escalation of behaviors to critical levels. Therefore, report any behavior that is troubling or makes you concerned. It is better to be safe than sorry.
If you believe that the person may pose a threat of imminent danger of harm to themselves or to others, call 111 from a campus phone or 911 from a cellular or off campus phone. The non-emergency number for UPD is 605-688-5117.
To make a referral to the team, click on the Behavioral Intervention reporting form links. You will be asked for basic information about the person of concern, a description of the incident or behaviors that prompted you to make a referral and your contact information. Anonymous referrals are accepted but discouraged. Identifying yourself assists the team if clarification or additional information is needed. Submitting your name also gives the referral more credibility.
The team receives and prioritizes the information, then immediately begins further investigation. You will likely be contacted for clarification and additional information if you have included your contact information in the report. Often the initial report is just one piece of the puzzle. A behavior that someone observes can turn out to be an isolated incident and no cause for further concern or it may be an indication of a larger problem that needs to be addressed. The team attempts to understand the whole of a person's behavior patterns before making any recommendations for action.
All information will be considered strictly confidential and will only be released within established university guidelines and legal mandates as necessary to accomplish the team’s mission. All team members understand and agree that confidentiality is required and inappropriate divulgence of information is strictly prohibited.
Remember that the behavioral intervention process is restorative and not punitive and is designed to identify those at risk of harm to self or others so that the underlying conditions that are causing the behaviors can be addressed. Something that may appear to be a minor incident to you may be part of a larger pattern unknown to you. Early and effective communication among key offices and individuals is crucial to identifying problems before they get bigger and more difficult to manage. The guiding mission of the threat assessment team is that of early intervention in order to understand what is happening and try to intervene before a situation escalates and attempt to resolve a situation BEFORE someone "gets in trouble." The goal is to promote the safety of the individual and campus through early intervention. The team takes into account the concerns of the campus, as well as the needs of the student, faculty or staff member about whom concerns are expressed. Whether the information will adversely affect the individual's student or employment status will depend on the situation. Frequently, when a situation is identified early enough, and reported, it can be resolved without the need for disciplinary action or criminal prosecution against the person involved. If you are unsure about whether or not you should say something, report it! Trust your instincts.
You are acting in the best interest of that person and the community when you report a concern based on an observed behavior (e.g., verbal exchange, hostile interaction, etc.), not making a determination or judgment about the individual. There is no expectation that reporters make judgments about whether their observations are "right" or "wrong." Let the team weigh all the information available, gather further data if warranted and determine the best course of action. The university does not permit retaliation against any individual who reports a concerning or troubling behavior in good faith.
Typically the person will not be aware they have been referred to the Behavioral Intervention Team. The team is respectful of any and all information they receive and treat it as confidential as possible. Secondly the team does not usually take direct action. The team is responsible for collecting information from across campus to determine the level of risk, if any, and determining a management plan; if one is necessary and tasking existing campus departments with carrying out the plan.
Anonymous referrals are accepted but discouraged. The team will attempt to handle all matters discreetly, but cannot guarantee the person(s) involved will not be able to determine the source of the report. The university will not attempt to determine the identity of an anonymous reporter unless there is an imminent threat of harm or the reporting system is being abused. The university does not permit retaliation against any individual who reports a concerning or troubling behavior in good faith.
That depends on the situation. Various privacy and confidentiality laws apply to the situations handled by the team. A member of the team will follow up with the person making the referral when appropriate and possibly to let them know the continuing action or closed status of the referral.
No. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) expressly permits the sharing of any and all information from you to the Team.
The team does not enact sanctions or administer policy regarding referrals; however, the team can:
- Communicate with other offices and individuals on campus to seek relevant information on the current behavior of the individual.
- Share information with team members to evaluate the potential risk to the individual or community.
- Develop specific strategies to manage potentially harmful or disruptive behavior to protect both the safety and rights of both the individual and the community.
- Assist employees in developing a plan of action to minimize the threat and assist the person of concern in obtaining necessary resources.
- Recommend medical/psychological evaluation and/or request permission to receive such records.
- Coordinate and share information with other offices on campus that may take actions such as:
- Evaluation for immediate emergency response (by the police or other outside agencies).
- Provision of continued support to the individual (e.g., academic advising, Dean of Students Office, Counseling Services, etc.).
- Emergency notification of others.
- Parental/guardian notification.
As a member of a caring community, you have an obligation to the individual and the community to report concerning and threatening behavior. You should not attempt to “solve” the problem of the individual. You are simply asked to share your concerns or fears with members of the community who have the ability to take action in the best interest of the individual.