Behavioral Intervention Team

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What is the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) at Rio Salado College?

A functional area of the Office of Conduct and Community Standards at Rio Salado College (RSC), the BIT is composed of college stakeholders and has a defined mission statement and goals.

Mission Statement: The BIT is a college-wide group of appointed staff and faculty responsible for identifying, assessing, and responding to concerns and disruptive behaviors by students, faculty, staff, and the college community who struggle academically, emotionally, or psychologically or who present a risk to the health or safety of the college or its members.

BIT’s Goals:

  • Provide a safe and supportive environment for members of the college community
  • Gather, assess, and deploy interventions with individuals who demonstrate concerning or threatening behavior
  • Provide support and resources to the college community members who are concerned for another individual

The BIT meets bi-weekly to assess and provide interventions for reports of individuals of concern. Following the guidance and best practices of the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NaBITA), the BIT utilizes an objective risk rubric to conduct risk assessments and implement interventions related to potential indicators of disruptive behavior, self-harm, and the risk of violence to others.

Report a Concern

All members of the college community are encouraged to report a concern related to disruptive behavior in the learning and work environments, thoughts of suicide or other acts of self-harm, and threats of physical harm to others. For more information about what constitutes disruptive and threatening behavior, please review the Frequently Asked Questions below.

Questions

Disruptive behavior is “conduct that materially and substantially interferes with or obstructs the teaching or learning process in the context of a classroom or educational setting/ facility, which includes educational or professional internships, clinical placements, or other experiential learning opportunities. Disruptive behavior also includes conduct that materially interferes with or obstructs college business operation” (see MCCCD’s 2.5.2 Student Conduct Code).

According to the 2.5.2 Student Conduct Code, “Threatening behavior” means any written or oral statement, communication, conduct or gesture directed toward any member of the college community, which causes a reasonable apprehension of physical harm to self, others, or property. It does not matter whether the person communicating the threat has the ability to carry it out, or whether the threat is made on a present, conditional, or future basis.”

By making a report, college community members show that they care about the individuals of concern and the community. Their reports activate the BIT’s timely assessment and intervention response to support the individual of concern and promote the safety of the college community. 

To report an individual of concern to the BIT, please complete the CARE Report. While the primary reports to the BIT stem from student concerns, the BIT will sometimes review and assess concerns involving staff, faculty, or other college community members to ensure a safe learning environment. If there is a crisis, please follow the Counseling Crisis Procedures and review the Frequently Asked Questions below.

A crisis is a situation in which an individual threatens to harm oneself or others or experiences a medical episode.

Please review the steps outlined in the Counseling Crisis Procedures and submit a CARE Report to the BIT.

Yes. The following are resources.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 988
Mental Health Crisis Line: call (602) 222-9444
Crisis Response Network Warm Line: call (602) 347-1100

BIT Members

The BIT is comprised of the following core members:

  • Tafari Osayande (Co-Chair), Associate Dean of Community Standards and Title IX/504 Coordinator
  • Dr. Karol Schmidt (Co-Chair), Dean of Institutional Effectiveness
  • Mitra Mehraban, Co-Faculty Chair Counseling and Career Development
  • Jennifer Moore, Faculty Chair Psychology
  • Kate Packer, Director of Student Affairs
  • Cecilia Strabala, Commander of Public Safety
  • David Windsor, Sergeant of Public Safety
  • David Garza Lopez, Officer of Public Safety

Based on circumstances and content knowledge, other staff and faculty may serve the BIT in a consultation capacity to assist with implementing interventions.

Resources