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Behavioral Threat Assessment

What is Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA)?

Threat assessment teams use a systematic process to investigate concerning behaviors and communications to evaluate the risk of violence. The goal is prevention and to provide intervention and support for students who are at risk of violence. The threat assessment process is also focused on supporting victims or potential victims and taking appropriate measures to maintain a safe and secure school environment.

Facts & Questions

BTA Teams by Building

Addressing Concerning Behaviors & Threats of Violence in OPS

When a student demonstrates concerning behaviors or communicates direct or indirect threats that may pose a danger to the safety of students or staff, a threat assessment team conducts a risk assessment. The team includes the following as needed:

A threat assessment may be initiated by such events as verbal threats, aggressive behaviors, and other concerning communications, writings, drawings, and behaviors that do not essentially involve threatening statements or actions.

We know from research that "making a threat" is not a necessary condition for "posing a threat" to self or others, so our focus is on early-staged red flag behaviors before they escalate to violence or a threatening situation. Therefore, we interchangeably use the terms "risk assessment" and "threat assessment" to emphasize that our focus is on preventing risk, not only reacting to expressed threats.

The Risk Assessment Process