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Threat Identification and Assessment Programs in Schools

Threat Identification and Assessment Programs in Schools

What does this solve?

The most important thing that schools can do to prevent active shooter incidents—and gun violence overall—is to intervene before a person commits an act of violence. Threat assessment and identification programs allow schools to intervene to address potential violent behavior.

Threat assessment programs help keep guns out of schools. These programs help schools identify students who are at risk of committing violence and resolve these incidents by getting the students the help they need. Effective programs work to identify threats, determine if a student has access to guns, and ensure that there are enough professionals available to provide students with mental health services. Threat assessment programs are a critical part of comprehensive school safety plans.

Which states require in-school threat assessment teams?

10 states have adopted this policy

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

School Threat Assessment Teams

Alabama has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Alaska has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Arizona has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

California has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Colorado has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Connecticut has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Delaware has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Florida has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Georgia has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Hawaii has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Idaho has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Illinois has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Indiana has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Iowa has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Kansas has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Kentucky has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Maine has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Maryland has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Massachusetts has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Michigan has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Minnesota has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Missouri has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Montana has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Nebraska has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Nevada has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

New Jersey has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

New Mexico has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

New York has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

North Carolina has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Ohio has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Oregon has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Tennessee has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Texas has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Utah has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Vermont has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Virginia has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Washington has adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

West Virginia has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

School Threat Assessment Teams

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

How it Works

Threat assessment teams are unanimously recommended by school safety experts including the federal Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The programs generally consist of multidisciplinary teams that are specifically trained to intervene at the earliest warning signs of potential violence and divert those who would do harm to themselves or others to appropriate treatment. These evidence-based programs are not designed to rely on discipline or the criminal justice system, and proper implementation is key to prevent undue harm to students of color or students with disabilities.

A model program is The Comprehensive Student Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG), formerly known as the Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines, which was created by Dr. Dewey Cornell at the University of Virginia. CSTAG is a national leader in school-based threat assessment. The program is also listed on the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices.

By the numbers

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Threat Identification and Assessment Programs in Schools

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