Coaching School Threat Management Teams
Enhancing Threat Assessment Practices
Improving School Safety
Improving school safety through the creation of a coaching-based and school assessment process for evaluating threats towards youth. Project SAFETY-2 is a collaborative project between the University of South Florida (USF) and a local school district funded by a STOP School Violence Grant through the Bureau of JusticeAssistance (BJA).
Childhood exposure to violence is a rising public health concern that has increased over the past decade. Rising numbers of school-related incidents have garnered significant attention from school stakeholders, all united by the goal of keeping students safe.
One effective approach to preventing school violence is implementing a comprehensive threat management process. The Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) process enables teams to investigate threats and implement interventions before violence occurs.
Over the past three years, district partners have refined BTAM procedures across the district. This project aims to provide targeted support to School-Based Threat Management Teams (SBTMTs) through an evidence-based coaching model, Practice-Based Coaching, supported by district-level mental health clinicians.
A cyclical process for supporting teams in implementing effective threat assessment and management practices, including:
Teams may complete surveys or participate in focus groups to share insights on their functioning and receive feedback on the coaching process.
Our impact report from the 2023-2024 school year demonstrates the positive outcomes and contributions Project SAFETY-2 has made through our partnership with the local school district. Within this comprehensive report, our qualitative and quantitative data highlights our progress and achievements in meeting our project goals.
Impact Report
Reflections on Coaching from School Threat Management Teams
It [Coaching] required us to conceptualize how things are going to work, and if things are not working, to have the ability to have that dialogue and communicate.
School Threat Management TeamIt [Coaching] gave us something to reflect on and perhaps change our professional practice or seek professional development or change our workflow.
School Threat Management Team
