Threat Assessments

What are Threat Assessments?

According to NASP (2014), “Threat assessment is a violence prevention strategy that involves:

1. identifying student threats to commit a violent act
2. determining the seriousness of the threat
3. developing intervention plans that protect potential victims and address the underlying problem or conflict that stimulated the threatening behavior”

What are the main components of a Threat Assessment?

Assessment: evaluation and classification of the threat
- Transient (quick/easy resolution)
- Substantive (serious intent of harm with plan)
Intervention: appropriate response and intervention
- Notification and involvement of parents
- Connection to additional community and school resources
- Written safety plan
- Suicide risk assessment (as needed) (NASP, n.d.)

When should a Threat Assessment be Completed?

As soon as a concern is identified. This results in a higher probability to provide necessary resources and prevent negative outcomes (Amman, et al., 2017)

Who completes a Threat Assessment?

“A multidisciplinary team of trained professionals, including a school mental health professional, administrators and school resource officer or local law enforcement” (NASP, n.d.).

Why complete a Threat Assessment?

Increases positive outcomes (NASP, 2014):
- “fewer instances of bullying”
- “perceptions of a more positive and supportive school climate”
- “greater willingness to seek help”
- “fewer long-term suspensions”
“Provides a valuable opportunity to identify students at risk for a variety of mental health problems and guide appropriate interventions and supports” (NASP, 2014)
Provides an alternative to the Zero-Tolerance Policy

Best Practices & Recommendations

“All school districts should develop and implement threat assessment procedures that are clearly communicated to staff and families”(NASP, n.d.).
“Effective procedures to assess threats include establishing district-wide policies and procedures, creating interdisciplinary assessment teams, and educating the school community.” (NASP, 2014)
Schools should create Behavior Threat Assessment and Management teams (BTAM) to support school safety (Reeves & Brock, 2018)
Virginia Model for Student Threat Assessment is a recommended model to follow.
Although certain behaviors are associated with violence, practitioners should be careful not to “profile” students as this can cause unwarranted stigma (Depue, 2019; Randazzo et al., 2005)
Schools should help students feel comfortable confidentially reporting any known threats so they can be quickly addressed (Modzeleski & Randazzo, 2018)

References

Amman, M., Bowlin, M., Buckles, L., Burton, K. C., Brunell, K. F., Gibson, K. A., … Robins, C. J.

(2017). Making prevention a reality: Identifying, assessing, and managing the threat of targeted attacks.

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

Depue, R. (2019). Red Flags, Warning Signs and Indicators.

Modzeleski, W., & Randazzo, M. R. (2018). School Threat Assessment in the USA: Lessons Learned from 15 Years of

Teaching and Using the Federal Model to Prevent School Shootings. Contemporary School Psychology, 22(2), 109 115.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). (n.d.) Threat Assessments at School.

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/school-safety-and-criss/threat-assessment-at-

school

NASP School Safety and Crisis Response Committee. (2014). Threat Assessment for School Administrators and Crisis

Teams. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Randazzo, M. R., Borum, R., Vossekuil, B., Fein, R., Modzeleski, W., & Pollack, W. (2006). Threat assessment in

schools: Empirical support and comparison with other approaches. Handbook of school violence and school safety:

From research to practice, 147-156.

Reeves, M. A. L., & Brock, S. E. (2018). Responding to students who threaten violence: Helping handout for the school

[Handout]. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Threat Assessments

SCHOOL SAFETY