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Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management

UAB and UAB Medicine

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Guidelines

 

I. Introduction and Objective

 

A. Overview

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine (“UAB”) are committed to promoting a safe, secure, and non-threatening campus environment. Intimidating, threatening, or potentially violent behaviors are disruptive to UAB’s objective of a secure atmosphere for its Students, Employees, and Visitors (as defined below). As used herein, UAB includes the multiple legal entities engaging in activities in support of its tri-part educational, research and patient care mission.

A Steering Committee led by senior officials at UAB has created the UAB and UAB Medicine Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team (“BTAM”), an interdisciplinary team of individuals who have designed and implemented a process for identifying, assessing, and managing behavioral threats posed to Students, Employees, and Visitors.

While it is impossible to eliminate all risk, the following behavioral threat assessment guidelines are designed to educate members of the UAB community on how to report alarming/threatening behavior and/or potentially violent acts and how this information will generally be assessed and analyzed. UAB considers any situation in which an individual presents a violent risk to the campus community as serious in nature. UAB encourages all members of the campus community to maintain a reasonable concern for their own self-welfare as well as the welfare of others.

 

B. Vision

The vision of UAB and the BTAM Team is a safe, secure, and healthy UAB campus environment for Students, Employees, and Visitors.

 

C. Mission

UAB and the BTAM Team collaborate and coordinate, through ongoing and periodic communication within the team and with others, to proactively and effectively evaluate and manage behavioral threats to the safety and well-being of Students, Employees, and Visitors.

 

D. Scope - Who Is Covered By These Guidelines

These guidelines shall apply to all Students, Employees, and Visitors. These guidelines also apply to activities and events that occur on UAB-owned or controlled property, buildings, premises, facilities, etc., and to activities and events, regardless of the location, sponsored by UAB or by any UAB-recognized organizations.

These guidelines are not intended to be a set of inflexible requirements, nor are they intended to limit the appropriate discretion of officials as warranted by the specific circumstances of a particular individual/incident. The BTAM Team is a problem-solving resource and not a replacement for appropriate managerial action. These guidelines do not provide for adjudication of misconduct by UAB, or discipline of, or imposition of sanctions on UAB Students, Employees, or Visitors. Discipline or other action may be taken, however, against individuals whose behavior is addressed under these guidelines, pursuant to UAB’s employee or student disciplinary policies and procedures as well as applicable federal, state, or local laws. These guidelines do not have the force and effect of law.

 

E. Definitions

  • Student: Any individual enrolled at UAB in any of the recognized admission categories (undergraduate, graduate, etc.).
  • Employee: Any individual with an employment relationship with UAB, including, but not limited to, exempt or nonexempt staff, faculty, adjunct faculty, graduate research assistants, graduate teaching assistants, post-doctoral researchers/teachers/fellows (who have an employment relationship with UAB), student workers, leased employees, and contract employees.
  • Visitor: Any individual who is not currently enrolled as a student or employed with UAB (e.g., visitors, retirees, volunteers, former students, former employees, patients, invitees, independent contractors, licensees, trespassers, etc.).

 

II. Roles and Responsibilities

 

A. Managers and Supervisors

The BTAM Team is a problem-solving resource, not a replacement for appropriate managerial action. Managers or supervisors who are UAB employees and have the responsibility and authority to take action in a case involving campus violence, threats of violence, and risks of disruption/alarming behavior must implement all approved recommendations from UAB officials involved in the assessment of such a situation (e.g. – Triage Team or BTAM Team).

 

B. Triage Team

The Triage Team is a component of the BTAM Team. The Triage Team will review, analyze, and assess identified alarming/threatening behavior that has the potential to result in acts of violence against the UAB community. The Triage Team has the authority and discretion to obtain/review pertinent UAB information, to review UAB personnel files, to take statements from relevant UAB parties, and to interpret UAB policies. If appropriate, the Triage Team will provide the results of the assessment to the BTAM Team for further review/action, or refer the matter to other UAB officials for further monitoring or action as needed. (As of 2019, the role of the functions and role of the Triage Team were incorporated in to those of the BTAM Team.)

 

C. Behavioral Threat Assessment Management Team

The BTAM Team is tasked with reviewing alarming/threatening behavior and potential acts of violence which have been previously assessed and forwarded by the Triage Team. The BTAM Team will employ their judgment and discretion in working toward a recommended reasonable response to such behavior. Each situation is unique and must be addressed based on individual circumstances. If necessary, the BTAM Team may consult with other subject matter experts. When appropriate, the BTAM Team will recommend a course of action to the other UAB officials for further monitoring or action as needed.

The responsibilities of the BTAM Team generally, but not always, include the following:

  • To review provided information regarding a reported threat or potential act of violence and identify its elements.
  • To categorize the Level of Concern for a reported specific threat or potential act of violence and recommend a reasonable response. Also, in the case of a completed act of violence, to determine, with the available information, the risk of any additional acts of violence.
  • To develop a case management strategy for addressing any perceived threat or act of violence and to determine a plan for implementing that strategy including reasonable monitoring as needed. This may include referring matters to offices and officials as needed for additional assessment.
  • To receive, review, and catalog information about UAB community concerns regarding UAB community member behavior.
  • To engage in ongoing refinement of BTAM Team procedures and protocols to foster optimal BTAM Team functioning and interface with the University community.

 

D. Human Resources

Human Resources (HR) may be consulted in assessments involving campus violence, threats of violence and disruptive/alarming behavior related to UAB employees.

 

E. CARE Team (Communicate, Assess, Refer, Educate)

The purpose of the CARE Team is to serve as a central network focused on prevention and early intervention in community situations involving Students experiencing extreme distress or engaging in harmful or disruptive behaviors, which may include alarming/threatening behavior and potential acts of violence. The CARE Team provides collaborative consultation and develops strategies to address concerns regarding Students’ well-being or behavior that is potentially harmful to self and/or others or is disruptive and/or threatening. The CARE Team will regularly assess these situations in the UAB community and will recommend or take action in accordance with existing UAB policy.

 

F. UAB Community

UAB Students and Employees are urged to be alert for any behavior that presents a threat of violence. Further, UAB Students and Employees should be familiar with these guidelines and with the methods for reporting alarming/threatening behavior and potential acts of violence affecting the UAB community.

Responsibility to Report: Members of the UAB community are expected to immediately report any situation involving behavior by a Student, Employee, or Visitor that is alarming or may be threatening to the safety of the UAB community. Any member of the UAB community who becomes aware of such a situation should report the matter to the appropriate UAB personnel as outlined in the Section entitled “Reporting Threats and Violence”, and fully cooperate during the Behavioral Threat Assessment process.

UAB Students and Employees, who in good faith make such reports, shall not be subjected to any retaliation or harassment by anyone associated with UAB.

 

III. Reporting Threats and Violence

 

A. Emergency Situations

Any information/situation involving alarming/threatening behavior or potential acts of violence posing an imminent threat to one's safety or the safety of others should be considered as an emergency and immediately reported by dialing 911 or to the UAB Police Department at (205) 934-3535.

Examples of EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:

  • Possession of a weapon (guns, knives, etc.) on UAB property
  • Possession of a bomb or bomb-making materials on UAB property
  • Physical assault or attempted physical assault (with or without weapons) on UAB property
  • Explicit threats to inflict physical harm to one's self or others

 

B. Non-Emergency Situations

Any information/situation involving alarming/threatening behavior or potential acts of violence which is clearly not within the above-detailed "Emergency Situations" category should be reported through one of the channels listed below.

Examples of conduct that fall under the reporting duty for "non-emergency" situations include the following:

  • A radical change in a person's behavior, academic or workplace performance, appearance, or conduct;
  • Aggressive or irrational behavior through words and/or actions;
  • Severe depression, unhappiness, or irregular emotional behavior;
  • Inability to control anger, confrontational or disturbing words or actions;
  • Unusual overreaction to normal circumstances;
  • Stalking in any form;
  • Damage to property;
  • Unusual nervousness, tension, or anxiety;
  • Expression of suicidal thoughts, feelings, or acts;
  • Any other action, word, or behavior that one may reasonably believe could lead to violence (including domestic violence); or
  • Threatening statements, displays, photos, or other publications in electronic format or communication.

For reporting threat concerns for NON-EMERGENCY situations, use the following contacts:

a) For matters involving Students, contact the Division of Student Affairs: (205) 975-9509

b) For matters involving Employees, contact your Human Resources (HR) representative. If unknown, you may contact:

  • UAB HR: (205) 934-4458
  • HSF/UAB Health System HR: (205) 731-9626
  • Callahan Eye Hospital HR: (205) 325-8609

c) For matters involving Visitors, contact UAB Police at (205) 934-3535

 

For any matter, you may also complete the BTAM submission form online.

NOTE: Please be aware that it may be 24-48 hours before you receive a response using any of the above non-emergency reporting options.

If you deem your situation as being emergent or in need of an immediate response, please dial 911 or UAB Police at (205) 934-3535.