Oklahoma State University is committed to promoting and maintaining an environment where all students are able to participate in the educational process without compromising the safety, health, and welfare of themselves or others. To further this aim, the University has the Care Team , to shape comprehensive support for OSU students experiencing significant challenges and difficulties. These groups are responsible for creating strategic, coordinated, and holistic action plans for individualized care for each student presented.
Care Team
The focus of the Care Team is to take a proactive approach when identifying students who are in distress and provide them with resources, interventions (early), and referral agencies on campus or in the community. The role of this team is to help students who may be in distress or experiencing challenging or difficult life circumstances.
The Care Team is specially trained group of professional staff members from several university departments with mental health, student development, law enforcement, academic, administrative, and legal expertise. The team gathers information from community reports and individual interactions, analyzes and evaluates threats and other concerning behavior using objective rubrics, tools, and assessments, and implements strategies for intervening and managing individuals who may pose a threat of harm. The team works with all parties involved to affect a safe campus environment.
The overarching goal for the Care Team at Oklahoma State University is to promote individual and community safety. The campus-wide team does so through prevention and intervention efforts focused on identifying, assessing, and responding to behavioral concerns presenting a risk to the health or safety of the University or its members.
Reporting
Any member of the Oklahoma State University community who is concerned about a student’s behavior should immediately forward this information through the Care Report.
Phases of Operation
Prevention: Through concerted efforts in marketing and education, and by creating a culture of referrals regarding concerning behavior.
Intake & Data Gathering: Data is gathered through reports to the team, review of academic and student life records, and any other means deemed appropriate and necessary.
Analysis: During meetings, the information gathered will be analyzed and action steps developed. The team will use objective risk and threat assessment tools.
Intervention: The team will, by way of the appropriate university office or official, investigate and respond to reported concerns by intervening to offer support and resources. The team may refer students to various campus resources.
Follow-up: After an appropriate time, the team, by way of the appropriate university office or official, will follow up with these students in an effort to continue to gather information and analyze the next steps.
Objective Risk and Threat Assessment Tools
The Care Team utilizes an objective risk rubric established by the National Association of Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA). The NABITA risk rubric is a researched based expert system tool useful for the initial training of mental health concerns and the potential for threat. In addition to the NABITA Risk Rubric, there are four additional NABITA assessment tools are used for cases that align with the purpose of the assessments.
Dangerousness and violence, from a student, faculty, or staff member is difficult, if not impossible, to accurately predict. The NABITA risk rubric and assessments offer research-based techniques and theories to provide a foundational understanding and improved awareness of the potential risk. The training and tools should not be seen as a guarantee or offer any assurance that violence will be prevented. – National Association of Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment.