Overview
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University believes it is important to foster an environment that encourages students to maintain a standard of responsibility for self-care which includes the ability to respond adequately to one's emotional, physical, and educational needs. Some students who are distressed engage in behaviors that impact their self-welfare and the welfare of the university community. The presence of demonstrated distress, disruptive or dangerous student behavior can be a predictor of future harm to self, others, and the larger ERAU community. While we acknowledge that no one can predict with any degree of confidence whether a student will eventually progress to acts that are harmful to themselves or others, there are behaviors indicative of higher risk. These behaviors may require further assessment by appropriate professionals to promote the safety of the student and the ERAU community.
Mission
The overall mission of the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) is to provide a systematic response to students whose behavior is disruptive to themselves or the environment, or may be in violation of the ERAU Standards of Conduct. In doing so, BIT will strive to support student success and to assist in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the students and members of the ERAU community.
Purpose/Objective
The purpose of the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) is to coordinate the resources of ERAU to address the needs of students who are experiencing significant behavioral disturbances, in order to recommend collaborative and purposeful interventions aimed at helping students achieve success. Further, the objective of the BIT is to establish a process that is designed to be helpful to students, particularly when the rights of others or an individual’s own growth and development are being endangered. This process is also designed to assist members of the University community with a legitimate concern regarding students who seem to be experiencing emotional distress, psychological difficulties, or are unable to handle stressful circumstances. Following a referral or information submission, the Behavior Intervention Team will offer advice and appropriate referrals as needed. BIT’s purpose is to identify a behavioral problem prior to a student being entered into the student conduct process; however, depending on the nature of the behavior, a student might be engaged in support from BIT while being referred to the student conduct system.
Goals
The goals of the Behavior Intervention Team are:
- To work towards preventing crises before they occur through the provision of proactive identification, outreach and educational programming, consultation, appropriate referrals, and intervention on request.
- To assure that the student is contacted through follow-up processes and has access to the appropriate services so that each student has the opportunity to improve his/her welfare, both for their own benefit and for the ERAU community.
- To create a unified reporting and tracking system that will allow members of the BIT to observe, review and examine patterns of behavior that may elicit intervention and to provide a documented response to distressed students.
Tasks of the Behavior Intervention Team*:
- The BIT will review situations involving a student who poses a potential risk of harm to self and/or other persons or property in the university community in accordance with policies stated in the Student Standards of Conduct.
- Consult with administration, faculty, staff and other students affected by the behaviors caused by the student.
- Coordinate the university response to a violent, threatening, or significantly distressed student.*
- Develop a specific strategy to address the threatening or disruptive, distressed, or dangerous behavior with regard to safety and rights of others and minimize the disruption to the university community.
- Make recommendations to university officials on appropriate action steps that are consistent with university policies and the Student Standards of Conduct (when a referral is needed), as well as federal, state and local laws.
* In the event of an emergency or situation that elicits immediate intervention, please contact ERAU Campus Safety and Security. The BIT plays a secondary role to all urgent circumstances and should be contacted only after initial notifications are made.
To report a behavioral concern, please click here. This form will be forwarded to the Chair of the Behavioral Intervention Team.