Behavioral Health Assessment Response Project Outcomes

Why learn new skills if you cannot practice them? B-HARP held 22 trainings over 4 years that provided realistic threat assessment simulations and measured the improvement of participants with an innovative pre/post training survey mechanism. No matter the school district, law enforcement agency, or mental heath organization, we saw improvement in knowledge and skill each training. We also saw substantial increase case accuracy in our community Threat Assessment Team's application of threat assessment principles.

School districts, mental health organizations, and law enforcement agencies entered the program with differing personnel, policies, and protocols. At the end of the project, participating community stakeholders gained access to standardized protocol and a community process through the Level 2 Consultation Team. Stakeholder engagement, interagency collaboration, and requests for presentations more than doubled over the project period. This period saw increased involvement in data reporting among participating school districts.

We developed an in-person training program specially for local teachers and staff, educating them on their essential role in identifying concerning behaviors and their role in the Level 1 School Site-Based Threat Assessment Process. After each training, teachers' knowledge of threat assessment principles and BTAM significantly increased. A pilot supplemental activity occurred with students. A local High School's Video Productions Class were provided with information about warning behaviors and reporting applications/resources. The class then crafted sample PSAs geared towards educating their peers on safety resources.

We conducted one pilot training specifically for therapists and mental health providers, and refined our program with an additional event under SLO-STAMP. These trainings created measured improvements in opinions about Tarasoff Reporting, working with school threat assessment teams, and enhanced knowledge of behavioral warning signs. Confidence in case formulation, confidence in working with aggressive youth, and willingness to accept referrals from threat assessment teams were noted. To help SLO County benefit from these new skills, B-HARP gathered important information about building a community network of private and public mental health providers to engage and interact with the school and community threat assessment process. The goal to provide a resource for intervention and support for the youth, families, and threat assessment teams.

In October of 2021 B-HARP was granted additional funding from the San Luis Obispo Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). This Mini Grant was allocated to the project due to its previous success and potential for expansion into other populations in the community, leading to the first B-HARP Adult Training. Venturing  beyond K-12 Threat Assessment, this innovative event was tailored to teaching threat assessment practices in the workplace, institutes of higher education, and the community at large. 

Holifield Psychological Services, Inc. is partnering with the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office and Tulare County Office of Education to expand on B-HARP's success with the San Luis Obispo School Threat Assessment and Management Project (SLO-STAMP). SLO-STAMP is quickly building on B-HARP's foundation with more refined data metrics and community outcomes. SLO-STAMP's first year updates will be provided in July 2024. Read more about STAMP and contact Dr. Joe Holifield here.