Establishing Threat Assessment Teams in New Jersey Schools with IMPaCT
Ensuring safety for students in schools has always been a top priority, but recent events have led to increased efforts to mitigate potential threats. In New Jersey, a law was passed requiring the establishment of threat assessment teams in public, charter, and renaissance school projects. These teams are responsible for identifying students with concerning behavior, assessing their risk for violence, and providing intervention strategies to manage the risk. But managing and unifying these teams can be challenging, which is where the secure communication tool IMPaCT comes in.
The goal of threat assessment teams is to prevent harm before it occurs. The team comprises educators, mental health professionals, school safety specialists, school resource officers, and law enforcement, who work together to identify, assess, and manage risks for students who may pose a threat to themselves or others. The law requires that the threat assessment team in each school project is established and trained in threat assessment protocols, but the challenge is in effectively communicating and sharing information to ensure the entire team is united in their efforts.
IMPaCT addresses this challenge. IMPaCT is a secure communication tool that can unify threat assessment teams by providing a centralized platform to communicate, collaborate, and share information securely. It is designed to streamline the threat assessment process and help schools respond quickly and appropriately to potential threats.
“Violence prevention is everyone’s responsibility.”
- Lina Alathari, Ph.D. Chief
One of the features of IMPaCT is the CivConX reporting tool, which is used to collect and route reports on concerning behavior. CivConX is a simple, user-friendly tool that allows students or anyone with concerns to submit a report electronically. Reports can be anonymous, ensuring privacy and confidentiality for all parties involved. CivConX is a powerful tool because it provides threat assessment teams with real-time information on concerning behavior, allowing them to intervene early and potentially prevent harm.
To make reporting even more accessible, CivConX QR codes can be hung in bathroom stalls throughout the schools. These QR codes are easy to scan using any smartphone camera and eliminate any barriers to reporting for students who may not feel comfortable talking to educators or law enforcement directly. The QR codes also protect privacy by not requiring additional apps to be downloaded. Even more, students may not want to download it to avoid bullying.
In a report released by the US Secret Service, they found 61% or two-thirds of the time, students and peers are making the most impactful reports. The next highest number was family at only 12%! We must ensure students and peers feel comfortable in making these reports.
IMPaCT is an important tool for managing threat assessment teams in New Jersey schools. By unifying communication and providing a platform for teams to collaborate and share information, schools can respond quickly and appropriately to potential threats. CivConX is a key feature of IMPaCT, enabling anonymous reporting and improving accessibility for students with concerns. Students can discreetly report concerning behavior without fear of retaliation by utilizing QR codes hung in bathroom stalls. With IMPaCT and CivConX, schools can work together to create a safe and secure environment for all students.
