How close has mass violence been to your organization? For some, it’s been assessing unsettling threats; for others, it’s been providing support and care to victims; and for a few, it’s been trying to recover after the unthinkable.
Over the past 25 years, the number of mass violence events and the resulting deaths and injuries have all increased significantly 1. Since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, more than 420 school shootings have occurred 2.
Some of us don’t just know this upward trend; we can feel it. It manifests as anxiety, fear, and a sense of helplessness of how to make sense of this and what to do.
As a Clinical Consultant who has the opportunity to work with behavioral health agencies across
the country, two questions arise to the top:
The answer to both is yes. Let me tell you how.
For decades, clinical psychology researchers and law enforcement have partnered to develop a behavioral threat ssessment and management literature of evidence-based practice. A standout example from the past 40 years is the Exceptional Case Study Project. Launched by the collaborative efforts of the Secret Service and clinical psychologists, this project was designed to interview and understand assassins.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Analysis Unit undertook the study of both mass violence and terrorist mindsets. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Threat Management Unit began a systematic analysis of stalkers and perpetrators of workplace violence. These agencies partnered in large-scale qualitative and quantitative research to understand and help prevent school shootings. Results from this research helped develop a literature that offers both an understanding of the psychology of violence and a framework for effective threat management strategies.
What does this have to do with the behavioral health community? When it comes to violence prevention, behavioral health professionals have something to learn and something to give.
Something to Learn
A common definition of a behavioral health crisis is when an individual is a danger to themself or others. It is typical for violence assessments to consist of a single screening question, “Have you had any thoughts of harming others?”, and intervention is primarily or exclusively hospitalization. Behavioral health crisis providers can learn from the professional threat assessment community’s approach to violence prevention. This approach emphasizes a better understanding, assessment, and intervention when someone is a danger to others.
Something to Give
The professional threat assessment community utilizes behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM), which directly correlates with the work of behavioral health outpatient and crisis providers. The key parts of BTAM include:
Sound familiar? The behavioral health community brings essential skills and expertise that can significantly strengthen BTAM initiatives.
BTAM is an effective approach, but the real challenge ahead lies in expanding and connecting the network of partners who play a role in it. As behavioral health providers, we have the opportunity to join the BTAM conversations already happening in schools, law enforcement, workspaces, and beyond. By engaging with and learning from the professional threat assessment community, we can deepen our understanding, share our expertise, and stay true to our mission of helping people in crisis. Let’s be a part of setting a new trend.
1 MDI-Mass-Violence.pdf2
2 Examining School Shootings at the National and State Level and Mental Health Implications | KFF
