Colleges and universities utilize a variety of models to respond to students in distress. From CARE teams to BIT (behavioral intervention team) models, higher education has recognized the need for more effective intervention functionality. If the shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007 prompt nothing else from other campuses, our hope is that this tragedy will be a catalyst for other campuses to formalize and revise their current behavioral intervention efforts.

While it is conceivable that many models can be effective in addressing the rising tide of student mental health issues and disruptive behavior, the CUBIT (College or University Behavioral Intervention Team) model elaborated in this online seminar is a direct response to the Governor’s Panel Report on the Virginia Tech shootings and other panel and internal review recommendations that have been made nationally.

The goals of a CUBIT are to:
• Intervene early and provide support and behavioral response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, or distressed behaviors
• Enable adherence to a formalized protocol of instructions for communication, coordination and intervention
• Balance FERPA, HIPAA and counselor privilege with university need-to-know and emergency communication needs
• Centralize collection and assessment of red flags raised by student behavior and connect the dots of disparate problematic actions involving one student that may be known to various faculty, staff and administrators
• Coordinate follow-up to ensure that services, support and resources are deployed effectively
• Coordinate mandated psychological assessment, conduct actions, disability services, accommodations, hospitalization and/or medical leave/withdrawal, as needed

The presenters will discuss each of the above, with helpful tips on applying them on your campus. They will offer practical advice on forming a CUBIT, developing operational procedures, and assuring early intervention and support for students in distress and whose behavior is concerning.

Knowledge benefits for you:
• Establish a Behavioral Intervention Team composed of key administrators
• Formulate a written protocol (specific and comprehensive) for operation of the team and its relations with campus and community resources
• Train team members on critical intervention techniques and strategies
• Develop a rubric for classification of student distress into specific levels of criticality, warranting varying levels of escalating intervention and/or support
• Empower full and contextual compliance with FERPA, HIPAA and counselor confidentiality

Who can benefit from hearing this seminar:
• Presidents and Boards of Trustees
• Student Affairs Administrators
• Judicial Administrators
• University Legal Counsel
• Risk Managers
• Residential Life Administrators
• Campus Law Enforcement
• Counseling Services Personnel
• Health Services Staff
• Campus Crisis Response Teams, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Teams (CISDTs), and Behavioral Intervention Teams (BITs)

Listen to a preview

Featured Presenters:

Brett A. Sokolow, J.D.
Click here to read his bio

W. Scott Lewis, J.D.
Click here to read his bio

Peter D. Liggett, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and the associate director of the University of South Carolina’s Counseling & Human Development Center, where he has been on staff since September 2001. Pete serves on the campus-wide Behavioral Intervention Team of which he is a founding member, and the Eating Disorders Multidisciplinary Team. He is the liaison with university housing, law enforcement and safety, and the Advisors’ Network.

90-Minute Recording of Audio Online Seminar • Originally Broadcast January 25, 2008 • $249

Available in CD or print transcript format. The CD contains an audio presentation with PowerPoint and can be viewed on any standard computer equipped with Windows Media Player. Our CDs are not compatible with Macintosh computer systems. Presenters' handouts are included as a PDF on CDs and in hard copy with transcript purchases.