Behavioral Intervention
Behavioral Intervention
In cases of emergency, reporters must contact Safety & Security (417-447-6911) or 911. The Behavioral Intervention Team plays a secondary role in all emergency situations and should be contacted only after making contact with emergency response personnel (i.e. Safety & Security, 911).
In all things OTC strives to promote the mental health of our community and to protect its safety. Accomplishing this goal requires a coordinated institutional response that includes all members of the campus community. OTC's response to these issues has been the establishment of a Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
The primary responsibility of the BIT is to address issues of the mental health of our students and to reach out to those students who seem to be hurting or struggling. Some professionals refer to this as students who are 'off baseline.' In other words, their current behavior is not in line with their typical behavior. The students may show signs of depression, anger, or express feelings of worthlessness. Issues of self-care may be neglected. In these cases, reporting the issues of concern can assist the BIT in connecting students with the appropriate resources.
The second responsibility of the BIT is to maintain a safe campus for the entire academic community. Today, colleges and universities are being faced with increasing threats of campus violence. As the potential for danger grows, OTC is taking steps to prevent tragedy before it occurs. The best means of protecting our campus community from seemingly random violence is to accept that these acts are not as random as they may seem. If potential "red-flag" behaviors can be identified and handled accordingly, dangerous situations may be prevented.
By focusing on specific student behaviors instead of general characteristics, behavioral intervention avoids stigmatizing mental health issues and stereotype-based profiling.
To learn more about OTC Cares and the Behavioral Intervention Team, please watch this informative video.
BIT Important Links
Contact Us
email: otccares@otc.edu