In partnership with CP3, Wood County established a county-wide, multidisciplinary Behavioral Intervention Program (BIP), a proactive approach to identify concerning behavior; investigating, assessing, and managing a student’s well-being; and protecting civil rights before an individual commits an act of violence. The program provides best practices with behavioral threat assessment and threat management procedures, consistent and open lines of referrals for treatment between the school and providers, evidence-based intervention/treatment for those identified as having moderate-to-high risk levels of engaging in targeted violence, increased technology support and data sharing, and evidence-based treatment and training to schools, juvenile detention centers, and jails. On August 28, 2023, the County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board (ADAMHS) Board received $6.6 million in program funding to help expand this program and help stabilize youth in crisis, including those who are risk at for violence towards self or others.
The development of Ohio’s BIP is a result of a three-year partnership between Regional Prevention Coordinator Jordan Garza and Wood County representatives. This partnership brought together local leaders to discuss the challenges within Wood County and throughout the state with a goal of building capacity beyond behavioral threat assessment. It is currently under evaluation as a potential model to emulate across the state. This process is also included in Ohio’s School Behavioral Threat Assessment Model Plan as well as mentioned in Ohio’s Comprehensive School Safety Framework, which outlines recommended strategies for schools and considers programs and initiatives that schools already have in place.