A Trend That Is Here To Stay
TACUSPA
El Paso, TX
October 5, 2009
Mike Knox, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
Heather Snow, Director of Student Conduct
Introduction
Purpose of the Team
 How were we created
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◦ Partnership between Academic Affairs and
Student Affairs
◦ UT System
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Behavior Intervention Team Tasks
Committee Structure
Annual Appointments made by VPSA & Provost
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Director of Counseling Services
Director of Mental Health Services
Chief of Police
Director of Student Conduct
Director of Residence Life/Apt. Life
Director of Disability Services
Director of Advising Center
Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault Coordinator
Human Resources Representative
International Student Services Representative
Faculty Representatives
Statistics
07-08
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48 referrals
4 Intl. Students
4 Graduate
25 Junior/Senior
11 Freshmen/Soph
08-09 (Sept 1-Aug 31)
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94 referrals
8 Intl. Students
7 Graduate
38 Junior/Senior
45 Freshmen/ Soph
Referrals Made By
Faculty
Residence Life
Student Conduct
Police Dept
Int'l Office
Advising
5% 1% 3%
14%
45%
32%
•No Anonymous Referrals Received
Nature of Referrals
8% 4%
6%
Alcohol and Drugs
10%
Change in Behavior
Emotional Distress
7%
12%
6%
Threat of Harm
Disruptive Behavior
Irrational Behavior
Suicidal Ideation
18%
29%
Medical/Trauma
Other
FERPA/HIPAA
Mental Health Guidance
The U.S. Department of Education ordered to
issue additional guidance on FERPA, student
mental health and campus safety:
 Clarification on release of records when
students poses a threat to themselves or
others.
 Disclosures made in good faith do not give
rise to liability. (Lowery; ASJA website)
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FERPA Continued
Health and Safety Emergencies
(c) In making a determination under paragraph (a) of this section,
an educational agency or institution may take into account the
totality of the circumstances pertaining to a threat to the health or
safety of a student or other individuals. If the educational agency
or institution determines that there is an articulable and
significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other
individuals, it may disclose information from education records
to any person whose knowledge of the information is necessary
to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
If, based on the information available at the time of the
determination, there is a rational basis for the determination, the
Department will not substitute its judgment for that of the
educational agency or institution in evaluating the circumstances
and making its determination. (p. 74864)
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Health and Safety Emergencies
§ 99.36 What conditions apply to disclosure
of information in health and safety
emergencies?
(a) An educational agency or institution may
disclose personally identifiable information from
an education record to appropriate parties,
including parents of an eligible student, in
connection with an emergency if knowledge of
the information is necessary to protect the health
or safety of the student or other individuals. (p.
74864)
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Things We’ve Learned
Outreach
 Defining our Scope
 System for Tracking
 Important Relationships:
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◦ Police Department
◦ Mental Health
◦ Agreements with local hospitals
Challenges
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Communication
Tracking of Cases
Case Management
Outreach
Defining Our Authority
◦ Sanctions?
◦ Involuntary Withdrawal
◦ Interaction with Student Conduct
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Determining our “model”
◦ Threat assessment vs. CARE team
Resources
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Other Institutions
◦ Tennessee
◦ UT-Austin
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NaBITa
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Contact us:
◦ [email protected]
◦ [email protected]
Questions and Dialogue
?