Mesa Community College is concerned about the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. We are committed to providing an environment where individuals are free to work, learn and teach, unencumbered and unhibited by threats of intimidation or harm. To this end, the college has established the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). BIT is responsible for assessing reports of troubling behavior on the part of students, and implementing interventions that are in the best interest of the college and the individual.

Mission Statement: BIT provides proactive assistance to students who are exhibiting concerning behaviors, both to support students and assist faculty/staff.

Purpose: Mesa Community College is committed to the care, welfare, and safety of all of its students, faculty, and staff, and we are dedicated to providing an environment where individuals are free to work, learn, and teach, unencumbered by concerning, alarming, and/or distressed behaviors. BIT is not meant to take the place of standard classroom management techniques utilized by faculty. Implementation of this team does not alter any existing discipline policies. Rather, BIT centralizes the reporting of concerning student behavior and encourages early intervention. The Behavioral Assessment Team is a cross-functional assessment group that will respond to students when appropriate.

The BIT has been created to:

• Act in a proactive manner to assist students,
• Maintain confidentiality and handle all matters discreetly,
• Provide consultation and support to faculty and staff,
• Connect students with needed resources
• Recommend interventions or sanctions.

Ethics of BIT

The ethics of BIT are to provide confidential, respectful, proactive support, while offering resources and balancing the educational needs of students within the overall mission of Mesa Community College.

Goals of BIT

• Review information from faculty, staff, students, and/or community members; conduct investigation to determine appropriate response.
• Intervene early. Provide support and response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, or distressed behaviors.
• Centralize collection and assessment of concerning student behaviors. ‘Connect the dots' of disparate problematic actions involving one student that may be known to various faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Coordinate follow-up. Ensure that services, support, and resources are deployed effectively.
• Utilize a formalized protocol of instructions for communication, coordination, and intervention.
• Balance FERPA, HIPAA, and counselor privilege with the college’s need-to-know and emergency communication needs.
• Coordinate actions: psychological assessment, adjudication of conduct issues, disability services, hospitalization, and/or medical leave/withdrawal, as needed.

As a result of growing national trends concerning mental health issues on college campuses, Mesa Community College created the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). BIT has been charged with maintaining a healthy and safe environment for the college community.

BIT is not meant to take the place of standard classroom management techniques utilized by faculty. Implementation of this team does not alter any existing discipline policies. Rather, BIT centralizes the reporting of concerning student behavior and encourages early intervention.

BIT will utilize a database where real-time incident information will be submitted by college employees, students, or other concerned individuals. Incident reports will be reviewed daily (Monday-Friday) during periods of normal operation. The team may follow up with the individual initiating the report, or others, to gather additional information. In some cases, an interview will be arranged with the student of concern to determine appropriate actions. Incident reports should be completed when someone observes incidents of concerning, aberrant, dangerous, or threatening behavior. https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/reporting

Calendar of Workshops/Training

All series will be hybrid and recorded

BID: Break It Down: Thunderbird Strong Series

• TBD - Culture of Care and Reporting: Conduct and Care
• TBD- Adulting 101: Students Rights & Responsibilities
• TBD - Supporting Students in Distress and the Role of BIT (Behavior intervention Team)
• TBD- Understanding VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) and Best Practices for working with Pregnant and Parenting Students
• TBD - Gender Person / Pronouns
• TBD- Mental Health Awareness
• TBD- Adulting 101: Substance and Alcohol Use, Abuse and Consequences
• TBD - FERPA Reminders and Best Practices
• TBD- Support for Students: ADA, Title 4, Veterans…
• TBD - Adulting 101: Dating Violence (Domestic Violence Awareness Month session)

Team Members