3.13 Mental Health Assistance and The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)

The challenge of adjusting to a college environment requires many adaptations and personal adjustments. Students that require assistance to adapt, from minor personal problems to ongoing therapy, can be helped to be successful at Northeastern Junior College. The following intervention process will be followed.

1. Student's behavior is identified as needing assistance; a referral will be made to counseling, health services, or the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
2. College professionals will determine by personal conference and assessments the extent of intervention needed. Recommendation is made to the Vice President of Student Services or the college Student Guidance Coordinator.
3. Intervention procedures or mental health assessment mandates will be communicated to the student (and parent/guardian, if necessary). If behavior warrants mandatory assistance, the Vice President of Student Services will also receive this communication.
4. Counseling to clinical therapy may be recommended, depending upon the need. The number of sessions and dates of requested or required intervention will be noted.
5. If professional assessment and behavior noted shows a definite lack of productive adjustment to the college environment, the Vice President of Student Services could initiate an administrative withdrawal, so the student could seek intensive mental health treatment.
6. Any student identified as needing professional medical or clinical treatment will be required to receive such treatment during their current enrollment or prior to their next enrolled term. Written verification from a health professional will be required, before readmission.
7. If a student has been determined to be at risk of harm to self, an attending physician or the on-call NJC Student Guidance Coordinator contacts the Vice President of Student Services and the student’s parents or legal guardians. If the physician or on-call NJC Student Guidance Coordinator has not met with the student personally (e.g. the student has been taken directly to the ER and hospitalized) the Vice President of Student Services will make the call. Exceptions to contacting the parents or legal guardians can only be made by the Vice President of Student Services or designee. The on call NJC Student Guidance Coordinator will contact the referral source and Director of Residence Life/Student Activities of Residence Life (if the student is an on-campus student.) The Vice President of Student Services coordinates arrangements for a “disposition meeting.” This meeting involves the student, his or her parents or legal guardian, the Vice President of Student Services, the on-call NJC Student Guidance Coordinator, Centennial Mental Health response worker and the Director of Residence Life/Student Activities of Residence Life. The student is not allowed to return to on campus residential housing, classes or activities until cleared.

Students who leave campus under the above procedure must have a clearance meeting before they may return to campus. Ideally, this clearance meeting is with the same team that conducted the disposition meeting. The purpose of the clearance meeting is to determine the student’s safety and readiness to return, plus conditions that will support the student’s success.

Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)

The Northeastern Junior College Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is a trained group of caring NJC faculty and staff professionals who meet regularly to support our students via an established protocol. The team tracks “red flags” over time, detecting patterns, trends, and disturbances in individual or group behavior. The team receives reports of disruptive, problematic or concerning behavior or misconduct (from faculty & staff members, students, community members, friends, etc.), conducts an investigation, performs a threat assessment, and determines the best mechanisms for support, intervention, warning/notification and response. The team then activates the resources of the college and/or the community and coordinates follow-up. BIT is a specific model that has no parallel.

An on-line referral form to BIT is on the NJC website. Also see the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NaBITA) website for more information.