The University of Utah is building additional capacity to prevent campus violence through its Threat Assessment & Management Partnership (also known as TAMP). This newly expanded program is housed within the Department of Public Safety and benefits from the multi-disciplinary expertise of several departments across campus, including Behavioral Intervention Teams in both Student Affairs and Health Sciences, Human Resources, Faculty Affairs, University Police, Health Security, and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, & Title IX. Working together, they identify, assess, and manage concerning behavior that may indicate someone is on a pathway toward violence.
“There are both risk factors and pre-attack indicators that signal someone may be on a pathway to commit targeted violence,” said Keith Livingston, associate director of threat assessment and management in the Department of Public Safety. “In most cases, individuals have a grievance or fixation, coupled with violent ideation toward another person, or toward a specific community or institution. They may also see violence as a means to make a political or ideological statement.”
TAMP operates from a public health-informed approach of violence prevention. The partners focus on early detection of concerning behaviors and frequent communication. Their response is coordinated across departments and leverages protective factors that may deter the individual from committing violence.
The University of Utah’s position as the state’s flagship, research and healthcare institution poses unique challenges for threat assessment and management. “Hospitals and healthcare clinics are dynamic environments. Our employees are front-line responders in emergency situations and encounter all types of behaviors,” said Chris Shirley, director of support services at University of Utah Health. “Our highest priority is to protect the health and safety of our patients and staff, so when someone makes a threat or displays concerning behaviors, our hospital administration, Health Security, University Police’s Healthcare Division, and TAMP come together to assess and problem-solve before these situations become a crisis.”
When a referral is made to TAMP, the Department of Public Safety’s threat assessment professionals gather more information about the situation to objectively evaluate factors that may indicate a risk of future violence. “Once our team conducts the assessment, we bring that information back to TAMP partners so they can deliver the appropriate behavioral interventions,” said Ana Ascencio, administrative manager for TAMP. “This might include providing access to mental health and counseling services, engaging family members or other support systems, providing safety measures, or establishing disciplinary boundaries.”
The Office of the Dean of Students works collaboratively with these same partners in efforts to simultaneously identify and connect with community members who may demonstrate concerning behaviors, especially in cases where student behavior falls short of being an active threat on campus. Their Behavioral Intervention Team is based on national best practices from the National Association for Behavioral Intervention Teams Association and works to provide necessary support to those experiencing distress, ideating about self-harm or considering other actions that may be a threat to others.
“The Office of the Dean of Students plays a key role in the preventative work that is designed to intervene early and often with our community members,” said Jason Ramirez, associate vice president and dean of students. “As outlined in best practice, we believe in engaging with our community members in hopes of providing them the support and care they need. In an effort to address these issues of concern with care and compassion, we are committed to working closely together and consistently communicating with all appropriate partners.”
University of Utah Police serves as the law enforcement partner within TAMP, focusing on working together to monitor any public safety situation and prevent these from leading to criminal activity. “When a situation is referred to TAMP, a crime usually hasn’t been committed yet” said investigations lieutenant Reuban Torres with University of Utah Police. “Our team can help assess the situation, put into place physical and protective safety measures, and when necessary, elevate high-risk cases to state and federal law enforcement agencies for further analysis.”
This coordinated focus on violence prevention is what makes behavioral threat assessment so effective. “Violence prevention on our campus is a shared responsibility and achievable when we look for behavioral warning signs, communicate across departments, and intervene early,” said Livingston. “If we can interrupt someone who is on a pathway toward violence and re-direct them with protective measures that can help stabilize their lives, that’s the true measure of success.”
More information on TAMP and how to make a referral can be found on the Department of Public Safety’s website.