In this episode, Dawn Baumgartner, a licensed clinical social worker and coordinator of social services and wellness for Phoenix Elementary School District #1 in Arizona, describes what changed when her teams stopped running a full threat management protocol on nearly every case that crossed her desk. She and Larissa get into the balance between overreacting to threats and missing real warning signs, what makes a multidisciplinary team work beyond a list of assigned roles, and why her district's first year with a standardized model produced more documented threats and fewer serious ones. Essential listening for anyone whose district has handed them school safety.

Resources:

CSTAG — Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (Dr. Dewey Cornell)

The Evidence Behind CSTAG — Dr. Dewey Cornell Explains

Transforming Student Safety in Arizona: The Phoenix Elementary School District Canopy Story

Integrating Behavioral Threat Assessment into Your System of Supports

Incorporating Threat Assessment and Suicide Risk Response into MTSS

District Panel: Building Systems to Support Student and School Safety

Learn more about Canopy Case Management!

Takeaways:

• Every behavior is an attempt to get a need met.
• A standardized model can surface more threats and fewer crises at the same time.
• Threat assessment drains emotional bandwidth that teams don't have to spare.
• Build the team before you build the protocol.
• Give each team member a lens only their role can bring.
• Ask whether a statement came from frustration before escalating it.
• Review threat and screening data quarterly for building-wide trends.
• Refuse to own school safety alone, even when it's been assigned to you.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our Branching Minds Website, or sign up for our weekly Newsletter on all things MTSS. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Send feedback or inquiries to podcast@branchingminds.com!