Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management: Best Practices for a Defensible Process 

This training, led by Dr. Melissa Reeves, provides a comprehensive exploration of Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) practices in K-12 schools, with an emphasis on developing a legally defensible process that balances safety, ethics, and student rights. The course highlights the distinctions between threat and suicide risk assessments, clarifies legal frameworks including the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments, FERPA, and Title IX, and examines their application to school threat management. Participants will learn evidence-based models, such as the U.S. Secret Service/National Threat Assessment Center framework, and review real-world case law illustrating consequences of negligence or poor fidelity. With practical guidance on documentation, parent collaboration, multidisciplinary teamwork, and digital threat assessment, this training equips mental health professionals and educators to implement best practices that reduce liability, support student well-being, and ensure defensible decision-making.