Behavioral Intervention Team

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) supports students in managing significant mental health concerns. This could include when a student is hospitalized, transported to the hospital, managing active suicidal thoughts, and may be out of touch with reality. BIT members work directly with students to make referrals, ensure that they are connected to appropriate support, and promote a safe, successful, and non-disruptive environment on campus. For more information about BIT including its members, visit the Behavioral Intervention Team website.

I. Procedures

When BIT becomes aware of a student that might meet the criteria for BIT follow-up, BIT will typically take the following steps:

  1. Gather any additional information available and assess if any notification to individuals outside of the BIT team is appropriate and permissible by law. This could include the student's family or emergency contact, roommates, faculty, or the hospital;
  2. Consult as a group and determine whether BIT should follow up and if so, assign a BIT member to reach out to the student;
  3. Reach out to the student to set up a meeting to discuss. The student may be required to attend the meeting;
  4. Discuss the situation with the student including gathering information about their current support network including their treatment;
  5. Making a determination regarding next steps. Next steps could include:
    1. Scheduling additional meetings with the student;
    2. Verifying that the student is engaged in ongoing treatment;
    3. Referring the student to treatment;
    4. Providing the BIT member's contact information should the student need additional support.

If the student declines to meet with the BIT member or follow through on any next steps, BIT will conduct an individualized assessment and determine whether to take no further action regarding the situation or take additional steps such as referring the matter to the Dean of Students.

II. Schedule for Record Retention and Disposal

Records related to students' interactions with the Behavioral Intervention Team will be protected and maintained in compliance with the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) and the university’s policy and schedule for record retention and disposal. Although BIT records will be handled with care and privacy, they are not considered confidential or protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). Information may be shared amongst the BIT team or to other university officials who have a legitimate need to know or educational interest. Information and records may also be shared with individuals outside of the university such as family members and treatment providers when the university believes that there may be a health or safety emergency.
 
If the student referred to BIT is already receiving support through a confidential university resource such as Psychological and Counseling Services (PACS) or Health & Wellness, records and information related to that support may not be shared with the BIT team without authorization from the student.
 
This record retention schedule applies to situations where members of the BIT team engage with a student in distress in a non-clinical capacity. After the minimum retention period for a student record is reached, said record is disposed of unless it still serves a legal or operational purpose or has historic value.
  1. BIT records are retained for a period of seven years from the date that the matter was formally closed by BIT.
  2. BIT records for a student who is administratively separated for reasons of health-related behaviors will be maintained indefinitely.