NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University's Behavior Intervention Team participated in a specialized training exercise led by Jeffrey Murray, a domestic security strategist with the U.S. Secret Service's Dallas Field Office.

The mission of the NSU Behavior Intervention Team is to identify, assess, intervene and respond to individuals of conern while balancing the needs of the individual with the safety and well-being of the university community. The training highlighted a systems approach to handling situations, involving specialists from different areas to address the root cause of a problem.

"The core Behavior Intervention Team is a multidisciplinary group that includes representatives from University Safety, Title IX, Student Affairs, Human Resources, Student Conduct, University Police, Health Services, Accesibility & Disability Support, Academic Affairs, Counseling and Residential Housing. In addition, representatives from the CENLA, Leesville and Shreveport campuses serve as members of the team's extended network, ensuring a coordinated, university-wide approach to identifying and addressing potential concerns," said Julie Powell, director of Title IX Compliance and Title IX coordinator.

Powell coordinated the session after previously attending a virtual training hosted by the U.S. Secret Service.

Powell said the team learned how to develop risk management strategies, determine the scope of an assessment and use a systems approach to address issues by assessing mental health components and building rapport with an indivual during interviews. She said the team learned about the importanbce of sharing reporting methods and what to report to promnote a culture of prevention and to continunally evaluate the process.

The training concluded with a one-hour collaborative session that included the BIT, NSU administration and Natchitoches Police Chief Nikeo Collins.