Behavioral Threat Assessment: State by State Breakdown
When I started working in threat assessment in 2017, I was working for a local mental health authority from the community mental health side, in partnership with a large school district in Texas. It was a new world for me, but I quickly fell in love with the idea at the heart of this work: we do not have to wait for tragedy to happen to act.
My background was in mental health and crisis intervention, where prevention was already part of how I thought about suicide, crisis, and other serious concerns. Threat assessment showed me that we could bring that same prevention mindset to targeted violence. We know there are concerning behaviors and warning signs. We know there are opportunities to intervene. And when we identify those concerns early, we can respond with supportive interventions, security measures when appropriate, and ongoing management before a situation reaches a crisis point.
As threat assessment expanded across Texas and eventually became required statewide, my work shifted from simply asking, “Are schools doing threat assessment?” to asking, “Are we doing it well?” I began seeing tremendous variation in how schools implemented the work That ultimately shaped my doctoral research: How can we determine whether behavioral threat assessment is being implemented with fidelity, equitably, and in a way that actually helps the students and communities it is intended to serve?
That question continues to guide how I think about this work today.
Since then, Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) in schools has continued to evolve as part of the nationwide effort to strengthen prevention and school safety. Across the country, states are adopting different best practices, systems, and approaches. The requirements and expectations vary widely, and some have more experience than others.
With states building and strengthening BTAM in different ways and at different stages, we have an enormous opportunity to learn from one another about what works and what it actually takes to implement this work well.
I’m so excited to share Safe and Sound Schools new BTAM State-by-State map, which provides a snapshot of the current national landscape and an opportunity to look beyond our own state or school community. This resource was compiled by the research team at Safe and Sound Schools using open-source information provided by each state, including state statutes, regulations, and materials from state Departments of Education and school safety centers.
By making it easier to see how states are approaching BTAM, we hope to create opportunities for communities to learn from one another, identify common challenges, and share promising practices.
A Landscape We Can Learn From
Behavioral Threat Assessment has become a priority in K-12 school safety, but how states approach the work varies widely. 30 states plus Washington, D.C. legally require Behavioral Threat Assessment, 6 states have established regulatory structure such as funding, training, or reporting responsibilities without a formal mandate, and 14 states address it through guidance or best practices.
As this landscape continues to evolve, the question is becoming less about if schools and communities will need to understand behavioral threat assessment and more about how soon they will need to be prepared to develop, implement, and strengthen their practices. A mandate or policy can establish that threat assessment must happen, but it cannot by itself ensure that threat assessment is being done well. Successful implementation requires trained multidisciplinary teams, leadership support, clear processes, strong communication, appropriate resources, and an understanding of the principles that make threat assessment effective. Those practices also have to be sustainable and applied consistently and equitably.
That is why understanding the approaches taking shape nationwide matters. We can begin to ask not only where BTAM exists, but what supports strong implementation, where teams struggle, and what lessons can help the next state, district, or school build a stronger process from the beginning.
I encourage you to reflect on:
What is working?
Where are teams consistently encountering challenges?
What resources and systems help schools put BTAM into practice?
What lessons have we learned so far?
Through the Averted School Violence Project Database, we also hope to encourage the sharing of averted cases and instances where BTAM was effective in preventing acts of violence within our K-12 communities, because there is just as much to learn from the tragedies that did not happen.
No state, district, or school community should have to answer these questions or solve these challenges on their own. Sharing what works, where gaps remain, challenges, and wins helps us all move the work forward together.
The Road Ahead: Learning Together
Learning from one another requires opportunities to come together, ask questions, share experiences, and hear from those doing the work.
The Road to Prevent creates a place for the conversation to continue. With learning opportunities throughout the fall and winter, school safety professionals can connect with threat assessment experts, explore emerging trends, and bring new ideas and lesson back to their communities.
Here are two that I’m particularly looking forward to, and honored to be presenting at:
BTAM Foundations is the perfect event to learn more about BTAM or reinforce your learning. With free, virtual sessions available on demand during Safe Schools week, you can learn from experts in the field and deepen your understanding of key BTAM concepts and practices.
PREVENT is a great opportunity to take your learning further with three days focused on advanced BTAM strategies, practices, and concepts. You'll hear from industry experts, connect with others doing this work, and walk away with the tools needed to strengthen your BTAM approach.
Whether your state has been doing this work for years or your community is just beginning to build its approach, none of us has all the answers—and none of us should have to develop them alone.
No matter where you are in your BTAM implementation journey, there is a stop for you.
Explore the BTAM State-by-State Map, then plan your stops along the Road to Prevent.
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