5 Essential Podcast Episodes to Better Understand Threat Assessment in Schools
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
When people hear the phrase "threat assessment in schools," they often think about responding to an imminent crisis. In reality, effective behavioral threat assessment is about recognizing concerning behavior early, understanding it in context, and connecting students with the support they need before situations escalate.
Behavioral threat assessment is one of the most effective violence prevention strategies available to schools today. It brings together educators, school mental health professionals, school resource officers, administrators, and community partners to make informed, collaborative decisions that improve safety while supporting student well-being.
If you're looking to deepen your understanding of threat assessment in schools, these five episodes of The Sound Off on School Safety are an excellent place to start.
Prevention starts long before a crisis. In this episode, Michele Gay sits down with Dr. Kate Rahi, Associate Director of Projects and Training at Safe and Sound Schools, to discuss why schools don't have to wait for violence to act. Drawing on her experience in social work, mental health crisis response, school-based threat assessment, and national violence prevention efforts, Dr. Rahi explains how multidisciplinary collaboration creates opportunities to identify concerns early and connect students with meaningful support.
Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of why prevention — and effective threat assessment in schools — depends on strong relationships, shared responsibility, and coordinated action.
Recognizing warning signs is one of the cornerstones of behavioral threat assessment in schools. Michele is joined by Bruno Dias, PhD, CTM, an expert in behavioral threat assessment and management, to explore five practical ways schools can identify concerning behavior before it develops into violence.
Drawing on experience across law enforcement, federal service, and K–12 education, Dr. Dias explains what a structured threat assessment process looks like, how multidisciplinary teams make better decisions, and why early intervention should always be viewed as an opportunity to support students, not punish them.
Identifying concerning behavior is only the first step. In this episode, Michele welcomes Sammie Wicks, a practitioner and researcher in behavioral threat assessment and targeted violence prevention, to explore what effective intervention looks like after a concern has been identified.
Drawing from experience in law enforcement, juvenile justice, and community-based intervention, Wicks discusses why coordinated follow-through is essential. The conversation reinforces that successful threat assessment in schools isn't simply about identifying risk. It's about building systems that help students, engage community partners, and reduce the potential for violence.
4. New Lockdown Drills and School Safety Guidance with Dr. Steven Brock, Dr. Melissa Reeves & Mo Canady
While this conversation centers on updated lockdown guidance, it reinforces an essential principle of threat assessment in schools: prevention and preparedness must work together.
Michele is joined by Dr. Steven Brock, Dr. Melissa Reeves, and Mo Canady to discuss the newly updated Best Practice Guidance for School Safety and Lockdown Drills: Preparing for Active Threats. Together, they explore how schools can balance physical safety with psychological well-being, move away from fear-based practices, and implement evidence-based guidance that supports comprehensive school safety.
It's Time to Talk About Threat Assessment in Schools
Effective threat assessment in schools isn't about predicting violence — it's about recognizing concerning behavior, understanding it in context, and providing support before a situation reaches a crisis.
Across these five conversations, Michele Gay and her guests consistently reinforce several key themes:
Prevention is more effective than reaction
Concerning behavior should always be understood in context
Multidisciplinary teams make stronger, more informed decisions
Early intervention is a form of student support, not punishment
Together, these episodes provide practical guidance for educators, school leaders, school mental health professionals, school resource officers, and anyone committed to building safer, more supportive learning environments. Whether you're just beginning to explore threat assessment in schools or looking to strengthen your school's behavioral threat assessment process, The Sound Off on School Safety offers trusted insights from many of the nation's leading experts in prevention, intervention, and comprehensive school safety.
Dive Deeper on Threat Assessment
Ready to deepen your understanding of threat assessment in schools? Join us this Fall and into 2027 for a series of in-person summits taking place across the country. These events bring together leading experts and practitioners to explore best practices, emerging trends, and actionable strategies for preventing violence and supporting safer schools. Visit our Events page to learn more.
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