BCAT

 Behavioral Consultation and Assessment Team

Florida Gulf Coast University

Effective Date:  October 8, 2007

             RATIONALE

 

             The Behavioral Consultation and Assessment Team (BCAT) is an official University team under the auspices of the Vice President for Student Affairs, which establishes guidelines for team responsibilities and operations.

 

            These guidelines outline procedures for team consultation with university faculty and staff who are concerned about the behavior of a student that disrupts the normal functioning of the University community or who potentially poses a threat to self or others.

 
            TEAM PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 The purpose of the BCAT is to provide consultation, recommendations and when appropriate, resources to the University community regarding the behavior of a student that is disruptive or threatening to the University community or is potentially threatening to self or others.  Such behaviors include, but are not limited to, self-injury, intimidation, threats to harm self or others, disruptive or out of the ordinary behavior, eating disorders, etc. Specifically, the charge for this team is to:

 

a.   Assess situations involving a student who poses a potential risk of harm to persons or property in the University community or is of substantial disruption to University activities in accord with policies stated in the Student Code of Conduct.

 

b.   Consult with administration, faculty, staff and other students affected by the inappropriate behaviors of a disruptive student.

 

c.    Create communication and awareness of particular students whose behavior is problematic within the University community

 

d.   Coordinate the University response to a potentially violent, threatening, or significantly disruptive student behavior.

 

e.   Assist in developing strategies, provide guidance, or refer to resources to manage the threatening or disruptive behavior with regard to safety and rights of others and to minimize the disruption to the FGCU community.

 

f.    Make recommendations to University officials on appropriate action consistent with University policy and procedure statements and with state and federal law.

TEAM COMPOSITION

            The Team functions with the support of the Vice President for Student Affairs Office. Core BCAT members include:

 

a)      Dean of Students

b)      Director of the Counseling Center and/or designated representative 

c)      Director of University Police and/or designated representative

d)     Director of Housing and Residence Life and/or designated representative

e)      Assistant Director for Judicial Affairs

f)       Academic Affairs representatives, appointed each year by the Faculty Senate at the request of the Vice President of Student Affairs

 

            The Team will consult with the University’s General Counsel Office as needed. 

 

            There are other university officials who may be asked by the Vice President for Student Affairs to serve as regular members or in specific situations as needed. Examples of staff that might be included are:  director of student health, ombudsman, media relations representative, human resources, or key members within student activities areas (particularly those who have considerable contact with a cross section of students.)    

              OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURE

 

            At the beginning of each fall semester, the Dean of Students will send a notice to faculty and staff through appropriate communication channels to notify them that the team is available for consultation when they are concerned about the potentially harmful, threatening, or disruptive behavior of a student or students.  The notice will be presented as a “proactive measure” and will include the procedure for requesting a team consultation.

 

            Issues or situations may be referred to the BCAT by any member of the campus community.  If a criminal act has occurred or has been discovered during the course of the team’s inquiry, the University Chief of Police shall be notified immediately and advised of the incident. The University Police Department will then conduct an official investigation.

 

            In time-sensitive high-risk situations, a special team meeting may be called by any member, at any time.

 

            Meetings will be convened by the Dean of Students.  In the event the Dean of Students is unavailable to convene a meeting; the meeting may be convened by  another core member of the Team as determined by the Vice President for Student Affairs.

 

The BCAT encourages meeting with the affected members of the campus community who desire to discuss the situation. The BCAT will seek to respond in a manner that communicates concern for the community and care and respect for the individual student.

 

OUTCOME

 

The primary purpose and function of BCAT is to provide a forum to discuss problematic student behavior. Through discussion, increased awareness of particular students and their issues is achieved. Coordination of appropriate plans to mitigate potential difficulties can be formulated

 

A formal outcome of a consultation meeting may be a recommended course of action based upon the Student Code of Conduct and/or other appropriate document(s)/protocol(s) to the affected members of the campus community, to the Vice President for Student Affairs and to the University administration.  Case Management Services in CAPS may be used to assist in any particular course of action when appropriate. Specific issues for consideration during Case Management may include the assessment of potential violence, evidence of emotional distress or mental illness as the possible cause of the behavior, and containment of disruption.  Staff will seek to determine the need to connect to appropriate referral resources and establishing appropriate behavioral boundaries within existing university policies.

 

Recommended courses of action will be made to the reporting party and/or to the appropriate unit using current administrative channels.

 

Following a consultation meeting situation and subsequent recommendation, the BCAT will meet to debrief and evaluate the outcome of the situation.

             CASE INFORMATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY PROCEDURES

 

Members of the BCAT may provide each other or faculty/staff/students involved in a particular case, or outside parties in connection with the situation, with information as is necessary to protect the health, safety, welfare and privacy of the student or other persons, and to generate a recommendation for a course of action in accordance with applicable legal and professional standards of confidentiality.  

 

            If the student involved in harmful, threatening, or disruptive activities is already a client of the Counseling and Psychological Services and/or a patient of the Student Health Center, information about that student’s relationship may not be obtained by the BCAT from those agencies without written authorization of the student in question, in accordance with federal and state law. BCAT will follow federal and state laws which govern the privacy and confidentiality of students’ health and mental health information and records.

             The purpose of the team meetings is to provide consultation only.  Therefore, official minutes and meeting records which contain identifying names or other identifying data will not be maintained.