Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)

Contact BIT

If you wish to submit a BIT Referral, you may click on the below link, fill out the form and submit.

You can reach the Behavioral Intervention Team via e-mail, bit@ramapo.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Behavioral Intervention Team (hereafter referred to as The Team) is to coordinate the support services of Ramapo College in order to assist students who have reportedly displayed troublesome or concerning behaviors on campus.

Purpose

The Team serves as a central network focused on caring prevention and early intervention for students experiencing serious distress or engaging in harmful or disruptive behaviors. This process provides the community with a tool and conduit with which to alert relevant campus authorities of their worry and concern for a student. The Team aims to intervene and assist these students in meeting their academic, personal, and professional goals at the College. The reported behaviors might relate to the safety and rights of others; therefore, the Team may mobilize resources in order to minimize the disruption to the College and help prevent violence on campus. The Team will develop strategies for and provide consultation to the community when concerns arise about a student’s well-being or when there is a behavior that is potentially harmful to self and/or others or is disruptive and/or threatening. The Team will regularly assess these situations in the community and recommend actions in accordance with existing college policies. The Team does not serve as a crisis response unit, nor does it replace faculty classroom management, and/or the Department of Public Safety’s response to an incident. Emergencies must be reported to the Department of Public Safety at 201.684.6666.

BIT Team Members

Dr. Judith Green – Director, Center for Health and Counseling Services
Lisa Gonsisko – Director, Office of Residence Life
Jason Balsan – Director, Department of Public Safety
Dr. David C. Nast – Director, Office of Specialized Services
Dr. Aaron Lorenz – Dean, Social Science and Human Services
Dr. Rick Brown – Director, Center for Student Involvement
Kathleen Hallissey – Director, Office of Student Conduct (chairperson)

As Needed Members

Other college officials may be asked to serve on the team in specific situations that warrant their knowledge, skill, and expertise on an as needed basis. The Team may consult with the College’s General Counsel.

Responsibilities

Receive and gather information pertaining to students of concern.
Develop specific strategies to manage potentially harmful or disruptive behavior.
Make recommendations to College officials regarding appropriate actions that are consistent with policies and procedures.
Inform the referral person concerning next steps taken with the student (see header Potential Dispositions). The referral person must understand that not all action steps will be discussed given the confidential nature of the information and what is permissible under the eyes of the law.
Educate and train the community on identification of concerning behaviors and proactive options to assist students.

BIT Referral Process

At times, students might be reluctant to seek assistance. Members of the community may refer students of concern to the Team through numerous channels. The Student of Concern Report is accessible on the BIT website. Members of the community may also contact the Team by calling or e-mailing the chairperson (Kathleen Hallissey) at 201.684.7869 or bit@ramapo.edu.

Anonymous Reporting

The process allows for individuals to make anonymous referrals or to petition to the chairperson that s/he wishes to maintain their anonymity as the referral person. It is recommended that anonymity take place under rare circumstances and only when there might be a threat to safety. In some situations, anonymity may not be possible depending on the described behaviors and the student’s ability to attribute a referral to a particular incident or person. Referrals may be reviewed by the Department of Public Safety, independent of the BIT process, and Department of Public Safety officials might make decisions to act on cases whereby there is a serious threat, harm, or disruption.

If you believe the student or community is in immediate danger, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 201-684-6666.

Team Procedures

The Team will discuss student referrals and reach a disposition. The Team will make recommendations and consider strategies to contain disruption toward others and/or the normal operations of the College. The Team may examine environmental causes for the behavior and might also find it beneficial to direct inquiries about the student toward faculty and staff. The Team considers appropriate referral resources on campus.

When necessary, the Team will schedule an appointment with the referred student. It is expected that a referred student attend this meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to review the referral with the student and to explore with the student causes for the referral and to discuss potential strategies. At the conclusion of the meeting the Team will provide the student with recommended strategies or appropriate referrals to campus resources.

Should a referred student choose not to attend the meeting with the Team; the Team will discuss how they will proceed in managing the referral. The nature of the referral will determine the next steps the Team will take. Next steps may include scheduling a second meeting with the student or sending the student recommended referrals via email. In situations where the referral is very concerning, a public safety officer may meet the student at a scheduled class or activity and escort the student to a designated location where Team members will be waiting to meet with the student.

Potential Dispositions

No action recommended.
Assist faculty, staff, or students in developing an action plan to manage the concerning behaviors.
Refer the student to existing on campus support resources.
Referral to appropriate community resources
Recommendation of parental notification. The chairperson has the right to decide if the student’s emergency contact person will be contacted. The chairperson will be responsible for determining if a health and safety emergency exists and will make contact under the Parent Notification Policy.
Recommendation of a Medical Leave of Absence.
Recommendation of an Involuntary Leave of Absence.
Recommendation of an Interim Suspension.

Appeal Process

Dispositions that may be appealed are an Interim Suspension or an Involuntary Leave of Absence. If a student who is suspended on an interim basis through an Interim Suspension or an Involuntary Leave of Absence wishes to return to classes and/or residence, s/he may make an appointment to appear before the Dean of Students or designee within five (5) business days from the effective date of the issuance. Please see the Student Handbook for more detailed information about the Interim Suspension and Involuntary Leave of Absence policies.

Student Handbook: https://www.ramapo.edu/student-conduct/

Confidentiality

The College recognizes the importance of maintaining records for each student which contribute to and confirm that student’s educational progress. The College protects the rights of students regarding these records and has established policies and guidelines which describe the records maintained and provisions for releasing information. The rules conform to State and Federal laws (the U.S. Department of Education guidelines for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, knows as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA).

If a student referred to the Team is already receiving care at the Center for Health and Counseling Services or an outside mental health provider, information about that student’s relationship or treatment plan may not be obtained by the Team (unless the student provides written authorization for such a release).

Exceptions

The Team may provide each other or faculty/staff involved in a referral, or outside parties in connection with the situation (such as parents/guardian), with information in matters that concern protecting the health and safety of that student or others in the community. The College has a duty to warn member of the community when potentially harmful or dangerous situations have been reported to officials. The Team may breach confidentiality should there be a need to warn potential victims.

Some themes and information presented herein are based on documents created at William Paterson University, Cornell University, and The University Counseling and Advising Network (UCAN) Alert Team Statement