Behavior Intervention Team

JCC's Behavior Intervention Team

The JCC Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) is comprised of JCC faculty, staff, and administrators that include: Student Affairs, Counseling, Health Services, Safety, and Buildings & Grounds. They meet biweekly to: discuss behavioral incidents and concerns occurring on campus; to discuss, plan, and implement intervention strategies; and provide consultation to the Vice President of Student Affairs regarding students who are at risk of concern.  Additional meetings may be scheduled if needed. To respect confidentiality meetings will be closed to the college community.

Members come to the team with experience in managing health, behavior, and safety aspects of the College experience and may therefore spot trends and set up early intervention services as they evaluate behaviors from a variety of college perspectives.

The team is a resource for JCC faculty and staff to report student behaviors of concern. Its intent is to provide early support and intervention to students, but not to stigmatize them or enable profiling. In addition, it is meant to assist students to receive needed accommodations, assist with academic stressors, and to increase and enhance opportunities for student success. In some cases there may be no violation of campus rules, as such, but the behavior may evoke alarm or concern among involved persons. The team creates an approach that integrates information among offices and takes advantage of the strengths and valuable services that various departments provide. The team provides an early intervention resource for JCC faculty, staff, and students to consult on student behaviors of: distressing, disruptive, or threatening behaviors of concern.

What you can do to support BIT

You are BIT's best resource because you may be familiar to the student.

  • BIT referral form
  • If you are comfortable doing so, tell the student that you are concerned and ask if they are ok. In many cases, students will indicate that they could use some help and you can refer them to JCC's Counseling and Career Center on the Cattaraugus County Campus 716.376.7508, Jamestown Campus 716.338.1007, or North County Center at 716.363.6527.
  • Self-injurious behavior/suicidal ideation or attempt.
  • Erratic behavior (including online activities) that can disrupt the mission and/or normal proceedings of college students, faculty, staff, or others.
  • Behavior that is not understood but is concerning or disturbing to others.
  • Alcohol and drug use/abuse or mental health crises.
  • A student submits an English assignment about committing suicide.
  • Two students make a class video about placing bombs on campus.
  • Someone receives an email stating, "I'm going to kill everyone in the Math Dept."
  • A student's web page has links to web pages with information about poisoning others with cyanide.
  • A student corresponds with a faculty member using language that indicates disordered thinking.
  • A student communicates suicidal/homicidal intent to another.
  • A student displays other odd or threatening behaviors.

What do I do if I know a student who may need to be referred to the BIT process? A referral may be initiated by contacting any member of the BIT. Complete a BIT referral form. Please identify the student, the presenting issues and any available documentation. The BIT may request the complainant attend a meeting or consult via phone.

If you feel there is an immediate threat, call 911. You will be asked for basic information about the student, how to contact you (in case the BIT Committee has follow-up questions) and for a description of the incident or behaviors that prompted the referral.

What happens after I make the referral? BIT team members evaluate the information and make a decision about whether the student should be assessed/interviewed. Reporting is the most critical step.

What happens to the student in the BIT process? BIT provides students with confidential, respectful, proactive support, while offering resources and balancing the educational needs of students with the mission of JCC.

How do I know if a concerning behavior is a BIT issue, or is more appropriately handled by other campus resources? You do not have to make this determination. The most critical step is that you report the concerning behavior by submitting a BIT referral form to a BIT member.