University of Missouri Receives $2M School Safety Grant

The University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., recently announced that it has received a $2-million grant from the Department of Justice to help schools around the state identify and avoid threats to student safety, according to a news release. The project will partner the university with as many as 26 rural school districts in the state and will connect to schools’ Wi-Fi to keep tabs on online threats. Full implementation is expected by fall 2023, the news release reports.

“If a potential threat is captured through videos, text messages, emails, or social media posts, the school would be alerted so potential assessments and interventions can happen to avoid anyone harming themselves or others,” said Keith Herman, Curators’ Distinguished Professor at the MU College of Education and Human Development. “The other key component of this is creating threat assessment teams, which could include school principals, teachers, school resource officers, school psychologists, counselors, social workers, and law enforcement individuals, as we will be training them on how to respond and intervene.”

Suicide threats will be handled using the Columbia Protocol, an evidence-based approach that gives threat assessment teams the means to contact individuals and discuss risk levels and interventions for avoiding self-harm. Threats to others will be handled with an approach from the University of Virginia, giving threat assessment teams step-by-step processes for how to respond.

“Rural schools tend to have less resources in these areas, and we have heard from many rural Missouri school districts that they currently don’t have these threat assessment teams and systematic procedures in place. So, we want to help implement these resources to support their schools and communities,” Herman said. “Obviously, there has been an increased spotlight on recent school shootings, and we also know many students have been struggling throughout the pandemic with mental health concerns. So hopefully the combination of the technology and the trainings will make schools safer, and those who work in the schools will feel more confident in responding and intervening when threats arise.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when these threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies. Read Now

  • How Hospitals are Using Modern Technology to Improve Security

    Workplace violence is a serious and growing challenge for many organizations — including those in the healthcare industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in healthcare and social services experience the highest rates of injuries caused by workplace violence and are five times as likely to suffer a workplace violence injury than workers overall — and aggressive incidents are rising. Read Now

  • Father of Georgia School Shooting Suspect Charged in Connection With Attack

    Colin Gray, the father of the 14-year-old Georgia school shooting suspect, has also been charged in connection with the attack. The 54-year-old father was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Read Now

  • Safeguarding Stony Brook University Hospital: HALO’S Commitment to Health & Safety

    The healthcare industry is experiencing an alarming escalation of violence, including an increase in threats against healthcare workers. As a result, it is looking for ways to be proactive and protect its staff and patients.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,  the rate of injuries from violent attacks against medical professionals grew by 63% from 2011 to 2018 and hospital safety directors say that aggression against staff escalated as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified in 2020.      Read Now

Webinars