Behavioral Intervention Team

The Behavioral Intervention Team is available to assist via email and our online reporting form.

Submit a Report

Our primary goal is to provide threat assessments and early intervention of reported students before a crisis arises on the campus. We do this by identifying, assessing, and monitoring students who were reported by a staff or faculty member of the College. These students may display moderate to elevated levels of distress, disruption, or behavioral dysregulation. We may recommend psychological assessment, medical leave, and/or withdrawal to the student, when necessary, pursuant to CUNY’s Medical Withdrawal and Re-Entry Policy and Procedures. For our specific Policies and Procedures, we recommend you to read our BIT Guide.

Team Members:  Dean of Students, the Directors of Accessibility Services, Public Safety, Health Services, Counseling Services, Student Conduct Officer, faculty representative(s) and Legal Counsel.  

Other Policies: 

• Protocol on Responding to the Death of a Student

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact us

Room L65.00NB
524 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019 
P: (212) 237-8211 
F: (212) 237-8282
E:deanofstudents@jjay.cuny.edu

Office hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Policy Id: 

BIT.001 is the John Jay College of Criminal Justice policy and procedure for the Behavioral Intervention Team.

Contact: 

Chair – Dominic Stellini, Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students
BIT@jjay.cuny.edu
212-237-8211

Rachel Brown, Student Relations Manager
rabrown@jjay.cuny.edu
212-321-4143

Gerard Bryant, Director, Counseling
gwbryant@jjay.cuny.edu
646-557-4552

Malaine Clarke, Health Services Director
maclarke@jjay.cuny.edu
212-621-4101

Laura Diaz Crisostomo, B.I.T. Intake Specialist, Counseling
ldiaz@jjay.cuny.edu
646-557-4785

Myrna Forney, Office of Legal Counsel
mforney@jjay.cuny.edu
212-237-8911

Jessica Greenfield, Counselor, Women’s Center for Gender Justice
jgreenfield@jjay.cuny.edu
646-557-4535

Elena Beharry, Interim Director, Office of Accessibility Services
ebeharry@jjay.cuny.edu
212-237-8148

Diego Redondo, Director, Public Safety
dredondo@jjay.cuny.edu
212-237-8521

Elizabeth Yukins, Faculty, English
eyukins@jjay.cuny.edu
212-237-8083

Last Modified July 2025

Mission

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) was established with the mandate to identify, assess, and monitor students displaying moderate to extreme levels of distress, disruption, and/or behavioral dysregulation, including homicidal, suicidal, assaultive or self-injurious threats, and to implement timely interventions that protect the welfare of the student and the safety of the college community. Its primary goal is to provide threat assessments and early intervention before a crisis arises.

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) Policy and Procedure Guide outlines procedures for the referral, evaluation, and appropriate disposition of students displaying disruptive behavior in all College settings including online behavior. All referrals relating to disruptive or threatening behavior should be made to the Dean of Students.

This policy will outline the following:

1. Identification and involvement of the John Jay Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)
2. Procedures for reporting behavioral issues
3. Reporting responsibilities expected of the John Jay Community
4. Process for submitting reports

Behavioral Intervention Team

BIT is composed of the following individuals from diverse areas of the College*:

• Dean of Students (Chairperson)
• Director of Accessibility Services
• Director of the Counseling Center
• Director of Health Services
• Director of Public Safety
• Legal Counsel
• One additional Counselor from the Counseling Center
• Conduct Officers
• College Prevention Coordinator

Depending on the nature of the case, BIT may call upon expertise of other members of the College community to provide consultation on risk assessment and appropriate interventions. BIT will meet at least once a month or as needed. When notified of a threat or act of violence, the team will initiate a full and prompt investigation. Based on the investigation, the team will recommend one of the following actions:

1. No further action is needed
2. Additional information should be gathered to evaluate the threat based on National Behavioral Intervention Team Association Threat Assessment Tool
3. Refer for threat assessment pursuant the CUNY Medical Withdrawal Policy
4. Refer to CUNY procedures pursuant the Academic Bulletin to initiate appropriate disciplinary action
5. Refer to the legal system to initiate appropriate criminal proceedings
    

Key Objectives

1. Increase identification of students whose behaviors are distressed, disruptive, and/or dysregulated.
2. Discuss situations brought to its attention by any member of the campus community seeking guidance on disruptive and/or problematic behaviors that might lead to aggression or self-harm.
3. Centralize the process of collecting and assessing “red flags” raised by student behavior and documented by different sources within the College before there is a crisis.
4. Develop a coordinated plan to help students in crisis, mitigate risk, facilitate early intervention and protect and maintain campus safety.
5. Coordinate follow-up with the student to ensure that recommended services, support and resources are deployed effectively.
6. Recommend mandated psychological assessment and/or medical leave/withdrawal, when necessary, pursuant to CUNY’s Medical Withdrawal and Re-Entry Policy and Procedures.
7. Balance FERPA, HIPAA and counselor privilege with College need-to-know and emergency communication needs.
8. Protect the campus community in cases of imminent threats by students, staff, and faculty to self and others.

Reporting Threats and Acts of Violence

All members of the John Jay Community are encouraged to be alert to the possibility of violent acts on the part of employees, students, visitors, contractors, or others. Each time a faculty or staff member becomes aware of a threat, intimidating conduct, or an act of violence, she/he must report the incident to the Dean of Students (BIT Chair) at 212.237.8211 as soon as possible. If there is perceived imminent danger, always contact the campus Department of Public Safety immediately and/or 911 as appropriate. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent provided by the law.

Responsibilities for Departments/Units and Faculty/Staff

It is the responsibility of every department and faculty/staff member to:

1. Be familiar with the BIT Policies and Procedures for reporting incidents.
2. Report any conduct violations (including threats or perceived threats) to the Dean of Students and Public Safety.
3. Cooperate with the Dean of Students and BIT to implement recommended action for mitigation of threat.

Note: Any report of violence or threats of violence will be handled in a confidential manner with information released only on a need-to-know basis (see Section 06 – Case Information and Confidentiality Procedures).

Process for Submitting Reports

Anyone in the campus community, who observes an emergency, extreme or severe incident o imminent threat to self (e.g. suicide attempt) or others (e.g., violent act), serious disruptive o threatening behavior, property damage, or a broken law, should contact Public Safety Department at 212-237-8888 immediately and/or 911 as appropriate. Public Safety can be reached from a classroom emergency phone by dialing “1”.

Faculty, students and staff who are concerned about a student displaying moderate to elevated levels of distress, disturbance, or dysregulation (e.g., suicidal thoughts, or impulses, violent and aggressive impulses, depression, disruptive behavior, physical or sexual abuse) should immediately contact the Dean of Students, chairperson of BIT. The Dean of Students will then present the case to BIT for a safety assessment and an appropriate response plan. BIT’s response will be based on the nature of the behavior, the severity of the safety risk and the needs of the student.

Questions regarding behavior can be emailed to the BIT@jjay.cuny.edu. However, if an incident has occurred, faculty and staff should not simply email or voicemail their concerns but also complete a written BIT Report Form.

The report will be reviewed by the Dean of Students or her/his designee.

The faculty or staff member who submits the information will receive an acknowledgement from the Dean of Students confirming that appropriate responses have been or are being made.

Faculty or staff submitting a report should not expect detailed information about the disposition of their submission because the issue may involve due process or confidentiality rights of the student.

Before submitting the report, faculty and staff may consult with a member of BIT and/or the Dean of Students. However, writing a formal report to the Dean of Students may still be required following the consultation.

Once the report is submitted, the Dean of Students or designee will determine what steps need to be followed. These could include: speaking with the student; gathering additional evidence or information by interviewing members of the John Jay Community; compiling additional documentation; reviewing evidence sources (e.g., Google, public information, Public Safety records, an academic record); making a referral to BIT or other.

Faculty and staff should submit additional reports as new concerns arise or as behavior is repeated, even if they have done so before. A single incident may be insufficient to take action, but a pattern of incidents may require an institutional response.

Incident Follow-Up:

For interim suspension, trespass and/or persona non-grata orders, see Medical Withdrawal

Policy and CUNY procedures as outlined in the Academic Bulletin.

Communicating the BIT Initiative:

BIT brochures to be circulated in print to academic and service departments as well as posted on the John Jay College website. Rollout of BIT policies and procedures targeting Student Affairs, Faculty Senate, President’s Cabinet, Center of Advancement of Teaching, Health Office, Enrollment Management Office, Dean of Undergraduate Studies to be implemented on a yearly basis. Each new semester, a refresher on BIT policies and procedures will be instituted.

01. Policy Statements

01.01  John Jay College of Criminal Justice is committed to providing a learning environment that is conducive for students to develop to their fullest potential. Our mission is to work collaboratively to protect, as much as possible, the health, safety and welfare of our students and the members of the College community.

02. Purpose

02.01  This policy establishes the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) as an official John Jay College team, and establishes official policy for team responsibilities and operations.

02.02  This policy also outlines procedures for team consultation with John Jay faculty and staff who are concerned about the behavior of a student who is potentially dangerous to self and/or others or is extremely disruptive or threatening.

03. Team purpose and responsibilities

03.01  The purpose of the Behavioral Intervention Team is to review behavioral incidents and ensure a systematic response to students whose behavior may be disruptive or harmful to themselves or the John Jay Community and to assist in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of students and other members of the John Jay Community. Specifically, the charge for this team is to:

1. Assess situations involving a student who poses a potential risk of harm to persons or property in the College community or is of substantial disruption to College activities in accordance with policies stated in the Student Code of Conduct.
2. Consult with administration, faculty, staff and other students affected by the inappropriate behaviors of a disruptive student.
3. Coordinate the College response to a violent, threatening, or significantly disruptive student.
4. Develop a specific strategy to manage the threatening or disruptive behavior with regard to the safety and rights of others and to minimize the disruption to the College community.
5. Make recommendations to responsible College officials on appropriate action consistent with College policy and procedure statements and with state and federal law.

04. Team Composition

04.01   The team reports to the Dean of Students.

04.02   The team is chaired by the Dean of Students and core members include:

• Dean of Students (Chairperson)
• Director of Accessibility Services
• Director of the Counseling Center
• Director of Health Services
• Director of Public Safety
• Legal Counsel
• One additional Counselor from the Counseling Center
• Conduct Officers
• College Prevention Coordinator

04.03  Other John Jay College officials may be asked by the Dean of Students to serve on the team or be consulted as needed.

05. Operations and procedure guidelines for case management

05.01  At the beginning of each fall and spring semester, the Vice President for Student Affairs will send a notice to faculty and staff through appropriate communication channels, stating that the team is available for consultation when they are concerned about potentially harmful, threatening, or disruptive behavior of a student or students. The notice will be presented as a “proactive measure.”

05.02

1. Report emergency or extreme situations immediately to the Public Safety Department at 212-237-8888 and/or 911 (as appropriate) if a student displays an imminent threat to self or others, serious disruptive or threatening behavior, damages property, or breaks the law.
2. Elevated and severe behavioral concerns such as suicidal thoughts or impulses, violent and aggressive impulses, depression, disruptive behavior, emotional/behavioral dysregulation, or clear indication of physical and sexual abuse should immediately be reported to the Dean of Students for referral to the Behavioral Intervention Team. Dean of Students Office, L71 New Building, 212 237-8211 or email BIT@jjay.cuny.edu.
3. Mild to moderate mental and behavioral health concerns (e.g., signs of emotional difficulty, situational stressors, and changes in usual behavior) should be referred for consultation or intervention to the Counseling Department in room L68 New Building or call 212.237.8111 during normal business hours (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM M-F; 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM T-W).

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

05.04  All meetings will be chaired by the Dean of Students. In the event the Dean of Students is unavailable to chair a meeting, the meeting will be chaired by a core designee of the team as determined by the Dean of Students.

05.05  The team will meet with affected members of the College community who desire to discuss the situation.

05.06  The desired outcome of a consultation meeting is a recommended course of action based upon CUNY procedures and/or appropriate document(s) to the affected members of the College community, to the Dean of Students, and to John Jay administration. Specific issues for consideration include the assessment of potential violence, evidence of mental illness as the possible cause of the behavior, containment of disruption, appropriate referral resources, setting appropriate behavioral boundaries within existing College policies, and specific departmental procedures or courses of action.

05.07  Recommended departmental courses of action will be made only through appropriate administrative channels.

05.08  Courses of action recommended to departments are for consultation only. They are not binding and do not carry the force of College policy.

05.09  Following a case management situation and subsequent recommendation, the team will meet to debrief and evaluate the outcome of the situation.

06. Case information and confidentiality procedures 

06.01  Members of the team 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, and privacy of the student or other persons and to generate a recommended course of action in accordance with applicable legal and professional standards of confidentiality, including the release of information pursuant to the Family Educational Rights Act and Privacy Act of 1974.

06.02  If the student involved in harmful, threatening, or disruptive activities is already a client of the Student Counseling Center or the Women’s Center and/or is a patient of the Student Health Center, information about that student’s contacts may not be obtained by the team from those agencies without written authorization of the student in question, in accordance with federal and state law. Federal and state laws that govern the privacy and confidentiality of students’ health and mental health information and records include:

1. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (Federal)
2. New York State Laws and Regulations

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