4 tips to improve your college's behavioral intervention team

As concerns about student well-being and mental health have risen dramatically in recent years, the impact of this trend can be seen in the caseload and complexity of behavioral intervention team (BIT)/CARE team work. Currently, many colleges and universities are reevaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of their teams. Use these four tips to ensure your college has a high-functioning BIT/CARE team that is equipped to support the campus community.

1. Embed annual team assessment into BIT/CARE team procedure

This assessment is an annual audit of the BIT/CARE procedures, outreach strategy, referral processes, recordkeeping initiatives, information management, and BIT data. The first step to improving the BIT/CARE team at your institution is to identify strengths and diagnose weaknesses to improve your overall efficiency and effectiveness. Use this audit annually to evaluate gaps in your BIT/CARE team’s preparedness.

Download the BIT/CARE team assessment

2. Equip faculty and staff to better refer students to support

Faculty and staff play a critical role in supporting students’ mental health and well-being. Equipping faculty and staff with in-the-moment resources will empower them to direct students who need support to the best-fit resources. Stanford University’s Red Folder is an excellent example of this effort. Stanford’s resource helps faculty understand how to approach students who need support and guide them toward the appropriate next steps.

3. Leverage data to identify high-impact improvements

EAB recommends tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) for your BIT/CARE team, such as the number of referrals per year and referrer demographics. Gathering this additional data will help BIT/CARE teams identify adjustments to team processes and priorities that will enhance their ability to effectively support the campus community.

Read our case study to learn how EAB’s research helped Central Michigan University’s (CMU) BIT/CARE team better support students of concern.

4. Create a separate BIT/CARE team for faculty and staff to allow for more specialized referrals

As concerns about faculty and staff well-being have risen, more institutions are forming BIT/CARE teams for faculty and staff to ensure pathways to support better match their unique needs as university employees.

The Faculty and Staff Support Network (FSSN) at the University of Denver (DU) is an example of a BIT/CARE team designed for faculty and staff. The FSSN discreetly connects faculty and staff with the support they need. They can also self-refer through the FSSN for advice about what assistance they may need or where within DU is the right place to turn.