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The College’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) utilizes a proactive, collaborative, coordinated, objective, and thoughtful approach to the prevention, identification, assessment, intervention, and management of situations before they have become severe and potentially dangerous. The BIT coordinates response services when reports of potentially disruptive or violent behavior are received, offers strategies and recommendations to members of the College community, and initiates actions and interventions through the appropriate crisis response authorities.

Team Members

• Christopher Jeune –  Executive Director of Student Services (Chair)
• Erin McCarron – Director of Student Conduct & Compliance (Case Manager)
• Ernest Overson – Director of Accessibility Services
• Lauren Brutsman – Director of Student Life & Activities
• Meghan Begley – Confidential Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs
• Cathy Goode – Department Chair, Counseling Department
• Anthony Ceglie – Director, Security & Public Safety
• Sylvina Mendez – Monmouth County Division of Social Services Liaison
• Louis Marius – Director of Advising

please note, any member of the BIT may assign a designee for individual meetings

Purpose

The BIT 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 BIT 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 BIT may mobilize resources in order to minimize the disruption to the College and help prevent violence on campus. The BIT 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 BIT will regularly assess these situations in the community and recommend actions in accordance with existing college policies.  The BIT does not serve as a crisis response unit, nor does it replace faculty classroom management, and/or the Police’s response to an incident.  Emergencies must be reported to the Brookdale Police at 732-224-2222.

Team Functions

• 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. 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 law/college policy.
• Education and train the community on identification of concerning behaviors and proactive options to assist students.

Every Mind Matters Resource

Supporting Brookdale students comes in all forms and fashions. Brookdale, in partnership with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, has created an Every Mind Matters folder. This document is a mental health and basic needs resource for all Brookdale students. This resource shares valuable information for campus, local, and state resources. It also provides sound advice for all employees on how best to support students and make appropriate referrals.

CLICK HERE to access the Every Mind Matters Resource Electronically (2/8/2022)

Supplemental Online Trainings

The BIT operates best when the campus community is educated about holistic student wellness. The BIT in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources added the module Student Mental Health: Awareness, Intervention, and Referral to required employee training effective July 2022. This 11-minute module provides an overview of mental health and ways that employees can effectively intervene and refer students to appropriate campus and community resources.  

In addition, the BIT recommends the following SafeColleges modules which are supplemental professional development. They can be found by accessing SafeColleges at https://brookdalecc-nj.safecolleges.com/login and logging in. Once logged in, click Extra Training on the lefthand side. Once in the Extra Training section, click the corresponding category listed next to each course name below. Please reach out to hrdept@brookdalecc.edu with any questions.  

• Crisis Response and Recovery (Under Emergency Management category) 
  • This module is connected to the College’s Crisis Response Program and highlights how stress reactions manifest for individuals and recovery strategies (14 minutes)

• Communication Styles and Skills (Under Social/Behavioral category)  
  • This module focuses on interpersonal communication and is valuable for anyone looking to communicate more effectively verbally, non-verbally, or written (11 minutes).