The Risk Prevention program is, per Virginia Code, used to support and disseminate information regarding policies and procedures across the FCPS community. Within Fairfax County Public Schools, the Risk Prevention program outlines circumstances under which all faculty and staff are required to report behavior that may represent a physical threat to the community, provided that such report is consistent with state and federal law, establish policies and procedures for (a) the assessment of individuals whose behavior may present a threat, (b) appropriate means of intervention with such individuals, and (c) sufficient means of action. This includes referrals to community services boards or health care providers for evaluation or treatment, medical separation to resolve potential physical threats, and notification of family members or guardians unless such notification would prove harmful to the individual in question. The Risk Prevention program guides students, faculty, and staff regarding this recognition of threatening or aberrant behavior that may represent a physical threat to the community. Risk Prevention services are provided by district and school-based multidisciplinary teams to students who require risk assessments and responsive interventions focused on ensuring students’ safety. Risk Prevention provides consultative and practical support for schools by managing and participating in complex risk assessments; implementing preventative strategies focused on threatening and/or concerning behaviors; and creating effective case management for students requiring intensive intervention. Risk Prevention collaborates with outside initiatives to identify schools’ Tier 1 inefficiencies and the corresponding supports required for a more successful preventative approach to anticipating risk. The Risk Prevention program specialist also participates in the Code of Virginia described division level Risk Prevention Oversight Committee, which oversees the functioning and assurance of compliance with state statutes, model policy, procedures, and guidelines for standards of practice. Additionally, the program is tasked with ensuring consistency of policies and procedures for threat assessment and management processes across the district, training, and continuing education of threat assessment team members; the notification of senior school administrators and/or parents/guardians, and fulfillment of reporting requirements regarding threat assessment practices.

The Code of Virginia dictates the threat assessment process and threat assessment team membership. Virginia public schools are required to adopt policies and procedures that establish threat assessment teams whose functions include the assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior may pose a threat to the safety of the school, staff, or students. Additionally, each division must establish a structure in which each school within the division is served by a threat assessment team, which shall include persons with “expertise in counseling, instruction, school administration, and law enforcement.” The core duties of the threat assessment teams are to guide the recognition and reporting of threatening or aberrant behavior that may impact the school community; establish clear protocols for staff, students, parents/guardians, and others who have such concerns to report their concerns in a timely and confidential or anonymous manner.

To satisfy these state requirements, the Risk Prevention program designed and implemented procedures for threats towards self and threats towards others. To address threats to others within the risk assessment process, as outlined in the Procedures for Conducting Risk Assessments (Regulation 2111), the individual observing a threat towards others/concerning behaviors will reach out to a member of the core risk assessment team for triage and preliminary determination of risk. If an elevated risk level is identified, the administrator will lead the risk assessment process. The administrator notifies the School Resources Officer/law enforcement of the risk assessment and law enforcement will decide as to whether a separate investigation should be conducted. When the investigation has either been completed or found unnecessary, the risk assessment team collects background information on the student of concern (student making the threat) and conducts interviews with the student of concern, potential target, and witness(es). Once the information gathering is complete, the risk assessment team reconvenes and determines the risk classification. Follow-up is determined by the risk level of the identified threat. Parents/guardians of both the student of concern and potential target(s) are notified of the risk assessment, and the parent/guardian of the student of concern is provided a Risk Assessment Documentation form that identifies the level of risk, recommendations, and space for parent/guardian response. The risk assessment team requests a parent's signature and follow-up/ case management is facilitated, as necessary. Once this process is completed, a school-based administrator documents the risk assessment in the risk assessment reporting database.

As part of FCPS Procedures for Conducting a Suicide Risk Assessment (Regulation 2120), safety must be established when a student exhibits behaviors or verbalizations indicating a threat to self, and supervision is maintained. One of the Mental health team members (counselor, school psychologist, and/or social worker) conducts the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scales (C-SSRS) to quantify the level of suicide risk. Concerning the risk level, the risk assessment team will adhere to the follow-up checklist, notify the parent, and provide the risk assessment documentation for the parent/guardian's signature. The assessing mental health team member will document the risk assessment on the risk assessment reporting database.

In both an instance of threat to others and threat to self assessments, if safety cannot be established and/or there is a weapon involved, the school team will not attempt to disarm the individual and will call 9-1-1 immediately.

To satisfy Virginia Code’s requirement of collecting and reporting quantitative data, the Risk Assessment Database is used as a means of efficiently and reliably documenting threat assessment activities. The risk assessment database documents all completed risk assessments and provides a means of tracking open and closed cases, case management, and risk classifications. The information included in the risk assessment database identifies schools with support needs and assists in the implementation of future decisions regarding support and training opportunities/professional development.

The Risk Prevention program provides division–wide training regarding state-mandated risk assessment with adherence to Virginia Code; and FCPS school safety and threat assessment policies, procedures, and regulations. Approved instructional materials are listed on the Risk Prevention Hub (for FCPS staff) under ‘Learn About Risk Prevention’ and ‘Additional Resources’:

• ‘Threat Assessment and Management in Virginia Public Schools: Model Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines’
• Instructional resources housed on the National Threat Assessment Center website.
• ‘NTAC’s Operational Guide for Preventing School Violence’
• Kognito -Safe and Caring Schools
• ‘Foundations of Targeted Violence Prevention Training’
• Risk Prevention Training Slide Deck
• Risk Prevention Guidelines
• Risk Prevention Training in MyPDE (Facilitation available both virtually and in-person)

Risk Prevention program's current area of focus is ensuring all mandatory risk assessment team members are trained in risk prevention and the risk assessment process and procedures. The Risk Prevention program provides consultation with schools to ensure adherence to risk assessment processes and integration of research-based risk prevention strategies to decrease threats to self and threats towards others and improves the implementation of follow-up and case management procedures through consultative means, and formal and informal training opportunities. The Risk Prevention program has increased focus on collaboration with other, relevant initiatives to create a more integrated approach to risk prevention and student wellness. Particularly how social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, positive behavior supports, and the corresponding benefits these initiatives yield on the well-being of those students struggling with thoughts of self-harm and those students exhibiting maladaptive behavior and verbalizations. 

During the 2022-2023 school year, there were 6,008 documented risk assessments added to the risk assessment reporting database. A total of 4,498 threats to self/suicide risk assessments were completed. Regarding the suicide risk level classification, 672 were considered ‘Imminent Risk’ and 1,181 as ‘Moderate Risk’. A total of 1,510 risk assessments of threats to others are documented for the 2022-2023 school year. Regarding the threat risk level for a threat to others/concerning behaviors, 49 were considered ‘Critical/Imminent’ and 112 as ‘High/Substantial’ Risk. Out of the 6,008 documented risk assessments, 121 reported cases had both threat to other assessments and suicide risk assessments being completed in tandem. 

The risk assessment reporting database is consulted biweekly and reported monthly to leadership to determine monthly trends and identify schools and students in need of additional support.