Proactive School Safety: How SROs and K-12 Safety Professionals Can Collaborate for a Safer, Healthier Campus

2. Mental Health & Student Well-Being

Recognizing the Overlap Between Safety and Mental Health

Often, students who exhibit threatening behavior are struggling with underlying mental health challenges—such as depression, anxiety, or trauma. SROs, counselors, and school safety teams must collaborate to address these factors and prevent crises before they occur.

Joint Training: Ensure that SROs and staff receive education on de-escalation and trauma-informed practices.

Resource Availability: Promote counseling services, peer support groups, or partnerships with local mental health agencies to provide immediate help for at-risk students.

De-Escalation and Supportive Intervention

When a student is in crisis, a swift, empathetic response can make all the difference. SROs, who often handle the initial intervention, benefit from a mental health-informed perspective.

De-Escalation Techniques: Use calm, respectful communication—acknowledging students’ emotions without judgment.

On-Site Counseling: Loop in school counselors or psychologists as soon as possible. Students in crisis respond better when they feel supported rather than solely policed.

Removing Stigma and Building Trust

Students are more likely to report personal challenges or share concerns about peers if they trust the individuals they’re talking to.

Positive Visibility: Participate in school events, greet students in hallways, and show genuine interest in student activities to build rapport.

Community Forums: Host sessions where parents and students can learn about mental health resources, discuss concerns, and get to know the SRO and safety team in a non-crisis setting.

Bringing It All Together: A Unified Safety Strategy

Shared Protocols

• Establish clear guidelines for threat assessment, mental health referrals, and crisis response. This helps ensure consistent handling of incidents across the school.

Collaborative Teams

• Combine the expertise of SROs (law enforcement, crisis management) with that of mental health professionals (counselors, psychologists) and administrators (policy, discipline) to tackle issues from every angle.

Ongoing Training

• Provide regular professional development for safety teams, focusing on behavioral threat assessment, mental health crisis management, and trauma-informed care.

Student-Centered Approach

• Keep the well-being of the student at the heart of each decision. Whenever possible, prioritize supportive interventions over purely punitive measures.

Community Engagement

• Forge relationships with local law enforcement agencies, mental health organizations, and community groups to create a wraparound network of support for students and families.

A proactive, student-focused safety strategy goes beyond locking doors and patrolling hallways. SROs and K-12 safety professionals are in a unique position to identify potential threats early and connect struggling students with the help they need. By aligning threat assessment protocols with mental health support, schools not only reduce the likelihood of violence but also nurture a culture of care where students feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Next Steps

1. 1. Assess Your Policies: Review your current threat assessment and mental health support policies to ensure they align with best practices.
   2. Train and Collaborate: Schedule joint training sessions for SROs, counselors, and administrators to streamline communication and strategy.
   3. Educate the Community: Share clear guidelines with parents and students about how to report concerns and access mental health resources.

The synergy between proactive threat assessment and mental health intervention is a cornerstone of modern school safety. With dedication, collaboration, and empathy, SROs and their partners in education can create campuses where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.