By: Makenzie Schiemann, M.S., Ph.D.
NABITA offers a comprehensive framework designed to assess and enhance the effectiveness of a school or institution’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) through an innovative cohort program. This new offering is perfect for new and established teams that ask, “Is our team in alignment with best practices?” and “How can we improve our practices and processes?”
The NABITA-facilitated BIT Program Review integrates self-assessment with expert insights from NABITA consultants and fellow practitioners. The collaborative approach helps participants uphold excellence and fosters a sense of community and shared dedication to continuous improvement. NABITA consultants work collaboratively with teams to identify strengths and gaps in current practices, ensuring prioritized recommendations tailored to your school or institution’s needs and challenges.
Alignment with NABITA Standards
Program reviews assess how a BIT’s structure and process align with NABITA’s Standards for Behavioral Intervention Teams, ensuring efficient management of behavioral concerns. By providing benchmarks, the Standards support informed decision-making, especially in high-risk situations, and offer solid justifications for various processes and methodologies.
The NABITA standards are flexible and intended to guide institutions based on their cultures and practices without being overly prescriptive. The NABITA-Facilitated BIT Program Review offers a structured and objective assessment of how teams align with the Standards and guidance on where they may need to adjust their structure or process.
What is a Cohort Program?
Similar to an online college class, participants enroll as a cohort with their professional peers nationwide. The program will launch as a 13-week hybrid course from January to March 2025 and includes online self-facilitated activities and real-time interactions with NABITA consultants.
The process begins with a virtual orientation led by NABITA experts, who offer valuable insights into conducting a self-assessment. Topics include effective interview techniques, robust data collection methods, and data analysis using the NABITA Standards.
Participants gather data on their teams by reviewing protocols and assessing performance. Following the data collection phase, a check-in meeting is held, during which participants receive training on data analysis and report writing. They then analyze their findings and prepare a comprehensive report, which is submitted for consultant review and feedback.
Regular cohort meetings provide opportunities for check-ins, allowing participants to address questions and manage challenges. Throughout this experience, participants engage with a comprehensive learning management system to enhance their learning journey.
At the program’s conclusion, participants will receive a comprehensive report detailing their scores, themes, and prioritized recommendations for improvement. By leveraging insights from this review, institutions can develop targeted action plans that tackle immediate challenges and cultivate a proactive culture of safety and support. NABITA’s expert will review your team’s scores and assessments, providing improvement recommendations. They will assist in determining the appropriate steps to enhance team performance.
Cohort Timeline
| Week 1 | Orientation Meeting |
| Weeks 2-5 | Self-Assessment Data Collection |
| Week 3 | Check-In Meeting |
| End of Week 5 | Pre-Report Writing Workshop |
| Weeks 6-8 | Report Writing |
| Week 7 | Check-In Meeting |
| End of Week 8 | Assessment Report Due |
| Week 9-12 | Consultant Review of Self-Report and Final Report Produced |
| Week 13 | Wrap-Up Meeting |
How to Maximize the Review Process
To conduct an effective audit, participants will adhere to these essential steps:
- Effective Data Collection and Recordkeeping
- Use established data collection standards to interview team members to evaluate strengths and weaknesses
- Gather insights on practices, processes, and perceptions to identify successes and areas for improvement
- Collect information from various documents, such as manuals and policies
- Take detailed notes to prepare for the analysis phase
- Analyzing Data for Informed Decision-Making
- Review notes from interviews and materials to identify common themes
- Look for consistent confusion in procedures and marketing that may have led to misunderstandings
- Evaluate the team’s performance against national standards, noting areas of alignment and improvement
- Create a prioritized list of actionable items for immediate and long-term goals to enhance team performance
- Assessment and Reflection
- Leverage trends identified to make sound decisions
- Engage NABITA’s expertise to identify challenges and improvement opportunities overlooked due to cognitive biases
- Address potential stagnation by developing a clear plan and securing buy-in from team members and administration through systematically presenting findings and recommendations
- Evaluate the effectiveness of decisions and team performance
Choosing a NABITA-facilitated review is crucial to reinforcing an institution’s commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all members. Register now for the cohort program by clicking here.