By: Aaron L. Austin, Ed.D., Consultant, TNG
Cultural responsiveness requires understanding cultural contexts, recognizing intersecting identities, and adapting processes to be both customizable and objective. In educational settings, this is essential for creating safe, inclusive learning environments where students can thrive, and employees can do their best work. All members of the community—students, educators, administrators, and staff—share the responsibility of understanding individual differences and the impact they may have on everyone’s experiences. Given the critical role of Behavioral Intervention Teams (BITs) in ensuring safety and identifying risks, they must conduct their work in a culturally responsive manner.
In response to the increasing demand for sensitivity within behavioral intervention practices, NABITA created the Developing a Culturally Responsive Behavioral Intervention Team workshop. This training equips participants with practical skills to enhance cultural awareness, making it immediately applicable to policies and practices.
Addressing a Critical Gap
The workshop addresses a critical gap within the field of behavioral intervention. Historically, intervention strategies focused solely on behaviors likely to manifest as threats of violence or harm to self, often neglecting the cultural contexts that shape the referrals, assessments, and interventions. NABITA has long promoted training teams in competency areas that include cultural awareness to align with Standard Six of the NABITA Industry Standards for Behavioral Intervention Teams, “team members engage in regular, ongoing BIT training to increase confidence, build competence, and foster team development.” This workshop equips practitioners with these essential skills and emphasizes the importance of continuous team training.
Training to be Intentionally Conscious
Practitioners will gain the skills to manage risks while understanding the narratives that shape behaviors. Participants begin by establishing a solid understanding of cultural identities and their impacts on personal experiences. Then, they learn to be intentionally conscious of how backgrounds can shape community perspectives on risk, individual behaviors, team assessments, and appropriate interventions. NABITA is committed to empowering practitioners with the confidence and expertise necessary to implement policies and procedures that recognize the importance of everyone’s unique backgrounds, histories, and stories.
More Accurate Referrals, More Effective Interventions
A community’s level of cultural awareness directly influences the accuracy of its referrals to BITs. This, in turn, leads to more effective interventions and a safer community. Enrolling in this workshop provides tangible benefits, including:
- Enhanced Understanding of Social Identities: Understand how backgrounds influence behaviors and experiences to generate more accurate assessments and interventions.
- Bias Mitigation Strategies: Learn techniques to identify and reduce bias within referral and assessment processes.
- Sensitivity in Interventions: Develop skills to approach interventions with an empathetic, culturally aware perspective.
- Strengths-based Approach: Incorporate individual strengths as protective factors in interventions.
- Improved Team Collaboration: Foster a team culture that encourages open dialogue, inclusive practices, and critical evaluation of intervention processes.
Better Outcomes for Individuals
This training aligns with the ongoing transformation within educational institutions toward creating safer, more inclusive environments. Schools and colleges increasingly realize that safety encompasses understanding identities and backgrounds. Safety for all also means ensuring intervention strategies do not inadvertently marginalize someone based on misunderstandings.
It also aligns with NABITA’s holistic intervention approach. The workshop emphasizes the importance of cultural responsiveness in mitigating biases that can affect a BIT’s assessment of risk and initiation of interventions. By integrating these elements, NABITA seeks to enhance the effectiveness of interventions and improve outcomes for all individuals.
Integration Within the NABITA Curriculum
This workshop is an excellent tool in the NABITA toolkit within the comprehensive curriculum. NABITA strongly encourages practitioners who are new to BITs to start with foundational courses for higher education or K-12 settings: BIT Standards and Practices for Higher Education or K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Standards and Best Practices. From there, this workshop can be seamlessly integrated into the NABITA learning path.
This workshop is highly recommended for established BITs, and entire teams are encouraged to participate. Together, teams can review current policies and procedures to identify and address any embedded discrimination or entrenched exclusion. This ensures that all members contribute to an environment of inclusiveness, are aligned in their approach, and collectively identify areas for improvement within their institutions.
Train with us in 2025
Developing a Culturally Responsive Behavioral Intervention Team will be offered at various times and locations, including the upcoming NABITA Winter Symposium in Henderson, Nevada, in January 2025. After that, the workshop will be available virtually, with live interactive sessions. Schools and colleges can also request customized training sessions tailored to their needs.
Navigating the complexities of cultural responsiveness in academic settings requires thoughtful, informed approaches. NABITA’s workshop empowers BITs with the tools and knowledge to address these challenges. Focusing on responsiveness can create educational environments where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported.
To enroll in the in-person training at NABITA’s Winter Symposium, click here. Members enjoy preferred pricing on all NABITA trainings and events. Become a member today!