IMPORTANT: Any emergency should be reported immediately to Public Security at (212) 220-8080.
1. What is the BMCC Behavioral Assessment and Response Team (BART)?
The BMCC Behavioral Assessment and Response Team (BART) serves as a centralized, coordinated body for discussion, assessment, and action regarding students exhibiting or expressing suicidal, self-injurious, disruptive and other behaviors which might pose a threat to students and/or others in the College community. The BMCC BART is a system of support and empowerment for members of the BMCC community to identify and report student behavior that is contrary to our educational environment.
2. Why have a BART?
As members of the BMCC community, it is the responsibility of all to uphold the values of respect, dignity and concern for self and others. All members of the BMCC community play a vital role in ensuring the safety of our campus. Faculty, staff, and friends are often among the first to notice when another member of the BMCC community is exhibiting dangerous or disruptive manner. The BMCC BART is designed to support and assist in upholding this responsibility. The goal of BART is to minimize the likelihood of personal and community crisis situations. The BART is designed to support and empower members of the BMCC community to identify and report student behavior that is contrary to our educational environment. Please know the success of this process relies on community commitment to reporting concerns.
3. What can I report to the BART?
Please report any behaviors you notice that causes you concern (i.e. erratic or distributive behavior, drug and/or alcohol abuse, disturbing writings, etc.). However, some behaviors need to be reported immediately to Public Safety. The attached list should be used as a guide. If you are unsure, feel free to contact a member of the BART to discuss the best course of action if you are not sure what to do or if a report to the BART is warranted.
4. How do I file a concern about a student?
To report a concern to the BART, please complete the on-line form. The form will require a narrative of the behavior of concern you have witnessed. You may also contact a member of the BART personally if you wish to discuss your concern prior to submitting a report.
5. How do I report a concern afterhours or on the weekend?
If something occurs afterhours or on the weekend, submit your concern via the online form.
6. Why should I report my concern to the BART? Why not just call the Counseling Center?
Not all concerns necessarily require assistance from the Counseling Center. The BART includes a staff member from the Counseling Center. Reporting your concerns to the BART ensures that your concern will be immediately directed to a qualified person, who will be able to determine the next best course of action to help a student in need of assistance, whether that means Counseling or another campus resource.
7. What happens when a concern is reported?
Once a concern is received, the team will discuss the reported concern. The BART will then assess and create the necessary plan of action for this particular case. In many cases, the BART may contact the student you are concerned about to arrange a meeting. The BART¿s role is to determine how urgent the situation is and then to recommend or require that the student involved get the proper assistance.
8. Will I be contacted if I submit a concern?
Based on the type of incident or concern, the BART may contact you in order to get additional information and/or other crucial details.
9. Will my name be revealed to the student I am concerned about?
If you prefer, your name will be kept confidential. However, the information you provide will only be known to you and so the student you are concerned about may know its source. The team will always discuss this matter with you before taking any action that would make your identity known.
10. Can I submit an anonymous report about a student?
Yes, but it is much more helpful if you identify yourself in order to expedite the assessment. This might occur if the team is in need of additional details or requires critical information that would allow them to help a student in need. We would like to have your contact information in case we need additional information.
11. Will the student I report be “in trouble”?
The primary purpose of the team is to provide help to students who are in a state of crisis. When you report a student that you are concerned about, you are ensuring that they will receive the best possible assistance from qualified staff members.
12. IMPORTANT: Any emergency should be reported immediately to Public Security at (212) 220-8080.
