Behavioural and Digital Threat Assessment Training
School District No. 83 (K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcul'ecw) brought together educators and community partners on Friday, April 10, 2026, for a full-day Basic Behavioural and Digital Threat Assessment (BDTA™) training session, reinforcing a shared commitment to safe, caring, and inclusive school and community environments.
BDTA™ is a protocol that is frequently used in British Columbia as well as many other Canadian jurisdictions. Previously known as Violence/Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA™), the updated terminology reflects current best practice in the field.
The training, held at the District Education Support Centre, was facilitated by Scott Rothermell, a certified Safer Schools trainer. Participants included a broad cross-section of professionals whose collective expertise plays a critical role in prevention and early intervention. From SD83, attendees included members of the district leadership team (principals and vice-principals), itinerant elementary counsellors, school-based middle and secondary counsellors, and Indigenous education staff, including Success Teachers, Indigenous Outreach Worker, and an Indigenous Clinical Counsellor.
Representatives from School District No. 19 (Revelstoke) also took part, including the District Vice Principal of Inclusive Education and school-based principals.
The session highlighted the importance of collaboration beyond school walls, with participation from community agencies and partner organizations. These included the Integrated Child and Youth Team, Child and Youth Mental Health clinicians and a nurse clinician, Interior Health’s Mental Health and Substance Use team, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, the RCMP, and representatives from the Splatsin Education Department, and Stsmémelt Children and Family Development.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in a blend of theory, case study analysis, and hands-on, group-based activities. Training focused on structured data collection, behavioural assessment, trauma‑informed interviewing techniques, intervention planning, progress monitoring, and ongoing case management. The goal was to build a shared understanding and consistent approach to identifying and responding to concerning behaviours before situations escalate.
Assistant Superintendent Chelsea Prince has invited community agencies and partners to collaborate in the development of a Threat Assessment Community Protocol for the region. This protocol will be a comprehensive, multi-agency framework designed to ensure school and community safety by collaboratively assessing and intervening when individuals, often students, exhibit threatening or potentially violent behaviour. It is a proactive, trauma-informed approach that brings together school districts, police services, mental health professionals, and other community partners to intervene before a violent act occurs.
This collective effort reflects a growing recognition that maintaining safe schools is a shared community responsibility that depends on strong relationships, clear processes, and a commitment to working together in the best interest of children, youth, and families across the region.
This initiative aligns with the Human & Social Development priority in our Strategic Plan, which is focused on ensuring every student feels welcome, safe, and connected to peers and adults at school through proactive, trauma-informed, and collaborative approaches to well-being and safety. It also supports the Community Partnerships priority by progressing toward the signing of the Threat Assessment Community Protocol, strengthening shared responsibility for student safety across schools and community partners.
