CCTATR E- Newsletter Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response

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1 I S S U E # 3 - F A L L CCTATR E- Newsletter Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response In this Edition The National View Welcome back to the start of another school year! It was a wonderful experience spending two days with friends and colleagues in Banff at the First National Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Review Conference this past April. The feedback was exceptional regarding both location and the overall experience. We have plans to incorporate the learning from that landmark event into the Second National VTRA Review that will occur during the academic year. Because VTRA is our reality in Canada we sometimes do not realize how groundbreaking and influential our work is. Dr. Marleen Wong commented after the conference that she had never seen a country embrace a model and practice in such a focused manner as we are striving to do north of the border. Before the conclusion of the academic year, I spent two weeks back in Dr. Wong s territory training Los Angeles County Mental Health, LAPD, Los Angeles Unified School District, and others. News of the First National Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Review Conference in Canada made its way to L.A. and they are now moving to a formal Canadian-style signed protocol: several Canadian samples were sent to our colleagues in L.A. who are well aware that they are pioneering what will be the first of its kind in the United States. It was also clear from the conference that a National Train-the-Trainer Conference is high on the wish list for many Certified Trainers and as such we are hosting the first of its kind in Ottawa this coming April. The National View - Kevin Cameron P.1 (Continued on P.4) Kevin Cameron Executive Director CCTATR The First National VTRA Review Conference - Jo Anne Payne P.2 Saskatoon Schools - Patricia Prowse P.3 (Continued on page 4.) In our District, VTRA is an integral part of our safe schools protocols. VTRA has not only assisted us in preventing some potentially tragic situations, but more importantly it has enabled us to identify some much needed supports for some very vulnerable students. - Walter Piovesan Walter Piovesan Associate Director Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

2 CCTATR NEWSLETTER FALL 2012 The First National VTRA Review Conference The Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response hosted the first National Violence Threat Risk Assessment Review Conference at the beautiful Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, Alberta. Delegates from the Yukon Territory and 5 Provinces gathered in April 2012 to hear about regional VTRA practices from other like-minded VTRA pioneers from the education, police services, and community based mental health sectors. In addition, Government representatives from provincial and territorial regions heard about the implementation of Violence Threat Risk Assessment Model (VTRA) at the local level, and best practices, including cross-sector and community-based protocol development and implementation. The conference agenda provided an opportunity for regional and profession specific groups to share their experiences implementing the VTRA model at the organizational and community level. Psychologists, senior administrators from education, police officers, and school based social workers and counselors identified the strengths of the VTRA model as a violence prevention tool and as a resource for the development of authentic and community based intervention planning for highrisk children and youth. The profession specific groups talked about the challenges when implementing the model at their level. They also shared solutions they had successfully implemented that gained commitment, resulting in improved services for highrisk youth. Dr. Nasreen Roberts and Dr. Marleen Wong provided keynote presentations that stressed the importance of interagency collaboration and the childhood trauma - violence continuum. Both speakers are respected clinicians and university professors. It was evident that they had a keen understanding of the VTRA Model as demonstrated through their active involvement in supporting community based VTRA training and protocol implementation. The innovative VTRA pioneers who attended the conference, and who are promoting and implementing the model in communities throughout the nation, were inspiring. Professionals from across Canada reported that they are changing their practice by incorporating the foundational elements of the VTRA model. Most are well on their way or are currently implementing community-based protocols. Delegates reported that by building trust between education and community partnerships, service delivery is significantly enhanced and more accessible for the highest risk youth. What we heard from delegates at the conference is that the VTRA Model is a successful and evolving model for violence prevention, and that cross sector and multidisciplinary assessment teams are being developed across the nation. Delegates asked for additional VTRA training supports and a choice of VTRA training methods. These requests will provide the foundation for CCTATR planning for future national conferences and the development of new VTRA training programs and initiatives. Jo Anne Payne CCTATR Coordinator 2012 National VTRA Review Conference Coordinator 2

3 CCTATR NEWSLETTER FALL 2012 Saskatoon Public Schools Saskatoon Public Schools is committed to the development of safe and caring learning and work environments and safer communities for children and youth. As the largest school division in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Public Schools operates 53 elementary and secondary schools and two associate schools serving more than 21,000 students. Safe and Caring Schools is a priority for the school division. This commitment to the work has earned an endorsement from the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. The division received a North American Business Continuity Team Award in March 2012, recognizing Safe and Caring Schools and violence threat risk assessment (VTRA) initiatives as exemplary practices in the division s Education Continuity Plan. During the school year, the division began a major initiative to deliver VTRA training to all senior and school-based administrators, counsellors, alternate program and student services staff. The division s goal to provide Level 1 and 2 training for each of these employee groups, along with a myriad of community partners, will be realized in October Since that time, all of their schools have established Threat Assessment Teams (TATs) that are comprised of the school principal and vice principal, school counsellor, school resource officer (police) and community fire personnel if appropriate. In November 2012, with the support of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, qualifying school divisions in the province can apply for a grant for multidisciplinary teams to attend the VTRA Train the Trainer program offered by CCTATR. Saskatoon Public Schools is excited about the opportunity to have a multidisciplinary Train the Trainer team available to support the VTRA work in their school division and community. Further to their commitment to VTRA training, Saskatoon Public Schools has also accomplished the following: Signed a Community Threat Assessment and Support Protocol (CTASP) in August 2011, which brought together 12 community agencies; Designed community assessment and support pathways for every organization in the CTASP; Created an administrative procedure on VTRA and distributed resources for parents/guardians/caregivers; Designed a resource protocol, guide and posters for school TATs; Created a training module that will be shared with all staff in the school division and prospective community partners; Organized a multidisciplinary team to attend the First National VTRA Review Conference in Banff; and Initiated VTRA discussions with post-secondary institutions. Presently, new partners are being invited to sign a renewed CTASP in the fall of Ray Morrison, chair of the Board of Education, says the division provides school environments where excellence in learning is a priority and everyone feels included. We provide a safe and caring atmosphere for our students and our staff, and the kinds of supports the young people in our schools need to be safe and healthy, said Morrison. For additional information on Saskatoon Public Schools VTRA initiatives, please contact Ms. Patricia Prowse, Superintendent of Education with responsibilities for Safe and Caring Schools, at [email protected] or by calling (306)

4 CCTATR NEWSLETTER FALL 2012 The National View (Continued from page 1) There are so many creative teaching strategies developed by the certified trainers and rich experiences in the application of VTRA, as both an assessment and intervention process, that it is time to more fully share and harmonize the practice. Yet, the reality is there are some professionals who have not been recertified for 5 years or longer while the field has continued to evolve so this will give us an opportunity to bring everyone to the same point of understanding and provide them with the same level of resources. 87% of the conference participants reported feeling very confident in participating in student violence/threat risk assessments after VTRA training! The CCTATR website redesign is finally underway and will incorporate secure sites for professionals to access further resources and be better connected to each other across the country and beyond. On the beyond note, Dr. Marisa R. Randazzo (former lead researcher for the United States Secret Service) and myself just completed our edits for the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy where we have coauthored for publication From Presidential Protection to Campus Security: A Brief History of Threat Assessment in North American Schools and Colleges. As the VTRA model Feedback from conference delegates will help guide CCTATR planning and the development of future training initiatives and resources. continues to expand beyond school and community protocols, more and more colleges and universities are coming on board as well as the corporate world. The U.S. Military Connected Schools Model of Threat Assessment that I developed in collaboration with the University of Southern California for American military connected schools speaks to how deep we can go in the field as my work in trauma response, family assessment, and violence threat risk assessment have been more formally merged to meet that distinct area of our North American society. Lastly, Theresa Campbell and I are in full swing in collaboration with the British Columbia Government to train and develop the field of multidisciplinary threat assessment and anti-bullying as part of the ERASE Strategy (Expect Respect and A Safe Education). We look forward to another year of collaboration with you as we move the field forward. 4

5 CCTATR - NEWSLETTER FALL 2012 Editor s Notes The Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response and the Ottawa Carleton District School Board are partnering to host the first National VTRA Trainers Development Conference, April 24, 25, 2013 in Ottawa, Canada. In our District, VTRA is an integral part of our safe schools protocols. VTRA has not only assisted us in preventing some potentially tragic situations, but more importantly it has enabled us to identify some much needed supports for some very vulnerable students. - Walter Piovesan Associate Director - Ottawa-Carleton District School Board The national capital will provide a beautiful backdrop for VTRA trainers from across the country to come together to review, practice and share VTRA training strategies, resources and innovative teaching aids. The conference agenda will include a workshop on the skills and strategies used to effectively present to the adult audience. An expert in adult education and training will be on hand to guide regional group discussion and active learning exercises. Who Should Attend? All CCTATR VTRA Certified Trainers (training teams) who are actively training in their organization and at the community partnership level. What you will leave with? Re certification as a VTRA Trainer Individuals and teams of trainers will be better prepared to effectively train the adult audience of community VTRA partners. Ideas, practical suggestions and teaching resources will help you bring the VTRA training manual alive and relevant to your community training needs. A stronger national and provincial network of VTRA trainers critical friends who can provide mentorship, best training practices and ideas to help you solve training problems. You will receive the training conference registration information in October! All VTRA trainers will receive a personal invitation to attend. The VTRA Trainers Development Conference registration site and agenda will be sent out to all VTRA trainers in October Because April is a busy conference month in Ottawa it is recommended that you register for the conference early and book your accommodation as soon as possible. Look for the registration site in October. We are able to accommodate a maximum 120 registrations so register as soon as you are able and book your accommodation. The cost of the training will be in line with last years national conference registration fee, $ plus HST per individual registration if you register before February 1 st Late registration fee is $ plus HST per individual registration. This is an amazing opportunity to re certify as a VTRA trainer, build your training resources and hear from others from across Canada who are experienced VTRA pioneers like yourself. BEST WISHES Hope to see you in Ottawa in April 2013, Jo Anne Payne CCTATR Coordinator Editor E Newsletter Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response P.O. Box 1102 Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4A2 Office # (403)

6 For More Information, please contact Jo Anne Payne at: or visit: The Westin Ottawa (800) Courtyard By Marriott Ottawa Downtown Telephone: (613) Toll Free: (800) Fax: (613) Accommodation Those who live and work in Ottawa recommend the following Ottawa hotels: Lord Elgin Hotel (613) Hotel Novotel Ottawa Tel 613/ Fax 613/ ARC, The Hotel Ottawa Phone: Fax: The Chateau Laurier Ontario, Canada K1N8S7 (613) Quality Hotel Downtown Ottawa (613) Hotel Fax: (613) Cartier Place Suite Hotel (613)