High-Risk Behavior

Definition: Behaviors that threaten to harm self or others, psychosis, or becoming extremely withdrawn or depressed. These are severe mental health issues that often constitute urgent or emergent situations.

Examples:

• Suicidal or homicidal statements (particularly those that indicate a specific plan and/or access to means)
• Making threats of physical violence
• Delusional thinking – paranoia, unjustified belief that others are watching them or persecuting them
• Experiencing hallucinations, disorientation – hearing voices, unable to tell what is real
• Indications of a drug overdose
• Cutting or other self-injurious behavior
• Stalking
• Reports of sexual assault
• Carrying a firearm or other weapon to class

Strategies:

• Safety first – report to your supervisor, the student’s advisor, and the MSU Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT)
• If emergent or imminent risk, call 9-1-1
• If not an emergency, call MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) to schedule an appointment at (517) 355-8270
• For same-day consultation, ask for for the CAPS “daily lead’ clinician at (517) 355-8270
• Report to Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT) online

Resources:

• MSU Police Department
• MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS)
• Student Conduct
• MSU Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT)