Gubernatorial Task Force for University Campus Safety

BriefingJuly 8, 2008

William H. Janes Director, Florida Office of Drug Control

Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Department of Children and Families

Timeline of Events• April 16, 2007 – Virginia Tech massacre occurs

• April 21 – President Bush directs U.S. Secretaries to travel to communities throughout nation

• April 30 – Governor Crist signs Executive Order 07-77 establishing Task Force

• May 3 - 23 – Task Force conducts meetings throughout Florida

• May 24 – Task Force submits Report on Findings and Recommendations to Governor Crist

• June 13 – U.S. Secretaries submit Report to the President on Issues Raised by Virginia Tech Tragedy to President Bush

MembersBob Butterworth - Chairman/Secretary, Department Children and Families

Bill Janes - Vice Chairman/Director, Florida Office of Drug Control

Gerald Bailey - Commissioner, Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement

Mark Rosenberg - Chancellor, State University System

David Perry - Chief, Florida State University Police Dept.

Craig Fugate - Director, Dept. of Emergency Management

Cynthia Rogers-Vallely - Bureau Chief, Office of Attorney General

Kevin Letourneau - President, Florida Community College SGA

Marbely Hernandez - Student Body President, Florida International University

Meetings• 5/3/2007: Tallahassee – Florida State University

• 5/9/2007: Gulfport/St. Petersburg – Stetson Law School

• 5/11/2007: Jacksonville – University of North Florida

• 5/16/2007: Davie – Broward Community College

• 5/18/2007: Orlando – Florida A&M University College of Law

• 5/23/2007: Tallahassee – The Capitol

Meeting Format

The Task Force received testimony from local and state experts on four broad topics:

• Prevention

• Intervention

• Response

• Aftermath

RecommendationsThe Task Force’s recommendations were based upon

four charges:

• Charge 1: Identifying students who pose risk and improve information sharing

• Charge 2: Identifying methods of emergency communication

• Charge 3: Identifying strategies for improving cross agency communication

• Charge 4: Identifying improvements in training for first responders

Recommendations• The Report of the Gubernatorial Task Force

for University Campus Safety contained 63 recommendations and recognized 12 “best practices”.

• Of those recommendations, 39 were mirrored in the Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy.

Charge 2: Identifying methods of emergency (continued)

• The State Domestic Security State Working Group should articulate standards for emergency notification systems and devices and also promulgate a “best practices” guide for the use of such systems

• Upon the addition of any emergency notification systems or devices, the institution should undertake an extensive awareness campaign to educate the campus community about its use and provide emergency notification procedures to all emergency responders in the campus and adjacent communities

Charge 3: Identifying strategies for improving cross-agency communication

Key Recommendations:• Each campus should involve off-campus emergency

response agencies in developing and exercising its emergency management and crisis response plans

• Law enforcement and mental health entities of each institution should develop and implement protocols for the sharing of information with their off-campus counterparts

Charge 4: Identifying improvements in training for first responders

Key Recommendations:• Training on policing the campus community should

be included in the basic curriculum for all recruits attending the Basic Law Enforcement Program

• The Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission should develop an Advanced or Specialized Training Program focusing specifically on those individuals employed as certified law enforcement officers with a University Police Department

Charge 4: Identifying improvements in training for first responders (continued)

• All agencies charged with responding to violent events on a university or college campus should train and exercise their personnel, including medical responders, in the Active Shooter response

• All campus law enforcement and campus security agencies and local law enforcement agencies serving a campus should receive Crisis Intervention Team training and utilize a CIT-based response to mental health issues

Prevention: Campus Mental Health and Wellness Activities

Key Recommendations:• The State University System and the Division of Community

Colleges should determine ways to increase the funding dedicated to campus mental health and wellness needs, including modifying state fee caps

• The State University System, Division of Community Colleges, and Association of Independent Colleges and Universities should jointly develop training material for senior campus executives and Board of Trustee members on campus safety and security

Prevention: Campus Mental Health and Wellness Activities (continued)

• Statewide strategies for improving mental health services should target K-12, college and university initiatives in preventing underage drinking, substance abuse, suicide, bullying, domestic and dating violence, and other violent or destructive behaviors

• Individual campuses should develop an “Introduction to Mental Health” course as part of its undergraduate curriculum and to educate all members of the campus community

Prevention: Campus Mental Health and Wellness Activities (continued)

• Each individual campus should implement programs to prevent underage drinking, substance abuse, suicide, bullying, domestic and dating violence, and other violent or destructive behaviors

• Each individual institution should encourage and foster the development of organized peer mental health support groups on campus

Prevention: The Role of Faculty, Staff, and Students

Key Recommendations:• Each university or college administration, faculty senate, and

student governing body should promulgate formal statements defining their role in campus mental health

• The State University System and the Division of Community Colleges should jointly develop desktop/internet reference and scenario-based training materials concerning mental health early warning signs and campus intervention and response procedures which can be tailored by individual institutions for use by their faculty

Prevention: Florida’s Gun Laws

Key Recommendations:• The report and recommendations of the working

group being spearheaded by the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers and including appropriate stakeholders, including a representative from a mental health advocacy group, be submitted to the Governor and Legislature for consideration

Prevention: Impact of HIPAA/FERPA

Key Recommendations:• The State University System should establish a

legal working group to provide guidelines and best practices for the sharing of mental health information concerning at risk students

Prevention: Local Mental Health System Support

Key Recommendations:• The Department of Children and Families through its

Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Program should develop a long-term strategy to reduce the gap in available treatment and address the deficiencies in Florida’s mental health system

• The Department of Children and Families, in conjunction with the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation and advocacy and provider organizations, should expand its efforts at communicating statewide strategies to improve mental health services and substance abuse statewide

Prevention: Local Mental Health System Support (continued)

• Each university and college should establish/expand its formal working relationship with local mental health systems in order to ensure adequate support for and communication about campus mental health issues.

Aftermath: Post Incident Capabilities

Key Recommendations:• Each college and university, as part of its emergency

and critical incident planning process, should identify resources, including behavioral health and medical support, necessary and available following a critical incident or disaster

For an electronic copy of the Task Force Report:

www.dcf.state.fl.us/campussecurity