FAQ

What is the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)?

Missouri State’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is a team comprised of representatives from multiple offices around campus. BIT works to gather data, assess risk, and deploy interventions for students with behavior or experiencing situations that raise concerns within the University Community, including the student themself.

Please note, BIT is not an emergency response team. If you are concerned for a student’s immediate safety (eg. suicidality, self-harm, harm to others) contact 911 immediately.

When should I submit a BIT referral?

You should submit a BIT referral form if you are worried about the wellbeing of a student, think they might be a danger to themselves or others, or believe they would benefit from additional MSU/Springfield Community resources.

What happens once I submit a BIT referral form?

Once you submit a BIT referral it will be reviewed by the Coordinator of Student Care and Support to determine appropriate next steps based on the student's risk. Once risk is determined, a Case Manager will begin the corresponding outreach plan. Someone from the Case Management Team will contact you to confirm the referral was received.

Who can submit a BIT referral?

Anyone connected to the Missouri State University community (eg. faculty, staff, RAs, parents, friends, students, etc) can submit a BIT referral through the referral link.

What if I’m unsure about submitting a BIT referral?

If you’re thinking about submitting a referral, go ahead and do it! Any concern you have for a student is enough to prompt a BIT referral. The Case Management Team will take it from there to determine the best course of action.

Will the person I refer get in trouble?

The BIT is not a disciplinary team. People referred to the BIT will be connected with appropriate campus and community resources.

Who is on the Behavioral Intervention Team?

The BIT is a multi-disciplinary team of Missouri State University staff. The BIT meets weekly to assess cases in order to provide appropriate resources for referred students. Find out more about who is on the BIT.

Can I submit a referral anonymously? 

While it is helpful to have contact information for the BIT to ask follow up questions, it is not required to provide contact information as a referrer. The BIT will not disclose who referred the student to the Team.

Does FERPA apply to BIT?

Yes, the BIT adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other privacy guidance/laws to ensure the privacy of information submitted in referrals and in follow-up to referrals. FERPA allows BIT to have an open line of communication about a student with their faculty or relevant staff, without sharing this information with anyone not affiliated with MSU.