Susan Payne Safe2Tell Founding Executive Director Director of Safe Schools

Engaging key stakeholder and empowering young people to be part of the solution of school and community safety. Safe2Tell Colorado

Columbine Changed Everything

Safe Schools Initiative: US Secret Service Bystander Study

Precipitating Behaviors to Violence  93% of the perpetrators of targeted school violence exhibited concerning behavior before the attack.  In 59% of the incidents, more than 1 person had prior knowledge of the attack.  Of those with prior knowledge of school attacks, 93% were peers of the perpetrators –friends, schoolmates, or siblings.

Red Lake, Minnesota  March 21, 2005  10 Dead  12 Wounded

Virginia Tech  April 16, 2007  32 Dead  25 Wounded

Sandy Hook, Connecticut  December 14, 2012  26 Children Killed  6 Adults

Surveillance Key to Prevention "Our best chance of early intervention to prevent serious violent tragedies like that in Newtown, CT is when we receive early information about suspicious or concerning behavior. We have learned that good surveillance and intelligence is a key violence prevention strategy.“ Statement by Delbert Elliott, Ph.D. and Beverly Kingston, Ph.D. Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado For the Youth Violence Summit Convened by Representative Bobby Scott, U.S. House of Representatives January 22, 2013

Isla Vista, California  Son of an assistant director of the Hunger Games films  Shooting dead six people in a rage against being rejected by women

Safe2Tell: A Comprehensive Prevention Strategy Committed to the Research “Early intervention is critical in the life of a child who is exhibiting behaviors identified as precursors to violence. Safe2Tell provides a tool to intervene in a proactive way” -Dr. Delbert Elliott, Founding Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence

Assessment During the Aftermath  Why did this happen?  What were the opportunities missed?  What were the missed warning signs?  Could this have been prevented?  Was the perpetrator on our radar?  What was the accessibility to weapons?  Transparency vs. Liability  What went well and what did not?  What were your efforts to prevent this?

Prevention: Proactive 1) Preventing young people from engaging in violence and other problem behaviors Key Strategy: A sustained positive school climate 2) Identifying and addressing red flags Key Strategy: An effective intelligence-gathering mechanism 3) Educate and Empower Key Strategy: A deliberate effort to educate students, parents and staff on what to watch for, what to report

Prevention: In the Aftermath Restoring learning environments in the aftermath and recovery:  Adolescents experiencing a traumatic event: More likely to engage in risky behaviors Less likely to make realistic evaluations of danger and safety Experience symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)  Safe2Tell can be used a resource to identify students who are struggling

Safe2Tell Mission To ensure that all Colorado students, parents, teachers, and community members have access to a safe and ANONYMOUS way to report any SAFETY CONCERNS, with a focus on early intervention and prevention through AWARENESS and EDUCATION.

Safe2Tell Core Components 1. Education and Outreach 2. Interventions and Prevention 3. Accountability and Follow-up 4. Intelligence Gathering and Information Sharing

Local Level Response  Transfer of information to schools and law enforcement  Immediate notification  Response by identified team at the local level  Shared intervention outcomes  Measured results

Accountability & Follow-Up  24-Hour Trained Communication Center Dispatchers  Live Answering Point  Two Way Dialogue  Immediate delivery of reports  Receipt Confirmation  Distribution to Multi-Discipline Teams

Sophisticated Software  Customized  Transfer of Evidence  Accountability  Vortex  Protection  Live Communication Between Responders

The Results  Total Number of Reports Since Inception: 20,763  Total Number this School Year: 5,698  Total Percentage Increase (15-16) Over Prior Year (14-15): 64%

Recent Results: School Year

Increasing Trend of Reporting

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Safe2Tell Staff Susan Payne Founding Executive Director Director of Safe Schools Suzi Karrer Training and Marketing Manager Natasha Sansoni Data Manager