Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) for Maryland Schools
2026 Behavior Threat Assessment Model Policy for Maryland Schools
NEW!! 2026 Behavior Threat Assessment Maryland Model Policy - PDF - 423.71 KB
Local public school systems have until December 1, 2027 to make updates to their local behavior threat assessment policy.
Behavior Threat Assessment procedures are implemented in all Maryland schools and used to prevent school-based violence. All credible concerns are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team consisting of pertinent personnel and external partners such as local law enforcement and community-based behavioral health partners. This team gathers information that allows them to determine the level of threat.
Public Health-Informed Approach to Violence Prevention
Video produced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sharing information about violence prevention through a public health-informed approach.
Behavior Threat Assessment Resources for Local Implementation
The following resources have been developed by MCSS in collaboration with local, state, and national experts to support local implementation of Behavior Threat Assessment in Maryland schools.
The BTA Implementation Guide provides information to schools on the basic principles of behavior threat assessment.
The 2024 BTA Implementation Guide Expansion goes beyond the 2023 guide providing information and best practices for locals to consider when addressing internal and other adult threats within the school.
2024 BTA Implementation Guide Expansion: Internal and Other Adult Threats - PDF - 3.8 MB
Maryland public school systems are required by law Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-1507(B)(1-8) to adopt a local Behavior Threat Assessment policy based off of the state model policy.
Maryland Model Policy for Behavior Threat Assessment-2018-19.pdf - PDF - 1.03 MB
The crosswalk document is intended to assist locals with implementation of the various requirements and practices outlined in the law, model policy, and 2023 implementation guide.
Maryland Behavior Threat Assessment Crosswalk of Documents - PDF - 86.2 KB
Tabletop Exercises for Behavior Threat Assessment Teams
A tabletop exercise can be used to prepare Behavior Threat Assessment (BTA) team members to effectively perform their individual roles and responsibilities, collaborate as a member of the team, and consider information that culminates in a determination of threat level. Teams can scaffold their collaborative practice by starting with simple exercises before moving to complex scenarios.
Simple Exercises
Simple exercises have no injects of evolving information.
Complex Exercises
Complex exercises have multiple injects of information with events evolving.
A Conversation About BTA in Maryland
Episode two of the Behavior Threat Assessment series provides information about how the method is being used across Maryland. Check out the full series starting with episode one.