IAHSS offers hospitals guidance on forming a Behavioral Health Response Team to help reduce violence

The International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) announces the release of a new industry guideline that describes the process for developing a 05.07.01 Behavioral Health Response Team (BERT). The guideline was developed by the IAHSS Council on Guidelines.

This guideline is very timely. Many healthcare facilities are challenged to care for patients with comorbidities including behavioral health patients receiving care in non-mental health areas of the facility. The content of the Behavioral Health Response Team guideline will add to and support healthcare organizations as they develop proactive policies and practices to reduce the likelihood of violence.

Tom Smith, Council on Guidelines member

The guideline opens with the statement:

Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) should establish specific violence prevention and aggression management policies, processes, and practices to identify, deescalate, deter, and manage potential disruptive events. This includes establishing Behavioral Emergency Response Teams. The guide provides definitions, elements for chartering a BERT, and suggested team members for helping establish the team.

The IAHSS Council on Guidelines is comprised of volunteer IAHSS members who are seasoned healthcare security professionals and leaders. Each year the Council on Guidelines develops new industry guidelines and reviews existing guidelines on a three-year cycle. All IAHSS guidelines are available electronically to IAHSS members via the IAHSS website. Hardcopies of the guidelines booklet are available for sale in the IAHSS Online Store. 

IAHSS Members Only: View the Behavioral Health Emergency Response Team Guideline.