Trainings help communities recognize signs of potential targeted violence
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The U.S. had more than 500 mass shootings last year, and a new program launched in Denver hopes to prevent targeted violence before it happens.
AllHealth Network is a nonprofit behavioral health center that serves all patients regardless of their ability to pay. Its Chief Clinical Officer Jen Bock said her team can intervene the moment that direct threats of violence, or violent behaviors are witnessed and reported.
"We can step in and work with community providers to identify and decrease that risk," said Bock. "The goal is to get people support, so we can increase overall community safety."
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Just 5 percent of mass shootings are related to severe mental illness, according to researchers at Columbia University.
Other factors play a bigger role, such as a history of financial and legal problems, challenges coping with anger and stress, nihilism, and a desire for notoriety especially among young men.
Those wishing to request a targeted violence prevention training can send an email to tvp@allhealthnetwork.org.
AllHealth's Rebecca Rickard was certified as a targeted violence and prevention co-responder through the Department of Homeland Security's National Threat, Evaluation and Reporting Office.
She said people closest to individuals often don't believe they could harm others, and overlook threats. But she said it's important to take signs of potential violence seriously.
"If you see a sudden change in how your child is dressing that might seem really unusual for them, ask them what's going on," said Rickard. "What's fueled the change? And basically just getting as much detail as possible."
Bock said she believes education is key to reducing targeted violence.
She pointed to the success achieved by national and state campaigns that helped raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of potential suicide.
"This training helps with signs and symptoms of possible violence," said Bock, "and so, getting the word out can really help overall for early intervention and increasing community safety."
