The Federal Bureau of Investigation announces the release of two new resources designed to help health care organizations identify, assess, and prevent targeted violence.
Developed through an ongoing collaboration between the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and the American Hospital Association (AHA), the resources provide practical guidance for strengthening violence prevention efforts in health care environments.
Seventeen subject matter experts, including mental health professionals, researchers, medical professionals, and law enforcement representatives, contributed to the development of the materials. This effort marks the first time the FBI has worked with a health care organization to develop comprehensive guidance focused on behavioral threat assessment and management.
The guides include templates, models, and implementation references to support hospitals and health systems in establishing multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams through a proactive approach to identify and mitigate potential threats before they develop into acts of violence.
The resources outline training and education practices that equip health care personnel to recognize warning signs and respond appropriately, while promoting a culture of safety and resilience within health care settings. The materials further emphasize collaboration with local law enforcement and the FBI as part of a unified approach to violence prevention.
In conjunction with the release, the FBI also published a public service announcement promoting prevention and awareness efforts related to targeted violence: https://youtu.be/mItAOIhLCYk
The resources are available to all hospitals and health care organizations at:
- www.fbi.gov/bau
- https://www.aha.org/implementing-behavioral-threat-assessment-and-management-btam
- Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management: Prevent and Protect—A Resource Compendium for Further Reading
- Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management: Prevent and Protect—A Leadership Guide for Preventing Targeted Violence in Health Care Settings
The FBI encourages health care organizations to incorporate behavioral threat assessment and management principles into their safety planning and maintain strong partnerships with law enforcement to help protect patients, staff, and communities.















