Resources

BRACT – Behaviors of Concern  Well-Being   Belonging   Campus Life  Parents and Families

 

Student Affairs leadership and Divisional staff are strategically creating ways to ensure students’ well-being and success during their time at UMBC and beyond. We are committed to working alongside UMBC faculty and staff to help foster a sense of belonging for students.

Please call us at 410-455-2393 or email studentaffairs@umbc.edu to learn more, or contact our departments directly.

BRACT: Understanding behaviors of concern.

If you observe a person whose behavior is potentially dangerous (e.g. making verbal or physical threats to others; threatening suicide and resisting help), or if you think you might hurt yourself or others, call UMBC Police at 410-455-5555 or call 911 if off-campus.

If you have concerns about a person in distress or behaviors of concern you have experienced or observed, please contact:

Retriever Integrated Health (410-455-2542) offers free and confidential services to all current UMBC students in the form of individual, couples, or group counseling as well as workshops, campus presentations, consultation, and self-help resources.

UMBC Police (410-455-5555) offer training on responding to active shootings, weather emergencies, and other life-threatening events and emergencies.

The UMBC Employee Assistance Program(EAP) is available to UMBC Regular and Contingent II employees and members of their households. Counselors are trained, licensed professionals who can advise you on a wide range of problems – emotional illness, work-life issues, relationship or family difficulties, alcohol or other drug abuse, legal or financial difficulties, and other major life or health changes. Services are private and confidential. You have the option of a self-referral, or the University may make a supervisory referral on your behalf.

If you need help or want to learn more about how to help others, UMBC offers counseling, consultations, training, and other resources across campus to support you. Many of these events and programs are regularly promoted on myUMBC throughout the year.

To request printed copies of the BRACT folder please email bract@umbc.edu

The Behavioral Risk Assessment and Consultation Team (BRACT) assists faculty, staff, and students with situations and behaviors that are concerning, disruptive, and/or threatening. 

Reports and consultations with the team are kept private while keeping the dignity of the person and behaviors being discussed central to the team’s assessment process.  

BRACT is a small interdisciplinary team that reviews reports to assess behaviors that may endanger self or/and others. Members of the team are aware that many concerning behaviors can be attributed to problems, suffering, trauma, difficulty coping, etc. Interventions are designed to provide support and assistance while being mindful of the safety and security of the campus community.  

The team is designed to provide information, recommendations, and referrals to those dealing with concerning behavior. The team does not adjudicate, discipline, or impose sanctions against any member of the campus community, nor does it provide or mandate treatment and, therefore, is not a disciplinary body.

Read the UMBC Faculty and Staff Guide on Helping a Person in Distress. 

To contact a member of the BRACT team, please call 410-455-2393 or email bract@umbc.edu

The Division of Student Affairs is committed to the emotional and physical safety of the UMBC community. As responsible members of this community, we all play an important role in making our campus a safe place to live, learn, and work.

Being proactive and aware in our day-to-day life can help contribute to maintaining a safe and compassionate campus environment and supporting someone in distress.

Below are two educational videos created by the Center for Personal Protection and Safety in Virginia to assist you in recognizing and responding to the types of behaviors and situations that may jeopardize the health and safety of the campus as well as the signs that someone may need help.

While the videos are not graphic, they contain scenes that some viewers may find disturbing. You will need to log in using UMBC credentials to access the video files. Note: these videos are large in size and require an active broadband connection. Watching these videos over a cellular connection is not recommended.

Flashpoint on Campus: Recognizing and Preventing Violence on Campus

The purpose of this program is to help students, faculty, and staff recognize warning signs and understand how to respond to them to prevent violence on campus.

When Lightning Strikes: How to Recognize and Respond to an Extreme Violence Event

The purpose of this video is to prepare any individual to become situationally aware of their surroundings on and off-campus, pick up on early indicators that something might be wrong, and respond effectively if they find themselves in an extreme violence event such as an active shooter situation.

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How to support students’ well-being.

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Co-create and help build a culture of engagement and belonging.

Develop a partnership with one of our departments, including the following:

  • The Center for Democracy and Civic Life works with all members of the UMBC community and national partners to foster civic learning and democratic engagement.
  • Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (i3b) is dedicated to creating an environment that supports cross-cultural education and collaboration at UMBC, and empowering all UMBC students and staff to be culturally conscious and informed members of our community.
  • The Office of Health Promotion hosts programs designed by Health Promotion staff and trained peer health educators on a variety of topics. Staff can also bring programs to classes, offices, and divisions/departments.

Each of us has a story. Burdens and joys are carried with each one of us. Sometimes what we are “carrying” gets expressed through our behavior. This can be the start of transforming burdens into accessing help and understanding. This video is a good reminder to slow down and seek to understand others.  Slow down and take the time to check in with others.

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Connect students to co-curricular learning and spread the word about our thriving campus life.

Campus Life is a student-centered learning environment where students have opportunities to meet new people, try new things, and engage in learning that complements their academic experiences. You can help our students find connections by

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Keep UMBC parents and families informed.

Parents and families are important members of the UMBC community who appreciate hearing about UMBC achievements, campus events, deadlines, and resources. They are some of our biggest advocates and supporters!

UMBC Family Connection Portal

Please use the Content Submission Form to submit your information to the Family Connection portal.

Submit to the Family Connection

If you have questions or suggestions or would like to be involved in our family programming, please contact us at families@umbc.edu or 410-455-2395.

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