The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

L.A. County highlights expansion of program aimed at identifying threats

by City News Service • August 12, 2019

LOS ANGELES – With students preparing to head back to school in the shadow of recent mass shootings, Los Angeles County officials Monday touted a major expansion in a program aimed at identifying people who could potentially pose a threat and intervening with support services.

Supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger said the county has tripled the size and scope of the School Threat Assessment Response Team, or START.

“I have no doubt that the START program has already saved lives, and this expansion means that we are more prepared than ever to intervene and get help to a troubled student before a violent incident,” Hahn said in a statement.

The START program involves staff from the county Department of Mental Health working with schools and first responders in an effort to prevent potential campus threats from escalating. The team provides training to school staffers, students and parents and works to identify and assess “stated, implied or perceived threats.”

When such potential threats are identified, the team works with schools and law enforcement to intervene and provides services including psychiatric evaluations and provision of mental health programs.

Since the program began in 2009, it has received more than 12,000 referrals, according to the county.

“Preventing campus violence through early identification and intervention is really key,” Barger said. “Since START was create a decade ago, it has made immense progress to help protect our students and provide them with the mental health resources they need.”

–

Filed Under: Education, Home, Politics

4 comments for "L.A. County highlights expansion of program aimed at identifying threats"

  1. Threat Assessment says

    August 13, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    “…a program aimed at identifying people who could potentially pose a threat and intervening with support services.”

    This sounds like profiling.

  2. CORY SINCLAIR says

    August 13, 2019 at 12:50 am

    TRUMP SUPPORTERS NEED TO BE PUT ON TERROR LISTS WE NEED VILLANUEVA TO DO THAT ASAP ALONG WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OF LA COUNTY

    • Trumpist#1 says

      August 13, 2019 at 7:21 am

      You mean LA County officials should be listed as terrorists? I COULD GO FOR THAT!

      You are delusional with TDS and need an intervention with mental help. Seriously, you need help badly.

      • Trumpist#1 says

        August 13, 2019 at 7:24 am

        Also, your caps and grammar makes your post seem like it was written by a 9 year old.

Recent Comments

  • Shane Falco on Suspect arrested in Lancaster in connection with violent Rowland Heights robbery: “The good public needs to to rise up and take the vigilante justice to the savages. The usual suspects know…” Aug 14, 20:25
  • America's Most 3-Eyed Raven on Readers Speak Out! (July 2022): “Hilariously hypocritical and ironic for a German to call anyone a “war criminal”.” Aug 14, 16:53
  • Tim Scott on Readers Speak Out! (July 2022): “LOL…once again you are gonna just keep repeating that you are right and I am wrong. You never check to…” Aug 14, 15:44
  • ACE on Readers Speak Out! (July 2022): “WHAT SHOULD A DRIVER OF A COMPUTERIZED CAR DO..? IF SOMEONE HAS COMPROMISED THE PROGRAMMING OF THE CAR’S COMPUTER SYSTEM..?…” Aug 14, 13:03
  • Ohannes G. on Palmdale Regional appoints new CEO: “Congratulations Nana, I hope your new journey will be a great blessing to you, the Medical Center, and the whole…” Aug 14, 10:40

Copyright © 2022 · The AV Times LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use