IAHSS Announces New Guideline – 05.07.01 Behavioral Health Emergency Response Team

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.

Tom Smith, Council on Guidelines member, stated, “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.

The guideline opens with the statement that “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 

About IAHSS

The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) is the only organization solely dedicated to professionals involved in managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare facilities. IAHSS is a professional association with more than 2,500 members who are healthcare security, law enforcement, safety and emergency management leaders. For fifty years, IAHSS has educated and served members and the profession by offering exclusive resources and benefits including industry and design guidelines, local and international educational and networking opportunities, and the celebrated bi-annual Journal of Healthcare Protection Management. IAHSS has certified tens of thousands of dedicated professionals who keep healthcare facilities, patients, staff and visitors safe. IAHSS offers the Basic, Advanced and Supervisor certifications, a Safety Certificate Program, and maintains the prestigious Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA) certification, the standard for the healthcare security leader dedicated to the profession. Learn more at www.iahss.org.