The mission of the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is to identify students experiencing significant mental health challenges, coordinate thoughtful outreach and support, and provide interventions to interrupt behaviors that are blocking their academic and social success.
Our learning outcome: Students who engage with the BIT team will be able to identify key resources available to them at UNH.
What Does BIT Do?
BIT is a multi-disciplinary team that promotes student success and well-being by engaging directly with students of concern and serving as a consultative body to students, faculty, and staff who are working with students in distress. BIT members monitor behavioral patterns, inquire about students' unique lived experiences, and work directly with students' support systems to create a coordinated and caring response when students' mental health concerns have the potential to substantially interfere with their or other students' academic success. Steps BIT may take include:
- Gathering and managing information from concerned students, faculty, and staff;
- Connecting with external partners such as family members and treatment providers;
- Assisting students whose mental health concern prevents them from participating in their classes (e.g. when they are hospitalized);
- Intervening when a student’s behavior is disrupting the living or learning community;
- Assessing the level of threat a student’s behavior poses to themselves or the community;
- Making referrals to students and following up with them to ensure they are connecting with those referrals.
Helping a Student in Distress
The Chair of BIT is the Dean of Students. To connect with the BIT, contact the Dean of Students. Visit our Helping a Student in Distress page for more information and strategies for helping a struggling student, including when you might want to connect with the Dean of Students about a situation. The website also includes information about when to contact the University Police Department about a mental health emergency.
BIT Members
- Ruth Abelmann, Director, Residential Life
- Mike Blackman, Dean of Students, BIT Chair
- Elisa Bolton, Interim Director, Psychological and Counseling Center
- Kristin Carpenter, Associate Director, Residential Life
- Paul Dean, UNH Chief of Police
- Kathleen Grace-Bishop, Director of Education & Promotion, Health & Wellness;
- Scott Lapinski, Director, Student Accessibility Services
- Patty Mathison, Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager
- Alexis Piñero-Benson, Director, Community Standards
- Nate Talbot, Director, University Advising Center
