CSTAG Training
Equip teams to identify, assess, & support student well-being.
Provide staff with the expert-led training they need to implement effective behavioral threat assessment protocols. Created in partnership with Dr. Dewey Cornell, Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) training equips staff to identify potential threats, prevent violence, and promote a culture of safety.
Enable your multi-disciplinary teams to act quickly and effectively when a student is at risk.
Empower Your Team with CSTAG Training
Improved Risk Identification
Equip team members with the knowledge and skills to identify and assess early warning signs and risk factors.
Expanded Expertise
Build expertise on threat assessment principles, protocols, and best practices.
Proactive Prevention & Intervention Strategies
Equip team members to identify and address potential threats of violence with proactive prevention and intervention strategies.
The Gold Standard in School Threat Assessment
The Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG), developed by Dr. Dewey Cornell, is a research-based framework designed to help schools identify, assess, and address threats in a systematic, fair, and effective way. CSTAG provides school teams with the tools they need to evaluate potential threats, ensure proper interventions, and prevent harmful incidents, all while fostering a positive school climate.
CSTAG Level 1 – Revised & Enhanced for 2024
This two-part asynchronous eLearning series has been redesigned for increased efficiency and faster completion. Equip your staff to deepen their understanding of threat assessment, learn execution strategies, and receive comprehensive training on the CSTAG model from leading experts. Participants will learn:
- Best practices and common errorsÂ
- Effective safety interview techniquesÂ
- FERPA complianceÂ
- Research support for student outcomes
- Application of knowledge in complex case exercises
CSTAG Level 2
Prepare staff with this a 4-hour workshop led by Dr. Cornell or his trainers, either on-site or virtually. Throughout the session, teams collaborate on case exercises using the CSTAG model, gradually increasing in complexity to enhance analysis and teamwork skills. Completing both tiers of training equips your school-based threat assessment teams to assess and manage complex situations accurately and efficiently.
CSTAG for Law Enforcement in Schools
Support law enforcement officers on your campus with this self-paced, one-hour asynchronous online course. Law enforcement officers will gain insights into behavioral threat assessment, their role on multidisciplinary teams, and the application of the CSTAG model within school environments.
CSTAG for School Staff
Provide support staff with this one-hour course during which they will gain an overview of the CSTAG model and discover ways to support behavioral threat assessment and violence prevention efforts on your campus.
Building Confidence with Training
Subject Matter Expert Spotlight
Dewey Cornell, Ph.D.
Navigate360 partners with Dr. Cornell, a forensic clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Virginia. As the principal author of CSTAG, he collaborated with our development team to integrate the methodology into our case management software, ensuring fidelity and providing ongoing guidance. Additionally, Dr. Cornell worked with our curriculum team to design exclusive CSTAG Level 1 and Level 2 training programs.
Katherine Schweit
Katherine Schweit, an attorney, security consultant, and retired FBI special agent, brings invaluable expertise to Navigate360. As the creator of the FBI’s Active Shooter program and author of “Stop the Killing,” she collaborated with our team and Dr. Cornell to develop the CSTAG for Law Enforcement training course. This course aims to educate law enforcement on their role within multidisciplinary school behavioral threat assessment teams.
Dr. Sharmila Mehta
Dr. Sharmila Mehta is the Director of Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychology for the Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School. She has experience in psychological and threat assessments for adolescent inpatients and is a national school threat assessment trainer and consultant to schools and agencies serving youth for School Threat Assessment Consultants.Â
Dr. Talisha Bond
Dr. Talisha Bond is a clinical psychologist and school psychologist for DC Public Schools. She was a member of the UVA Youth Violence Project research team and contributed to the research and development of the CSTAG model, and now maintains her own private practice in Maryland, working with children from 4-18 years old.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CSTAG Team Training and does my school need it?
Effective teams need excellent training. Exclusively through Navigate360, you can provide the most complete behavioral threat assessment training that prepares your teams to implement the CSTAG model with high fidelity.
What is CSTAG?
CSTAG stands for Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines, a structured model that empowers schools to handle behavioral threats in a proactive and consistent manner. Developed through rigorous research, CSTAG is grounded in principles of early intervention, student support, and behavioral analysis. Its goal is to address threats in a way that prevents violence while avoiding punitive responses that could worsen underlying issues.
The CSTAG model is widely recognized as one of the most effective approaches to school-based threat assessment. It provides a framework for forming multidisciplinary teams—including administrators, counselors, school psychologists, and school resource officers (SROs)—to collaboratively evaluate and manage threats.
How is CSTAG Training unique from other behavioral threat assessment team training?
Navigate360 is the only school safety partner to provide CSTAG eLearning curriculum supported by more than 20 years of research, including controlled studies demonstrating safety and effectiveness.
What makes CSTAG threat assessment effective?
The CSTAG threat assessment process stands out for its emphasis on collaboration, intervention, and prevention. The model is built around five core steps that ensure every threat is properly evaluated and addressed:
- Identify and Report Threats: CSTAG starts with recognizing and documenting threats of harm. This could include verbal, written, or behavioral indicators.
- Gather and Analyze Information: Once a threat is identified, the team gathers detailed information about the situation, including context, intent, and the individual’s background. This stage focuses on understanding the root cause of the threat.
- Assess the Threat: Using CSTAG’s structured guidelines, the team evaluates whether the threat is transient (not serious or easily resolved) or substantive (serious and requiring further intervention).
- Determine a Response: For transient threats, resolution often involves clarifying misunderstandings or offering support. For substantive threats, the team creates a tailored response plan that could include mental health services, disciplinary action, and safety measures.
- Monitor and Support: CSTAG emphasizes ongoing monitoring to ensure that interventions are effective and that no new risks emerge. The focus remains on providing support to the student while maintaining safety for the broader school community.
This approach ensures that all threats are taken seriously, but it avoids overreaction in cases where the threat may not pose a significant risk. It also prioritizes student well-being by addressing the underlying causes of the behavior, whether that involves mental health challenges, peer conflicts, or other issues
Take Action: Implement CSTAG in Your School
Whether you’re looking to enhance existing safety protocols or establish a robust threat assessment process, the CSTAG model offers a reliable, research-backed solution. By adopting CSTAG, your school can proactively address threats, reduce violence, and foster a safe and supportive environment for all students.
Contact Navigate360 today to learn more about CSTAG training and how you can bring this proven threat assessment model to your school. Equip your team with the tools to assess threats effectively, respond compassionately, and build a safer future for your school community.
Be better equipped to identify, assess, & support student well-being.
Connect with a Navigate360 safety and well-being expert to discuss your CSTAG Training needs.
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