Published on: May 5, 2026
A NABITA Testimonial by Brandyn Holtzinger, M.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Three years ago, our CARE team at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), partnered with NABITA and its parent organization, TNG Consulting, to adopt a more evidence-based approach.
NABITA’s experts conducted a complete Policy and Program Review, led customized case management training, and provided ongoing consulting support. Today, we rely so heavily on NABITA’s framework that it is deeply embedded in our operations.
Training for Real Challenges
As Assistant Director of Retriever CARE at UMBC, I have taken nearly every training NABITA offers. They have led to tangible changes in our work and are the only association’s trainings I have found that truly resonate with my day-to-day role.
As for resources, we used the BITKit to standardize everything from procedure manuals to communication templates. These templates have been instrumental in building consistency, clarity, and confidence in our processes.
A Realization That Changed How We Operate
At NABITA’s Case Management Summit, a peer shared guidance that changed how our team operates. Our CARE team used to meet once a week. Following their guidance in alignment with the NABITA Standards for Behavioral Intervention Teams (BIT Standards), we now hold structured meetings every day. In these meetings, we use the NABITA Risk Rubric to review new cases, assign risk ratings, and follow the recommendations for assessments and interventions.
Now, cases are assigned immediately to a staff member based on their varied backgrounds in higher education, suicidal crisis, and clinical or inpatient settings. This new level of specialization did not exist before we implemented NABITA’s standards, and it has maximized our team’s expertise, in turn improving student support.
Strategic Consulting for Crucial Direction
The Program Review was eye-opening. It showed us what we needed to improve, gave us a clear starting point, and helped us prioritize next steps. When we need guidance on complex cases or quick answers, NABITA’s consultants have always been responsive and thoughtful. Their external perspective helps us reconsider our approach and move forward confidently.
The combination of formal consulting and ongoing advice has significantly improved our decision-making. Instead of second-guessing, we now have a structured, defensible process grounded in best practices.
A True Partnership, Not a One-Time Service
Working with NABITA feels like a collaboration, not a one-time training or consulting engagement. We continue to connect with them at NABITA Annual Conferences with questions that build on what we have learned. That approachability has helped us sustain momentum. As we prepare for our upcoming internal program review cycle, we have built a strong foundation on the reassurance that we are not alone.
The Impact: A Complete Shift in Student Support
The most significant shift was moving to a more student-centered approach. Previously, our marketing and outreach targeted faculty, meaning students were often unaware of our existence. Additionally, our messaging focused on identifying and reporting concerning behaviors rather than on conveying care and support.
Following NABITA’s recommendations, we changed how we present ourselves and engage with the campus community. To better reflect our supportive mission, we rebranded from the Behavioral Risk Assessment and Consultation Team (BRACT) to Retriever CARE. This change shifted how students perceive us.
We also introduced a streamlined, anonymous referral form and began specific outreach to students. As a result, we have seen a significant increase in student self-referrals, which were once rare. Our total case volume has more than doubled in two years, showing that people are finding us more easily and allowing us to provide support sooner. Consequently, we have seen a decrease in high-acuity cases, suggesting our proactive approach is working.
Our team structure has also evolved. Following BIT Standard 5: Team Membership, we expanded from three people to a multi-tiered system with core, inner, and outer circles. This structure now includes representatives from Residential Life, the Academic Success Center, the Provost’s office, Human Resources, the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, UMBC Police, Student Conduct and Community Standards, the Graduate School, Accessibility and Disability Services, Financial Aid, and the Office of International Students and Scholars.
The program review also highlighted our need for better technology, as noted in BIT Standard 18: Recordkeeping. In response, the university committed to funding a database update in our next strategic plan. While our old system was mainly for storing notes, the new platform will enable us to send letters, set appointments, track risk ratings, and access more comprehensive data.
Most importantly, we moved from primarily supporting employees in managing behavioral risk to a comprehensive system that truly supports our students. This shift has made our work more proactive, visible, and impactful, and our efforts were even recognized as a success during our recent Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation review.
Ready to See What is Possible?
If you are looking to move from reactive to proactive, from informal to evidence-based, and from limited reach to strategic student support, NABITA can help you get there.
Reach out to inquiry@tngconsulting.com.