The Screening Tool for Risk Assessment of Narrative Data (STRAND)

Previously known as the Violence Risk Assessment of the Written Word (VRAWW), this course and tool have been revised and renamed to NABITA’s Screening Tool for Risk Assessment of Narrative Data (STRAND).

Access to online communication and rising emotional health challenges have led to a significant uptick in written and narrative communication that could be perceived as aggressive and threatening. BIT/CARE and BTAM teams are often tasked with evaluating the risk level and potential for violence present in narrative content.

NABITA’s Screening Tool for Risk Assessment of Narrative Data (STRAND) is designed to comprehensively evaluate the risk of violence evident in an individual’s narrative content, including social media posts, class writings, journals, blog posts, video narratives, and more. This training certifies participants in using STRAND and is NABITA’s recommended training on the tool.

STRAND offers an objective approach by considering an individual’s escalating and mitigating factors. Used in conjunction with NABITA’s Risk Rubric, STRAND categorizes risk into four levels: mild, moderate, elevated, and critical. These levels are accompanied by guidance on intervention strategies, ensuring that teams align their responses with the assessed risk levels.