Security leaders cite mental health as a school safety obstacle

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School safety remains a constant concern for security leaders across the U.S. Raptor Technologies worked with the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) to develop a survey on school safety and student wellness.

The survey surfaced critical data and insight on obstacles related to school safety and security processes, such as physical security, safety drills and procedures and emergency response planning. In addition to 60% of respondents citing "mental health issues" as the greatest school safety obstacle they are encountering, 78% of respondents indicated the mental health needs of their student population have increased since returning post-Covid.

Mental health affects how children handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices. Early intervention is the most important and effective way to support a student who may be experiencing mental wellbeing issues they are not equipped to manage. However, over 50% of respondents indicated they aren't fully equipped to assist with the mental health-related needs of their students.

Additionally, the survey found that the top two most-needed safety improvements are physical security and training. The top tools and processes most frequently identified are door hardening and emergency communication.

ON DEMAND: Business-impacting events such as severe weather, man-made disasters, and supply chain disruption are increasing in frequency and making impacts around the globe.

In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, organizations face an ever-growing array of disruptive events, security threats and risks. Traditional reactive approaches to security intelligence often leave businesses vulnerable and ill-prepared to anticipate and mitigate emerging threats that could impact the safety of their people, facilities or operations.