Behavioral Threat Assessment in Healthcare: Emerging Risks and Practical Strategies
Healthcare organizations increasingly face a variety of challenges ranging from aggressive patients, disgruntled family members, ideologically motivated individuals, and employees in crisis. These situations often present early warning behaviors that go unnoticed or unreported—until they escalate. Drawing on the research and field experience of Dr. Mario Scalora, this session provides a practical, evidence-informed framework for identifying, assessing, and managing potential threats before they evolve into violence or disruption. Participants will explore the behavioral pathways associated with targeted violence, and how these patterns appear in healthcare settings. The session will outline how threat assessment processes can be adapted to the unique operational realities of hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities in a practical manner. The presentation will include examples of recent evolving trends across the healthcare safety landscape. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for assisting and improving their organization’s reporting culture, enhancing multidisciplinary team decision-making to reduce overall risk while maintaining a therapeutic environment.
Mario Scalora, Ph. D.
Director, Public Policy Center
Professor of Psychology, Clinical Training and Law-Psychology Programs,
University of Nebraska -Lincoln
Dr. Mario Scalora is the director of the Public Policy Center and professor of psychology with the Clinical Training and Law-Psychology Programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as coordinating an active academic research program engaging in collaborative research in targeted violence. He received his B.S. in psychology from St. Joseph’s University and his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. His research interests address various types of targeted violence issues including threats to public institutions and infrastructure/threat assessment, sexual offending, stalking, and workplace violence. This research continues to involve collaboration with state and federal agencies dealing with threat management and counterterrorism issues.
Dr. Scalora has extensive relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies related to threat assessment research and consultation assessing predictive risk factors and management strategies concerning targeted threatening, and violent activity. In addition to his role as director, Dr. Scalora also serves as a consulting psychologist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police regarding campus safety, threat management, and emergency preparedness.​​​