Utilizing mental health professionals to help prevent the next attacks.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Criminology
• Public Health

Background:

• Lone actor terrorist attacks are increasingly linked to mental illness in research and high-profile cases.
• Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) initiatives are shifting towards intervention (secondary prevention) programs.
• Mental health professionals are recognized for their potential role in preventing lone actor terrorism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of mental health professionals in intervention programs for lone actor terrorism.
• To assess the utility of threat assessment models in CVE efforts.
• To evaluate a public-private partnership's strategy for developing community-based intervention services.

Main Methods:

• A public-private partnership in Los Angeles developed intervention services based on a community model for targeted school violence.
• A tabletop exercise was employed to initiate interventions, foster collaboration, and identify service gaps.
• Stakeholder engagement included mental health professionals and other community partners.

Main Results:

• The tabletop exercise facilitated engagement among diverse community partners.
• The exercise helped build trust between stakeholders.
• Key capacities and gaps for successful intervention implementation were identified.

Conclusions:

• Mental health professionals can contribute to preventing lone actor terrorism, particularly through threat assessment models.
• Community-based, collaborative practices are crucial for effective intervention programs.
• Equitable, ethical, and evidence-based approaches are essential for future progress in CVE.