Fair Notice Statement

What is a Assessment of Risk to Others (ARTO)?

Pathstone Mental Health and our community partners (including community agencies that serve children and youth, local School Boards, and the Niagara Regional Police Service) are committed to making our schools and communities safe. As part of this commitment, Pathstone Mental Health and our community partners have entered into the Niagara Community Protocol*, which is referred to as the Assessment of Risk to Others (ARTO). The ARTO is not a disciplinary measure. It is a trauma-informed, equity-inclusive, violence prevention and intervention process that enables us to respond quickly to situations where a child/youth may be a threat to themselves or others.

What is the Purpose of an ARTO?

• Promotes the emotional and physical safety of the community

• Gathers detailed information from relevant sources

• Identifies the concerns which contribute to the high level of risk

• Develops an intervention plan that increases the child/youth’s emotional and physical safety, and reduces factors associated with risk.

Duty to Report and Duty to Respond.

To keep children/youth, families, staff, schools, and communities safe, all invested partners must report all threat-related behaviours to their agency ARTO lead. Once notified, an ARTO may be initiated. All threats must be taken seriously and require a response that includes investigation and intervention to maintain a safe and caring learning environment.

What Behaviours Initiate an ARTO?

An ARTO may be started for behaviours including, but not limited to, the following:

• Serious violence with the intent to kill or harm

• Verbal/written (including social media) threats to kill or seriously harm others

• Possession of weapons, including replicas

• Bomb threats or making or detonating explosive devices and fire-setting

• Hate incidents motivated by factors including but not limited to race, culture, creed, sexual orientation and identity

• Sexual intimidation, assault, or sextortion

• Gang-related intimidation and violence

What Happens in an ARTO?

Information about the basis and context of a threat is gathered from multiple sources such as Pathstone staff, students, those involved and impacted by the threat, families, community agencies, police, student records, social media sites, etc. The ARTO Team examines the information collected and in consultation with community partners, determines the risk.

Participation in the ARTO Process.

STAGE 1 - Rapid data collection and information sharing by and among the ARTO Team and the police. The family will be notified if their child/youth will be discussed at a Stage 1 assessment, but they do not participate until Stage 2.

STAGE 2 - Where risk is identified as moderate or high, a second stage will be undertaken within 1-2 days after Stage 1. The family will be invited to participate in Stage 2 assessments where intervention and supportive risk reduction planning are undertaken. It is important for all parties to participate in this process. Accommodation will be made to support family’s participation, however, if for some reason there is a barrier that cannot be overcome to participate in this stage of the process, the process will continue with the community partners, to ensure and restore a safe and inclusive environment for all.

Is Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Consent Required?

While our goal is to get family consent when we can, our community must first make sure that we respond as quickly as possible to a potentially high-risk or threatening situation for the safety of everyone, including the child/youth. Therefore, we will proceed without family consent when the threat or risk warrants.

Collection Notice.

Personal information shared throughout this process will respect and balance each individual’s right to privacy with the need to ensure a safe and caring environment for all. As always, child/youth safety is our first priority. In all cases, only necessary information as part of the ARTO process will be shared. All ARTO partners will comply with applicable privacy legislation.

Who do I contact if I'm concerned that my child/youth is a risk to themselves or others?

Call 911 if there is an imminent threat to your child/youth’s safety or the safety of the community. Otherwise, contact the child/youth’s Pathstone worker and/or Family and Children’s Services (FACS) Niagara to discuss your concerns.

If you have any questions about this notice or the Pathstone/Niagara Community Threat Risk Assessment, please contact: