Knowledge Base: Securly On-Call Risk Assessment Overview

This article outlines how the Securly On-Call team assesses risks related to depression, self-harm, and suicide, and the specific actions taken for each risk level.

Understanding Risk Levels

Securly On-Call risk levels do not reflect the severity of a student's intent to harm themselves, but rather how ready they are to take action.

Moderate Risk

• Risk Characteristics:

  • Student exhibits debilitating depression or anxiety that clearly goes beyond sadness.

  • Student lacks motivation or drive for their own life.

  • An analyst is unable to rule out the possibility of real distress due to a lack of context.

  • Threat information is implausible (e.g., "I want to jump into an active volcano") or lacks specific details.

  • The threat lacks realism or is repeated with unrealistic variations.

  • The content suggests the threatener is unlikely to carry it out.

  • Self-harm threats are vague and indirect.

• Analyst Action:

  • The On-Call Analyst notifies the emergency contacts indicated by the school district via email or SMS (if opted-in).

Increased Risk

• Risk Characteristics:

  • A real threat is made or present.

  • Student has active but unspecific suicidal or self-harm thoughts/intentions.

  • Student is clearly experiencing a mental health struggle.

  • Threats are repeated or shared in multiple ways (e.g., search terms and email).

  • Threats are repeated with consistency to convince others of their seriousness.

  • Information is consistent, plausible, or includes specific details (date, time, place), but the event is NOT within the next 24 hours and does NOT mention a specific method.

• Analyst Action:

  • The On-Call Analyst notifies school emergency contacts via email or SMS (if opted-in).

  • The notification will specify that the threat appears serious but is not imminent.

Extreme Risk

• Risk Characteristics:

  • A real threat is present, and the threatener poses an imminent risk to themselves or others.

  • Student is experiencing suicide ideation with intent and/or a specific plan.

  • Threats are consistent and repeated across multiple platforms (e.g., search, email, and documents).

  • The threat includes specific details (time, place, and method) within the next 24 hours, or steps have already been taken.

  • The student has had previous extreme risk notifications for suicidal behavior within the last 3 months.

• Analyst Action:

  • The On-Call Analyst notifies emergency contacts via email, SMS, and phone.

  • If not immediately acknowledged, the analyst will make multiple notification attempts.

  • In life-threatening situations where contacts cannot be reached, On-Call will contact local authorities for a wellness check, provided law enforcement is a listed contact.