Creating a safe, supportive, and protective environment in schools requires a proactive, collaborative approach. Across San Luis Obispo County, educators, law enforcement, behavioral health experts, and community leaders have partnered to safeguard students through the San Luis Obispo School Threat Assessment & Management Program (SLO-STAMP).
Built on evidence-based practices, SLO-STAMP focuses on early identification, intervention, and upstream prevention to stop targeted violence before it occurs.
Take Action to Keep Our Schools Safe:
If you are a school administrator, behavioral health professional, or law enforcement partner interested in training opportunities, or if you need to report a school safety concern, please visit the SLOCOE Health & Safety Resources Page or contact the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education at (805) 543-7732 today.
What is SLO-STAMP?
SLO-STAMP is a multi-agency, collaborative threat assessment and management program headed by the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE). Key project partners include County Behavioral Health, the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, local police departments, Probation, and school districts throughout the county.
The project relies on the Salem-Keizer Cascade Threat Assessment Model, originally developed in Oregon in 2000 by model architect John Van Dreal. Instead of relying on profiling or strictly punitive measures, this model focuses on assessing situations, relieving stressors that elevate risk, and connecting vulnerable students with supportive community resources.
Core Pillars of the Program:
- Two-Tiered System Structure:
- Level 1 (School-Based Teams): Local school site teams handle initial safety concerns and assessments.
- Level 2 (Community Threat Consultation Team): If a threat meets specific criteria, it escalates to a multi-agency Level 2 team. Composed of mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, educators, and District Attorney representatives, this team meets at least twice monthly to provide wrap-around support and ongoing case management.
- Focus on “Upstream” Prevention: As local threat assessment expert Dr. Joseph Holifield notes, “the best offense is the best defense.” The goal of SLO-STAMP is to identify warning behaviors early, keep students connected to school, and prevent them from progressing down a pathway toward violence or involvement in the justice system.
- Targeted Professional Development: SLO-STAMP hosts regular countywide trainings for school staff, behavioral health practitioners, and law enforcement officers—bringing in national experts like John Van Dreal and Dr. Holifield to share the latest research and case management practices.
Data in Action: Filtering Threats and Protecting Students
A core strength of the Salem-Keizer Cascade model is its ability to differentiate between credible threats and non-credible concerns, ensuring resources are directed where they are needed most.
Data collected in San Luis Obispo County from June 2021 through July 2025 demonstrates the system’s effectiveness:
- 584 Professional Discussions: Early-stage conversations that addressed minor concerns without needing full threat assessments.
- 163 Level 1 Assessments: Conducted by site-based school teams for initial concerns.
- 24 Level 2 Consultations: Intensive, multi-agency interventions for high-risk situations.
As threats move higher up in severity, the total number of cases drops significantly. This confirms that the program successfully filters out unfounded threats early while helping marginalized or struggling youth stay in school rather than facing expulsion or arrest.
“The way we measure success is by the number of kiddos that we get to help and by the catastrophe that never happens… We want all the kids in our schools, even the ones that are most problematic. We want to find a way to connect with them, build relationships, and give them some sort of meaningful experience.”
— Steven Von Dohlen, Deputy District Attorney & John Van Dreal, Chief Architect
Moving Forward: Program Continuity & Leadership
Originally supported through a 3-year Department of Justice BJA-STOP School Violence Grant project (October 2022 – September 2025) managed alongside Holifield Psychological Services, Inc. and the District Attorney’s Office, SLO-STAMP has transitioned into a permanent community resource.
Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE) officially incorporated SLO-STAMP within its organizational structure as the primary administrative stakeholder overseeing K-12 threat assessment and management countywide.
Call to Action for Community Leaders
To maintain and strengthen this safety net, local leaders are encouraged to stay actively involved:
- School Superintendents: Formally adopt SLO-STAMP’s two-tiered system to decrease expulsions and increase school safety.
- Mayors, Police Chiefs, & Executive Leaders: Assign dedicated staff and integrate department representatives into the Level 2 Collaborative Community Team.
Contacts & Resources
- Current SLO-STAMP Program (SLOCOE):
Contact Director Chris Balogh or Level 2 Facilitator Rory Matson. - Grant Project & Research Inquiries:
Contact Dr. Joe Holifield at drholifield@hpspsych.org or visit the SLO-STAMP Website.
