A protocol that began with preventing and responding to tragic events in schools continues to serve the City of Greater Sudbury, Espanola, and Manitoulin Island with 33 protocol partners.
Partners from the school boards, post-secondary institutions, police services and organizations, including children services, mental health and community resources, came together on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 to sign the Fifth Edition of the "Community Threat Assessment Protocol", a collaborative response to threat-making behaviours of individuals of concern.
Any of the partners signed on to the protocol can activate an Assessment of Risk to Others (ARTO)/Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA). The goal is to keep the community safe by intervening before a violent incident occurs.
Trained VTRA teams work from the perspective that "serious violence is an evolutionary process" and no one "just snaps". Data is often available that can help identify and prevent serious violence. VTRA Teams are trained to look for signs that allow for both early intervention and identification of rapidly evolving individuals of concern.
J. Kevin Cameron, Executive Director of the North American Center for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response, was in Sudbury to witness the important signing.
J. Kevin Cameron, Executive Director of the North American Center for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response, was in Sudbury to witness the important signing. "Recognizing the signs of a potential threat and responding with appropriate interventions goes a long way in mitigating risk," said Kevin Cameron.
He added: "I commend local school boards, police, and community agencies for their leadership in implementing the Violence Threat Risk Assessment model. The 2025 Community Threat Assessment Protocol strengthens that commitment by bringing more partners together to work towards the common goal of maintaining safety for all."
Kevin Cameron has developed protocols and provides training on traumatic events, before they escalate, and after they occur. He works with police, school boards, cities, community agencies, and provincial governments throughout Canada and the United States, including Sudbury.
In situations where data suggests a child, a youth, or an adult may pose a significant risk to themselves or others, protocol partners agree to work together for the common goal of violence prevention, threat management and safety planning by sharing information, advice and support that assists in the reduction of risk.
The Community Threat Assessment Protocol describes the two stages of a violence threat risk assessment - data collection and immediate risk reducing interventions; specialized risk evaluation; and comprehensive intervention, review, and follow-up. It outlines when to activate the protocol in response to worrisome behaviours and brings resources together to implement appropriate interventions. The protocol details roles and responsibilities, as well as guidelines on information sharing, and consent.
Protocol partners believe it is incumbent on them to recognize, identify and implement preventative measures to mitigate threats to young people, schools, the public and the community. Together, they form a powerful circle of care to ensure the community remains a safe place to learn, live and work.
Protocol partners include:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of the City of Greater Sudbury
- Cambrian College
- Canadian Mental Health Association - Sudbury/Manitoulin/Association canadienne pour la santé mentale - Sudbury/Manitoulin
- Canadian Shield Health Care Services
- Children's Community Network/Réseau communautaire pour enfants
- City of Greater Sudbury/Ville du Grand Sudbury
- Collège Boréal
- Compass / Boussole / Akii-Izhinoogan
- Conseil des Services du District de Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board
- Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon
- Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord
- Future North/ Futur du Nord
- Greater Sudbury Police Service/Les Services policiers du Grand Sudbury
- Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord - Mental Health and Addiction/Santé mentale et toxicomania
- Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board
- Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services/ Ministère des Services à l'enfance et des Services sociaux et communautaires
- N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre
- Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services
- Northern Youth Services Inc.
- Ontario Provincial Police/Police provinciale de l'Ontario - Manitoulin
- Ontario Provincial Police/Police provinciale de l'Ontario - Nipissing West
- Public Health/ Santé publique Sudbury & Districts
- Rainbow District School Board
- Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre
- Spark Employment Services
- Sudbury and Area Victim Services/Services aux victimes du Grand Sudbury
- Sudbury Catholic District School Board
- Sudbury District Restorative Justice/Reparatrice du District de Sudbury
- Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association
- The Children's Aid Society of the Districts of Sudbury & Manitoulin/La Société d'aide à l'enfance des districts de Sudbury et de Manitoulin
- United Way Centraide North East Ontario/Nord-est de l'Ontario
- YMCA of Northeastern Ontario Employment Services & Immigrant Services/YMCA
