Southern Vermont Special Services

802-463-9927

Robert A Pelosi, NCC, LCMHC, BCETS

Psychotherapy  -  Consultation  -  Training

How do we know our kids are safe?

School violence is an increasing and frightening dilemma for kids, educators and parents.

How do we determine who is at risk?

Professional Clinical Violence Risk Assessments for Adolescents


Schools and agencies face an increasing need to identify youths who may be at risk for episodes of interpersonal violence. In response to increasing requests for assessments of the violence potential of particular adolescents, Bob Pelosi has now made available a specific protocol. This protocol is appropriate for select individuals from the ages of 12 to 18 who have been identified by schools, courts and/or social service agencies as potentially at risk for a violent act.

Please be well aware that no clinician can predict whether any given child will or will not engage in violent behavior. This protocol makes no claims to be able to make such a prediction. However, with a combination of clinical interviews and three specifically-targeted measurement tools[1], it is possible to reasonably identify whether a particular adolescent presents with a number of the commonly-identified risk factors that might predispose a child to violent behaviors. Ultimately, the Risk Assessment produces clinical documentation that delineates the specific risk factors that are reported as present as well as the specific risk-reducing circumstances that may be present, leading to determination whether a child appears as extreme risk, high risk, moderate risk or low risk.

The assessment includes an individual interview with the child, an interview with the parent(s) and/or significant parental figures, an interview with the child's teacher(s), the administration of three assessment tools, and a detailed writeup of the results. The Assessment Report specifically identifies the risk level based upon clinical judgment combined with the results of the three normed assessment tools. All results are confidential, and will be released to the parent or guardian; results may be released to no one else without the informed consent of the parent or guardian or a court order.

Standard assessments are conducted at the office in Wilmington or Bellows Falls, Vermont The fee is generally not insurance reimbursable. Nonstandard assessments are conducted at your site atstandard rate plus travel time and expenses.


[1] This protocol uses the (FAVE-A) Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts, the (SAVRY) Structured Assessment of Violence RIsk in Youth, and the (CARE-2) Child and Adolescent Risk Assessment