The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Office of School Safety, has launched the “Speak Up, Speak Out Resource Center.”

The resource center, which is being funded by a two-year, $2.2 million federal grant, will have four main functions when it’s fully operational:

  • Provide consultation to schools on how to use a state-developed threat assessment tool.
  • Create and coordinate 12 regional “critical incident response teams” to go to schools that experience traumatic and violent incidents, such as a shooting.
  • Offer general guidance on school safety.
  • Operate a statewide, confidential threat reporting system.

Several other states, such as Colorado, Michigan and Nevada, operate similar centers.