- Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
- Senior Advisor, North American Center for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response
- Instructor, University of Southern California
- Sol Price School of Public Policy
- Safe Communities Institute
Dr. Beliz is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist
who trains and lectures nationally and internationally on Behavioral Threat
Assessment, Emerging Trends in Targeted Violence, Interviewing Strategies, and
Trauma Event Management.
Dr. Beliz consults to school districts, national, and global corporations on
threats, risk management, and special circumstances.
Dr. Beliz has been featured on CNN, CBS, New York Times, and local media. He
trains educators, mental health providers, law enforcement agencies, first
responders, and threat management teams on violence threat risk assessment.
During his 14 year tenure as Deputy Director Los Angeles County Department of
Mental Health Emergency Outreach Bureau Dr. Beliz developed and supervised
several dedicated field teams. The Special Prevention Unit (SPU) assessed and
monitored persons of concern referred by local or federal law enforcement
agencies. Cases involved high profile persons or high value targets. SPU
collaborated with private executive security firms, on cases involving stalking
or harassment of public figures in the entertainment industry and government.
The School Threat Assessment and Response Team (START) received national
recognition as an effective model for the prevention of Targeted School
Violence. START operates in Los Angeles County serving elementary schools,
colleges, and vocational programs. START provides training and consultation,
assessment and intervention, risk management, and long term monitoring of
students at risk for school violence.
The Mental Health Alert Team (MHAT) provides the mental health response to
barricade and hostage situations used by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department SWAT and other police departments in Los Angeles County.
Dr. Beliz oversaw the Psychiatric Mobile Response (PMRT) and Law Enforcement
Teams with Los Angeles Police Department (SMART), Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department (MET), Burbank, Long Beach, and Pasadena Police Departments, and
Homeless Outreach Teams. These co-response teams provided 911 response to
persons experiencing a psychiatric crisis.
The Mental Health Emergency Response Team (ERT) provides psychological first
aid to on-site responders, first responders, survivors and their families, and
impacted communities. Dr. Beliz and his team responded to Hurricane Katrina in
new Orelans, LA, the shooting incident at Los Angeles International Airport,
and the Chatsworth and Glendale, CA train derailments.
Dr. Beliz was a member of the Los Angeles County multidisciplinary team of
disaster experts (ICAD) that traveled to Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and
Japan to analyze disaster response and recovery efforts.
Dr. Beliz is a Senior Advisor, North American Center for Threat Assessment and
Trauma Response; Instructor, University of Southern California Sol Price School
of Public Policy, Safe Communities Initiative focused on countering violent
extremism; Expert Witness for the Los Angeles County Superior Court and
California Board of Psychology; and Diplomate, American College of Forensic
Examiners.
Dr. Beliz was formerly Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry
& Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine; and Clinical Fellow in
Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts
Mental Health Center.
WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS AND SEMINAR TOPICS AND DESCRIPTIONS
Managing the Threat: The Assessment and Prevention of Targeted School Violence
This training session introduces participants to a conceptually sound,
operationally relevant, sustainable method of assessing students and others on
a pathway to targeted violence. Participants will learn techniques and
methodologies designed to improve community safety and establish a
collaborative and comprehensive community safety net.
Case examples of successful outcomes achieved through collaboration and
partnerships with public and private stakeholders will illustrate the benefits
of an informed and integrated community with a common mission.
Emerging Trends in Targeted Violence
This workshop provides an overview of the similarities among foreign, domestic,
lone actor, and radicalized perpetrators with a specific focus on common
behavioral characteristics critical to identification and management of persons
at risk for targeted violence.
Trauma Event Management: Lessons learned from national and international
disasters
This seminar draws on Dr. Beliz' response to Hurricane Katrina and other
disasters as an emergency responder as well as his professional visits to
Chile, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand to examine their emergency disaster
response and in particular the mental health impact and recovery efforts.
START: The Los Angeles County Model for the Prevention of
Targeted School Violence
Dr. Beliz established the School Threat Assessment and Response Team (START)in
2008 to prevent targeted school violence (TSV) in Los Angeles County. Since its
inception, Los Angeles County has not had an incident of TSV where START was involved.
START has received national recognition as a viable model for the country. This
seminar provides detailed information on concept, functionality, and
sustainability. Participants will learn about the core components of the model
and strategies for creation and implementation.
The G.R.I.D. Guidelines for Response, Intervention, and Documentation
in the evaluation of persons
The GRID was developed by Dr. Beliz for the law enforcement community and
campus threat management teams. It provides an objective, data driven method
for assessing low-moderate-high risk for TSV. The GRID contains 13 triads that
cover 39 sources of data that in total allow for an informed measure of risk.
The GRID is widely used in Los Angeles and other counties and states by law
enforcement and school threat assessment teams as a part of their risk
assessment strategy.
La Evaluación y Prevención de la Violencia Dirigida
Esta presentacion es para la policia y professionales de salud mental sobre la
violencia escolar dirigida y violencia en el trabajo. La presentacion incluye
las tendencias emergentes y los elementos criticos en el proceso de evaluacion
y intervencion.
PAST ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATIONS, TRAINING AND INTERVIEWS
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Crisis Negotiation Team
and other units - Los Angeles Office
Joint Regional Intelligence Center (Southern California Operational Area)
Los Angeles Police Department (SMART, Threat Management Unit, and other
specialized units)
Association of Threat Assessment Professionals Anaheim Conference
Los Angeles Unified School District and Police Department
University of Southern California
University of California at Los Angeles
Pepperdine University, Malibu Campus
California State Universities: Long Beach and Los Angeles Campus Police and
Threat management Teams
California Association of School Psychologists
Los Angeles County Office of Education Conference
Los Angeles County Terrorism Liaison Officers
San Marino Unified School District and Police Department
California Attorney General's 21st Annual Organized Crime,
Gang, Criminal Intelligence, and Terrorism
California Police Officers Association Conference.
Surgeon's General Joint Task Force Conference. USNORTHCOM
Department of Defense Bethesda, MD
La Evaluacion Y Prevencion de La Violencia Dirigida -
Policia Malaga, Malaga, Espana
California Fire, EMS and Disaster Expo 2009 Conference
4th Annual International Campus and Student Security Conference - Melbourne,
Australia
Pierce, Long Beach, East Los Angeles, Valley, Mission, Harbor and Trade
Tech Community Colleges
City of Riverside Law Enforcement & Other Emergency First Responders,
Riverside, CA
Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Conference. Tustin, CA
ABC Unified School District
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Mental Evaluation Teams and other
specialized units (SEB; CN)
San Gabriel Valley School Districts and Mental Health Providers
City of Burbank Police Department
Montebello School District Counselor's Academy
Regional Strategizing Forum 2013 - College of the Canyons
The Whole Child Providers, City Managers, Educators & Law Enforcement City
of Whittier
California State University Northridge Counseling Center Staff and Resident
Advisors
Beach Cities School District
Training for Law Enforcement & Mental Health Providers - Spokane, WA
Inglewood Police Department - Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Homeland Security Conference
Inglewood Police Department - Federal Bureau of Investigation
Montclair School District
Baldwin Park Unified School District & School Police
College Violence Prevention & Intervention Training. Cal State University,
Dominguez Hills