Every organization is trying to figure out the safest way to return to the workplace/office/school while still maintaining daily operations. There are dozens of tools promising one-and-done solutions to get people back to work. But a great COVID-response tool doesn’t just screen entry into a building or offer a health survey. You need a tool that enables a proactive approach to COVID-19.

It’s no surprise 2020 was the most stressful year in recent memory. Americans have reported 53% higher emotional exhaustion, 57% higher anxiety, and 67% higher stress. And it’s not just COVID. 2020 was one of the most violent years in U.S. history. Firearm events, homicides, and rampage events are all up more than 40% and civil unrest is up more than 300%.

Schools across the country are grappling with how to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person learning is critical for student social and emotional learning as well as for academic performance. The CDC says it’s safe for schools to reopen, but many parents and teachers don’t feel safe returning to the classroom.

Emergency response plans are a serious business. It’s critical to the safety and well-being of students and staff. As part of their emergency planning, many schools require staff members to attend regular training on safety and emergency protocols. It’s an important best practice.

For most school administrators a threat assessment process serves two purposes: meeting state and local mandates and providing peace of mind. Meeting mandates is essential, but to provide real peace of mind, threat assessment must go above and beyond basic requirements.

Michigan’s 5 phased Safe Start program offers a well-considered guide to reopening with exact next steps that are efficiently planned for and accommodated. The guide provides a checklist approach to reopening for in-person learning based on the condition of COVID-19 in the state.

As an incentive to reopen schools for in-person learning, California is proposing nearly $2 billion in additional funding for Covid-19 response planning, safety measures, and personal protective equipment. This additional funding is a boon for administrators who have been balancing the social, emotional, and educational benefits of in-person instruction with the realities of protecting their students and communities.

You might not realize it, but schools and organizations can obtain safety funding through the DOJ (Department of Justice) COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grants. These funding sources can specifically help meet school safety and community collaboration needs for areas that include emergency response, threat assessment, climate change, and even bullying issues at your schools.

Around this time, the various grant-related agencies begin to talk about what they plan to do next year for schools and law enforcement agencies in all sorts of areas. This next year looks to be a promising one, with funding available for schools in the area of School Violence and Safety Prevention Programs. Additionally, it appears that there will be substantial opportunities for funding for working with responding police departments in the areas of support and notification and training for their responses, along with areas of the Use of Force, and with assisting in the many Covid-19 concerns.