Risk Assessment & Mitigation consulting for Behavioral Health patient environments of care focuses on perceived risk of self-harm, harm to others with regards to weaponization of the built environment and ligature resistance. Risk assessments are more than a task of identification and analysis of potential risks; they should also address the built environment’s effect on the behavioral health patient’s experience or perception of care. Dehumanizing (sterile/ penal), high acoustic and high lighting level environments often created by mitigation measures can trigger or worsen negative behaviors while environments that provide soothing colors, patterns/perceived textures, lower acoustic levels with views to nature, real or artificial, and lighting control can contribute to positive behaviors and encourage recovery.
