Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training is implemented at IOL

The Institute of Living (IOL) has been training staff in its own model of providing crisis intervention care for patients for many decades as a way to ensure the safety of both staff and patients.

In 2014, a project team made up of members of the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network (BHN) and Public Safety reviewed the IOL model and many other models in use throughout Hartford HealthCare (HHC) as part of standardization and best practices for the system. The review included an examination of the many specialized courses offered at the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) in Milwaukee, which were deemed to best meet current and future needs not only for the BHN and Public Safety, but also across HHC.

The IOL quickly embraced the new model. Late in 2014, 11 multidisciplinary staff members underwent eight days of training to become instructors for both Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NCI) and Applied Physical Training (APT).

Front row, sitting, left to right: Cynthia Belonick APRN, Educator; Sandra Marshall RN, per diem;  Sonia Carter, Psychiatric Technician; Ruth Reiser APRN
Back row, standing, left to right: Elisabeth Callahan, MH Counselor; Dawn Benson LCSW; Edward Clukey RN, Manager; John Connor, Psychiatric Technician; Paula Rego, Case Worker
Missing from photo: Paul Paseos RN

The IOL’s CPI instructors include nurses, psychiatric technicians, managers, educators, APRNs, case workers and Grace Webb school staff. The trained staff are embedded in the IOL’s many inpatient units and programs, the Grace Webb School and in Hartford Hospital’s Emergency Department Purple Pod.

The international NCI Program is a highly effective behavior management system for organizations committed to providing quality care and services in a respectful, safe environment. NCI training offers a solid foundation to structure prevention and intervention approaches for staff and those they are caring for, even during crisis situations. The strategies taught provide a proven framework for decision-making and problem-solving to prevent, de-escalate, and safely respond to disruptive or assaultive behavior. Through careful risk assessment and response, CPI principles and dynamics are taught, recognizing the importance of staff confidence and ability to safely respond to potentially dangerous situations. The CPI philosophy relating to care, welfare, safety and security is consistent with HHC values of safety, caring and excellence.

The newly certified instructors methodically rolled out CPI training to over 450 IOL staff (99% of all staff designated to take the training) between January and September of 2015. The complete transition to the CPI model successfully occurred over the course of nine months.

As the CPI model was also selected because of its growth and customization opportunities, the next fiscal year will be bringing more advanced training to the instructor group. This includes courses such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, Trauma Informed Care and Dementia and Related Cognitive Challenges. These courses will be used to further enhance staff training with specialty populations, and to provide more personalized and customized care to our patients.