March 2004

Crisis Prevention/Intervention Training & Risk Management: An Essential Tool for Direct Care Organizations

OPEN MINDS, a national behavioral health and social service industry market research and management consulting firm and the Devereux Foundation's Institute of Clinical Training and Research (ICTR) have formed a partnership to offer skills-based training designed to enhance the therapeutic skills of direct care behavioral health and social service staff. The OPEN MINDS/ Devereux courses are compatible with increasingly stringent professional standards, and new regulatory requirements. They are continuously updated to reflect best practices in the field. As a whole, these programs focus on providing a continuum of skills with an emphasis on using the least restrictive option necessary to protect oneself and others in crisis situations. Prevention, de-escalation, and non-physical intervention techniques are taught as well as appropriate use of safe and effective physical control. All training programs are offered as training to direct care staff, as well as train-the-trainer training programs.