December 19, 2018
NCCPS Logo


New Verbal De-Escalation Education Program Coming Online in January 2019
 
We are delighted to share that in January 2019, our second Virtual Professional Development (VPD) offering, the Verbal De-Escalation Education Program, will be available online.
 
The Verbal De-Escalation Education Program was designed in conjunction with subject-matter expert Mourning Fox, MA, LCMHC, the deputy commissioner for the  Vermont Department of Mental Health. This online course was developed for those working at the beginner through advanced level in a campus environment, including campus public safety, security, and law enforcement officers; residential life and student affairs staff; designated campus security authorities; office/reception personnel; financial aid employees; human resources personnel; campus counseling and mental health workers; and others who have a role that involves managing difficult situations and behaviors.
 
The ability to verbally de-escalate tense situations is an essential skill for security professionals, and the skills apply to anyone who works in the public sphere. If personnel involved in responding to tense situations can recognize the values of the person in crisis while giving the speaker time and space for their emotions to settle it will lead to better outcomes. Through resolving situations using only words, it prevents physical altercations and potential harm for all sides involved. The skills to verbally de-escalate a situation may not be innate, and as such, participants need opportunities to practice them before applying them in a live situation.
 
This five-module course includes:
  1. Course Introduction
  2. Exploring the Roots of Violence
  3. Building a De-Escalation Mindset
  4. Applying Active Listening and Other Verbal De-Escalation Skills
  5. Practicing De-Escalation 
In September, we launched our Virtual Professional Development (VPD) initiative, which provides flexibility in advancing practitioner knowledge about specific topic areas. Our first offering, the Physical Security Education Program, has gained strong praise from participants as they achieve their certificate of completion through the self-paced course.
 
As with our Physical Security Education Program, participants will receive a certificate of completion following a successful post-test at the end of the course. Participants will have 30 days to complete a course once they have registered. There is no charge to attend VPD courses. The cost of developing and delivering these programs is covered by a cooperative agreement with Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
 
In January, we will announce an exact date for the launch of the Verbal De-Escalation Education Program. Stay tuned!

Corrections to College California
Corrections to College California

The Stanford Criminal Justice Center (SCJC) is partnering with the Opportunity Institute to direct a five-year initiative designed to build a network of bridges from corrections to college in California known as Renewing Communities. The SCJC released a 2015 report, Degrees of Freedom: Expanding College Opportunities for Currently and Formerly Incarcerated Californians (PDF), making the case for improving access to a high-quality college education "for all students whether they are learning in prison, jail, or the community." Further, the report stressed the need for colleges and criminal justice agencies to "break out of their silos" and policymakers to "enable partnership and collaboration between the education and criminal justice fields."

Renewing Communities launched with a number of pilot sites in 2016, including Bakersfield College, Shasta College, California State University Los Angeles, Five Keys Charter School, and a consortium of eight California State University campuses, among others. That number has grown and a website, CorrectionsToCollegeCA.org, was developed to help foster a supportive community around this initiative. The website includes a map and directory of colleges and programs serving currently and formerly incarcerated students in California. The directory allows faculty and counselors working inside prisons or jails to connect students who are paroling with a college on the outside, thus enabling the students to continue their education when they return home. It also allows returning community members to identify an individual contact at a college near them, easing their transition to college and increasing the likelihood that they will persist to degree or credential completion. 
 
Visitors can also find a variety of resources on the site including research and data, program models, information on starting a program, partnerships, and other topics. The Voices section provides video feedback from students, presidents, and professors on how the program works and its effectiveness.
 
The March 2018 publication from the SCJC, Don't Stop Now (PDF), applauds the dramatic growth seen in the number of California colleges teaching in correctional facilities and reaching formerly incarcerated students in the community but warns of failure if the state does not focus on quality and sustainability for the future. The report also provides a roadmap for other states and a call-to-action for California with nine action items to take in order to prioritize and support this important work.

Federal Training Providers
 
As all professionals know, there is a continued need for training to maintain and enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities. There are a multitude of options available to campuses including those offered by the federal government that offer low to no cost training, several of which we cover here. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Preparedness Directorate (NPD) consists of three training branches: the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), and the National Training and Education Division (NTED).

The CDP, located in Anniston, Alabama, is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's only federally chartered weapons of mass destruction training center. The CDP offers training for responders in 17 different disciplines: emergency management, emergency medical services, fire service, governmental administrative, hazardous materials, healthcare, law enforcement, public health, public safety communications, public works, agriculture, education, citizen/community volunteer, information technology, security and safety, search and rescue, and transportation. A course list is available online and includes both in-person and online offerings such as Active Shooter Threat Training Program, Social Media Tools and Techniques, Hazardous Materials Awareness Refresher, and Managing Public Information for All Hazards Incidents.

Located on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland, EMI serves as the national focal point for the development and delivery of emergency management training to enhance the capabilities of state, local, and tribal government officials; volunteer organizations; FEMA's disaster workforce; other federal agencies; and the public and private sectors to minimize the impact of disasters and emergencies on the American public. EMI curricula are structured to meet the needs of this diverse audience with an emphasis on separate organizations working together in all-hazards emergencies to save lives and protect property. Particular emphasis is placed on governing doctrine such as the National Response Framework, National Incident Management System, and the National Preparedness Guidelines.

EMI trains more than two million students annually. Training delivery systems include residential onsite training; offsite delivery in partnership with emergency management training systems, colleges, universities; and technology-based mediums to conduct individual training courses for emergency management personnel across the nation.

The course schedule includes offerings such as Continuity of Operations Planning, Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist, Integrating Emergency Management Education into Your Institution, and Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Training Course.

NTED serves the nation's first responder community, offering more than 150 courses to help build critical skills that responders need to function effectively in mass consequence events. NTED primarily serves state, local, and tribal entities in emergency management, emergency medical services, fire service, governmental administrative, hazardous materials personnel, healthcare, law enforcement, public health, public safety communications, and public works, and has expanded to serve citizens and the private sector in recognition of their significant role in domestic preparedness.

NTED draws upon a diverse group of training providers to develop and deliver training courses. These training providers include the  National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, the University of Hawai'i National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, and the Naval Postgraduate School,  among others. Training is available via residential attendance at the training providers' facility, mobile at a host facility, or online. Some NTED courses include Understanding and Planning for School Bomb Incidents; Community Resilience: Building Community from the Inside Out; and Campus Emergencies Prevention, Response, and Recovery. Download the course catalog (PDF) for a complete listing.

Please visit our website and Weekly Snapshot archives to see more information on training providers, including this article from 2015 on " Free Federal Training Opportunities."

Professional Development Opportunities

Title: Formerly Incarcerated Students: Become a Campus Priority
Organization: California Community College
Date: January 25, 2019
Location: Online
Fee: Free
 
Title: Intermediate Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents: Law Enforcement (PER-313)
Organization: Center for Domestic Preparedness
Dates: February 19-23, 2019
Location: Anniston, AL
Fee: Free for state, local, tribal, and territorial responders
 
Title: Calming The Fire: Principles for De-escalation and Understanding People
Organization: Public Agency Training Council
Dates: April 25-26, 2019
Location: New Braunfels, TX
Fee: Registration fee

For additional trainings and events, access our searchable online calendar

Virtual Professional Development
Through our Virtual Professional Development initiative, you can access free, online educational opportunities.
Campus Public Safety Online
Learn about our free webinar series, register for upcoming webinars, and view archived recordings on demand.
Emerging Issues Forum Reports
Download, print, and share findings from critical issues forums of campus public safety leaders, subject matter experts, and practitioners.

Have you signed up to receive our informative and timely emails?
Join Our Mailing List!

Like us on Facebook    Follow us on Twitter    View our profile on LinkedIn    View on Instagram


This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
Margolis Healy Logo