Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Direct Care Training Resources

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Safe & Positive Approaches

Part 3: Personal Emergency Interventions Training Program Description

Personal Emergency Interventions Training provides staff with safe and effective control procedures used as a last resort in emergency crisis situations when less restrictive options are neither effective nor appropriate. Personal Emergency Interventions (PEIs) are designed to minimize the risk of injury and not cause pain. In addition to the physical procedures presented, the program emphasizes the importance of preventive strategies that reduce and eliminate the use of physical restraint.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Participants will be able to identify strategies for reducing and eliminating the use of physical restraint.
  2. Participants will be able to identify and perform the PEIs approved for use at their setting.
  3. Participants will be able to identify advantages and benefits, as well as limitations, risks, and trauma and cultural considerations of each PEI procedure approved for their use.
  4. Participants will be able to identify when and how to terminate a PEI and be able to recognize the signs of physical and emotional distress and injury.
  5. Participants will be able to describe and implement the steps of the debriefing process.

Core Program Activities:

  • Guidelines in the Use of PEIs
  • Signs of Physical Distress and Injury
  • Guidelines for the Termination of PEI
  • Application of the Four Basic Principles

Organization-Approved Personal Emergency Interventions:

  • Involuntary Escorts
  • Assist Techniques
  • Personal Restraints

NOTE: PEIs are trained and utilized by staff only as approved and specified by organizational policy and procedure.

Supplemental Learning Activities: 

  • Positional Asphyxia Experiential Exercise
  • Debriefing the Individual
  • Safe & Positive Approaches® Framework for the Reduction of Restraint

Part 3: Personal Emergency Interventions Train-the-Trainer Program

Personal Emergency Interventions Train-the-Trainer prepares trainer-candidates to train their organization’s staff in the concepts and skills of the Personal Emergency Interventions Training (PEIT) program, as approved and specified by organizational policy and procedure. Participants in this two-day trainer-certification program learn critical issues in the use of PEIs, including signs of distress, guidelines for the termination of restraints and strategies for reducing and eliminating restraint use.

For trainer-training and certification purposes, the physical procedures of the PEIT program are clustered into three skill sets ranging from least-to-most restrictive. Trainer-candidates are offered certification at one of three levels, and trainers are thereby authorized to train the PEIs that correspond to their specific level of certification. These three options for trainer-certification enable each trainer-candidate to select the certification level that meets their physical abilities and the needs of their organization.

Level I-certified PEI Trainers are trained in the standing interventions, which include involuntary escorts, assist techniques and standing restraints. Level II-certified PEI Trainers are trained in all of the standing interventions, the one and two-person assists-to-the-floor and the seated restraints. And Level III-certified PEI Trainers are trained in the full continuum of intervention, which includes the standing interventions, the assists-to-the-floor, the seated restraints and the supine restraints.

In addition to their acquisition of curricular content and skills, trainer-candidates learn how to provide a safe and structured learning environment, how to use a variety of instructional methods to teach physical procedures, and how to provide coaching and assessments of learners’ skills. Participation includes step-by-step demonstrations, hands-on practice, written and practical assessments, practice-training and feedback. Each participant receives the PEIT trainer’s manual, handouts, assessment tools and supplementary training resources.

*Completion of the Safety Techniques Train-the-Trainer is required prior to participation in the Personal Emergency Interventions trainer-certification program.

Due to the physical elements of PEIT participants must be able to perform the following pre-requisites in order to participate:

  • comfortably perform a series of flexibility exercises 
  • move (repeatedly) from a standing to kneeling position and back 
  • bear weight on each knee 
  • lift and carry approximately 1/3rd of their body weight

Upon successful completion of the Personal Emergency Interventions Train-the-Trainer program, certification is awarded to qualified participants by Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Participation does not guarantee certification. Web-accessible training resources (via trainer login) are available to certified Trainers. Annual Trainer Updates are required to maintain trainer-certification.