Recent advocacy organization reports, Congressional hearings, and proposed federal legislation have called attention to the abusive use of physical restraint procedures in school settings. As a result, administrators and school officials wonder whether they should purchase "crisis intervention" training for staff and faculty members from outside…

Background: A training package for staff working with clients presenting challenging behaviour was developed to (1) increase their knowledge regarding challenging behaviour, and (2) to improve the quality of physical intervention techniques. The latter aim was intended to reduce staff anxiety about dealing with incidents and limit physical risk of…

Ten years ago, RAND researchers joined colleagues at the Los Angeles Unified School District and the University of California Los Angeles to confront the issue of the large number of children who go to school weighed down by experiencing or witnessing some form of violence, trauma, or maltreatment. The Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for…

This study examined how the mental health needs of nursing home (NH) residents with serious mental illness (SMI) are addressed. Data were collected from three sources: interviews with 84 SMI stakeholders; surveys of 206 NH staff members; and focus groups at two psychiatry specialty NHs. Four common themes emerged: placement of older adults with…

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act mandates the performance of functional assessment for students with severe behavior problems. A functional analysis can be one part of this process but its use has been minimal. This study evaluates whether a paraprofessional could (a) be trained to correctly perform 3 conditions of a functional…

This qualitative report examines the role of the paraprofessional. The 2004 reauthorization of IDEA, explains that paraprofessionals who are appropriately trained and supervised (in accordance with state law, regulation, or written policy) are recognized as personnel who may assist in the provision of special education and related services to…

Evaluation of a staff training program on aggression management and physical intervention in a Scottish special education school found staff reported increased confidence and use of verbal de-escalation techniques as a result of the training. Physical interventions used mainly low-level techniques. However, stress levels and psychological coping…

A consultation model provided technical assistance in the areas of behavior management and curriculum design for the treatment of severe behavior problems exhibited by persons with severe/profound retardation and dual sensory impairments (deaf/blind). Four of the five clients showed significant behavioral improvements as a result of the…

This report describes a project which surveyed providers and purchasers of nursing services within the National Health Service in England on what is available and what is needed in staff training for those working with individuals having mental retardation and challenging behaviors and/or mental illness. Section 1 describes the methodology of the…