What Is CPI Certification?

The Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) offers courses designed to teach educators and caregivers techniques to diffuse potentially violent situations before they escalate. CPI certification is earned through completing classes that permit teaching intervention methods to peers. Once a participant is certified, he or she can share the tools learned with others in the workplace. This type of certification might be sought by police departments, hospital employees, social service workers, and teachers.

The core premise behind the training focuses on using the least restrictive means to prevent, intervene, and manage verbal or physical abuse. It teaches people communication methods to deal with anxiety before it escalates into physical assault. Students who earn CPI certification learn appropriate responses to various levels of behavior and how to use verbal and nonverbal techniques to deal with these situations.

Training also focuses on safety of the client or student and the caregiver. Physical restraint might be used as a last resort to protect everyone involved. CPI certification includes information on laws that regulate the use of restraint in various settings. The institute operates offices in various countries around the world.

Teachers handling children with disabilities might face disruptive behavior that poses a danger to the educator or other students. These professionals learn how to calm students before violence erupts. They also receive training in how to physically restrain students when safety dictates, without violating regulations that protect the rights of people with disabilities.

Caregivers working in assisted living centers or nursing homes might use CPI certification to teach coworkers nonviolent crisis intervention methods to deal with clients. Specific classes typically include dealing with elderly clients suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Part of this training might include self-examination to help students identify attitudes and beliefs that might spark disruptive behavior.

CPI certification programs might create custom classes that apply to individual workplace situations. A business owner might request courses designed to prevent and intervene in workplace bullying, for example, or methods to deal with disruptive employees. In-house training might address these issues to improve employee morale and promote a sense of safety.

This training might include a combination of classroom and Internet classes in crisis prevention. Students might earn certification by completing additional courses to prepare them to teach what they learn. Ongoing refresher seminars might be needed to retain CPI certification once it has been achieved.