Section 2.1: School Related Operations

Approved: February 20, 2001

Revised: June 24, 2025

CRISIS PREVENTION (CPI) 

Procedures

The CPI School Support Team Planning document (Appendix A) clearly outlines the District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1) directives in the following areas.

• Introduction 
• CPI School Support Teams 
• Initiating CPI School Support Teams
• Role of the CPI Team Leader
• Role of the CPI School Support Team
• Definition of Safety Interventions
• Considerations for Using Safety Interventions
• Prohibited Practices Related to Safety Interventions
• Documentation and Debriefing Practices
• Training and Re-certification of CPI

All use of safety interventions will be reviewed by the Superintendent of Education and Special Education Administrator and are subject to DSB1’s Guidelines and Procedures for the Use of CPI.

1.0             Introduction

As educators, our primary goal is to promote the development of each individual to their 

fullest potential.  In doing so, DSB1 is committed to using a person-centered and trauma-informed approach to managing distress behaviour. DSB1 will adhere to the CPI Guided Philosophy of Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security, as it is essential to supporting students and creating a culture of safety for everyone. 

Prior to using a safety intervention which includes disengagement or holding skills, there are factors to be considered. (see Initiating the CPI School Support Team).

2.0             CPI School Support Teams

School administration and staff must be committed to mitigating risk behaviours.  Principals will ensure that each school has a minimum of three CPI trained staff available to form a CPI school support team, which will support students and staff in crisis management and conflict resolution situations.

The CPI School Support Team shall be identified through a collaborative process involving school administrators and the Special Education Administrator. Selection decisions will be guided by the following criteria to ensure that team members are well-equipped to manage and support students in distress effectively: 

Reliability: Staff must exhibit consistent accountability, punctuality, and dedication in their professional roles. 

Professional Attitude: Staff must demonstrate the ability to remain composed and act effectively in high-stress or crisis situations. 

Communication and Conflict Resolution: Staff must possess strong communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills to provide appropriate support to students in distress.  

Decision-Making: Staff must have a proven ability to assess situations and make appropriate, timely decisions during crises. 

The principal is responsible for submitting their CPI School Support Team Planning Template (Appendix A) by September 30th of each school year to their respective Superintendent of Education and the Special Education Administrator. CPI School Support Teams shall meet four (4) times throughout the school and/or at the discretion of the principal. A completed CPI School Support Team Meeting Summary (Appendix B) shall be submitted to the Superintendent of Education and Special Education Administrator after every meeting.  

3.0             Initiating the CPI School Support Team

Involving the CPI School Support Team during escalating behaviour or a crisis should be done in a positive way that promotes de-escalation and maintains the dignity and privacy of the student in distress.

It is the principal’s responsibility to determine when and how the team will be called and ensure all staff are familiar with the steps.

In any intervention, it is important that one staff member be identified as the CPI Team Leader.  Selection of a leader for a crisis should be based on a set of principles/qualities:

• The staff member that arrives at the crisis with the most training and who is centered at the time;
• The first staff member who arrives at the scene is considered the team leader;
• Although another staff member may have arrived on the scene first, the staff member with the best rapport with the individual in distress may become either the team leader, or the communicator for this crisis.

4.0             Role of the CPI Team Leader

Ensuring the well-being and maintaining the safety of all involved is the role of the CPI Team Leader.  The task or responsibility areas that a team leader is accountable for include:

• Assessing the situation;
• Planning, directing, and coordinating the intervention;
• Cuing, directing and coordinating the team’s response to the situation;

Communicating directly with the student in crisis; however, in some circumstances, the staff with the best rapport may be directed to communicate with the student in crisis.

Ensuring the least restrictive safety intervention is being utilized.

5.0             Role of the CPI School Support Team 

The CPI Team Leader is expected to give directions and coordinate the intervention.  The other team members are to respond to the direction of the team leader and provide any support that is necessary.  Specifically, team members should be prepared to:

• Accept directions from the CPI Team Leader, while keeping in mind that the input of all team members is important and valued;
• Remove onlookers and secure the area;
• Designate a team member to document the incident;
• Communicate well with the other CPI team members;
• Respond in accordance with the Crisis Prevention Intervention Procedure (2.1.21) of DSB1 and Crisis Prevention Intervention training.

6.0             Definition of Safety Interventions

CPI categorizes safety interventions as non-restrictive and restrictive strategies to maximize safety and minimize harm. Risk behaviour is defined as an imminent risk to self or others. 

Verbal and Environmental Non-Restrictive Interventions are the least restrictive approaches and can include removing others or items from the environment, redirecting the student in distress to another area, being supportive and using the verbal de-escalation staff approaches. 

Disengagement Skills are non-restrictive safety interventions used to release or escape, to protect yourself, or to rescue or protect others. 

Holding Skills are the most restrictive safety interventions necessary to restrict a student’s range of movement to prevent the infliction of harm to self or others. 

Disengagements and restrictive interventions must be a last resort. These interventions carry risk. Use them only when the risk of not using them is greater. 

7.0             Considerations for Using Safety Interventions

• Referring to the Decision-Making Matrix (Appendix C), staff have objectively and thoughtfully; analyzed the likelihood of the behaviour and the severity of harm should it occur
• All non-restrictive interventions have been exhausted;
• Risk behaviour is an imminent risk of harm to self or others;
• This is the last resort. 

8.0             Prohibited Practices Related to Safety Interventions

• Use of safety intervention to gain compliance and cooperation; 
• Use of any other restrictive intervention or restraint outside of CPI’s approved safety interventions; 
• Involvement of untrained staff in holding skills 
• Untrained staff can be observers and support; 
• Shaking, shoving or other forms of aggression;

9.0             Documentation and Debriefing Practices

9.1             Incident Reporting

9.1.1            Complete Required Forms

9.1.1.1            Incident reporting involves all staff, including staff supporting the student at early signs of distress behaviour.

9.1.1.2            If the CPI School Support Team is called and a disengagement or holding skill is not used, staff only need to complete page one of the CPI Incident Reporting Form (Appendix D). 

9.1.1.3            If the CPI School Support Team is called and there is the use of a disengagement or holding skill, staff must complete the CPI Incident Reporting Form, page one and two (Appendix D).

9.1.2            Submit Forms

9.1.2.4            Submit the completed forms to the Superintendent of Education and Special Education Administrator for review and documentation.

9.1.3            File Documentation

9.1.3.5            File a copy of the completed incident forms in the student’s Ontario Student Record (OSR) to maintain a comprehensive record

9.1.4            Complete an OVIR (only if required)

9.1.4.6            If an Online Violent Incident Report (OVIR) is necessary, complete and submit it according to organizational guidelines

9.2             Debriefing Procedures

9.2.1            Debrief with Involved Staff

9.2.1.7            Conduct a debrief session with all staff members involved in the incident.

9.2.1.8            School administrators can use the CPI Incident Debriefing Questions (Appendix E) as a guide to reflect on the incident, analyze responses, and identify any areas for improvement in crisis prevention and intervention practices.

9.2.1.9            An invitation to participate in debrief sessions can be extended to DSB1’s certified instructors.

9.2.2            Debrief with the student

9.2.2.10       Engage in a debrief session with the student involved in the incident to provide support and understand their perspective.

9.2.2.11       Ensure that the student debrief is approached with sensitivity, focusing on restoring trust and promoting positive outcomes.

9.2.2.12       An invitation to participate in the debrief session can be extended to the student’s family.

10.0        Training and Re-certification of CPI

It is the responsibility of the CEO or designate to ensure and plan annual training for all Board trainers certified instructors renew their CPI license annually and bi-annual training for all CPI School Support Team members and other designated employee groups so that their program certification and accreditation is maintained.

Certified instructors with DSB1 will train all CPI School Support Team Members and issue a Blue Card that remains valid for one year after the successful completion of their training. CPI School Support Team Members will be recertified annually to retain and reinforce CPI principles and techniques. 

Appendices

Appendix A: CPI School Support Team Planning

Appendix B: CPI School Support Team Meeting Summary

Appendix C: Decision Making Matrix

Appendix D: CPI Incident Debriefing Questions