De-escalation Best Practices for

Administrators

Legislative Updates and De-escalation

October 2021

Principal & Assistant Principal

Meetings

Objectives

• Review legislative updates

• Define a mental health crisis

• Recognize the signs that a person is experiencing a mental health crisis

• Utilize critical skills in crisis de-escalation

• Ensure appropriate follow-up interventions and referrals are completed

The information and techniques presented in this training are meant to better assist you and your school site team during a crisis. This is NOT to

replace professional help.

Legislative Updates

Senate Bill 590 (School Safety

and Mental Health

Provisions)

• Involuntary Exam (Baker Act) – must make reasonable attempt to notify parent of minor student prior to student being removed from school, school transportation, or school-sponsored activity unless child poses imminent danger to self or others.

• Defines “reasonable attempt to notify” as the exercise of reasonable diligence and care by the principal or designee to make contact with student’s parent, guardian or other emergency contact.

• At a minimum, the principal or designee must use available methods of communication to notify parent, guardian or emergency contact following decision to initiate an involuntary examination. Methods should include but are not limited to: telephone calls, text message, emails and voicemails.

Senate Bill 590

Continued

• If the principal or designee successfully notifies the other known emergency contact, he/she may share only the information necessary to alert such contact that the parent or caregiver must be contacted.

• A principal or designee may delay the required notification which may take place not more than 24 hours after the removal if:

• Principal or designee reasonably believes that such delay is necessary to avoid jeopardizing the health and safety of student.

• Principal or designee believes delay to be in student’s best interest and a report has been submitted to central abuse hotline.

Senate Bill 590

Continued

• Requires principal or designee to document the method, number of attempts and the outcome of each attempt made to contact parent, guardian or other known emergency contact

• Involuntary examination report to FDOE – number of children for whom an involuntary examination was initiated. Data elements include:

• Date of crisis incident• Notification process• Name and role of qualified professional who initiated exam

(law enforcement or licensed mental health professional only)

• Name and title of trained school personnel who attempted to deescalate

• Location of crisis incident

Suicide: The Big Picture

In 2019 approximately 1.4 million Americans attempted suicide

Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for Americans in 2019

On average 129 Americans die by suicide every day

Reference: AFSP.org/statistics

What is a “crisis”?

• An attack of pain, distress or disordered function

• An emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person’s life

• A situation that has reached a critical phase

A Mental Health Crisis May Include

• Intense feelings of distress

• Severe changes in functioning

• Signs of injury without explanation

• Loss of touch with reality (psychosis)

• Danger to self or others

• Risk of harm or overdose due to substance use

Understanding “Danger to

Self or Others”

• Risk of suicide

• Risk of homicide

• Non-suicidal self-harm behavior

• Extreme lack of caring for oneself

• Risky behavior that could cause harm or death to self or someone else

• Command hallucinations instructing harm

• Risk of overdose/poisoning due to substance use

Crisis Management

Assess for Risk and Urgency

Practice De-escalation Skills

Reach out to SRO or medical services as needed

Post-crisis next steps

Please refer to Weekly Briefing #29686 Suicide Prevention Policies and Procedures Manual

Risk Response Strategies

Avoid

• Eliminate cause of risk by developing an alternative strategy

Mitigate

• Reduce probability or impact of risk

Transfer• Involve a team

member to take responsibility for the risk assessment such as a School-Based Mental Health Service Provider (Refer to Form 7765)

Accept

• Take no action; move forward with a contingency plan

What is “de-escalation”?

• Reduction of the intensity of a conflict or potentially violent situation

De-escalation techniques are used in mental health crises to maintain a level of calm in a stressful situation and reduce the likelihood of violence or harm.

When to use De-scalation

• When a student poses a threat to self

• When a student poses a threat to others

De-escalation strategies to be used

• Build rapport with students

✓Introduce yourself and use their name

✓Create hope

✓Be genuine

✓Empathize

✓Offer positive options/suggestions

• Active listening

✓Pay attention

✓Don’t interrupt

✓Validate / affirm feelings

✓Summarize and paraphrase

✓Avoid using the word WHY

✓Incorporate non-verbal cues i.e., nodding

More De-escalation

Strategies

• Para-verbal Communication

✓Be mindful of your tone, pitch, and volume

✓Pace of speech

✓Emphasize positive words

• Non-verbal Communication

✓Remain calm

✓Keep eye contact

✓Facial expression

✓Body language

✓Movement

✓Giving space and environmental awareness

Level of care should be dependent on the student’s accommodations and needs (Students with Disabilities)

Notification of Parent/Guardian

• Along with de-escalation strategies, the principal/designee must make an attempt to notify the parent/guardianoThis will allow possible collaboration with parent/guardian providing

possible interventions and positive solutions for the student (voluntary assessment).

• Once a student has met criteria for an involuntary examination, at a minimum, the principal or designee must use available methods of communication to notify the parent/guardian or emergency contact oMethods should include but are not limited to - telephone calls, text

message, emails and voicemails

Ineffective De-escalation

De-escalation is ineffective when a student is experiencing the following:

• Imminent risk or danger of serious bodily harm

• Psychosis/intoxication

Level of care should be dependent on the student’s accommodations and needs (Students with Disabilities)

De-briefing Follow-up

• Plan for the immediate future • What will they do when you leave? • Are other support people available? • Brief Risk-Postvention

• Understand what happened • Identify triggers • Identify warning signs • Recognize what helped the crisis pass

CONTACT INFORMATION

Department of Mental Health Services305-995-1020

Division of Student Services305-995-7338

Department of Exceptional Student Education 305-995-2037