DART has developed several trainings tailored to specific organizational needs. They include the following topics:
- Verbal De-escalation
- Enhanced Workplace Safety
- Team Intervention and Control Techniques
- Stalking Awareness and Personal Safety
Note: DART’s Verbal De-escalation Training has a Train-the-Trainer option should your organization wish to conduct this training in-house.
Please use the Contact Us Button to learn more about all WorkSmart trainings including Stalking Awareness and Personal Safety.
Contact UsVerbal De-escalation Training
DART's 2-hour Verbal De-escalation Training equips participants with the necessary skills to successfully respond to verbally escalating situations in the workplace. It can be delivered in-person, online through Zoom, or as an asynchronous online course through a Learning Management System (see sidebar). During this training, participants explore DART's De-escalation Protocol including warning signs, pre-violent behaviors, DART’s Emotional Hill, its Crisis Response Matrix, and a variety of effective verbal tools that can be used to diffuse verbal attacks. Participants also explore the three major areas of Situational Awareness and apply them to specific work environments. They learn about the importance of paraverbal communication, body language, and how to control their breathing.
Learning Objectives - Participants will be able to:
- Describe the 4 elements of an effective Workplace Safety System
- Gain a thorough understanding of DART’s Verbal De-escalation Protocol
- Differentiate between the stages of verbal aggression and understand the correct responses for each stage
- Identify the three major areas of Situational Awareness and apply them to specific workplace environments.
This training can be customized to meet specific client needs. For more information and to schedule a training for your organization, use the Contact Button below.
Train-the-Trainer Certification
DART's Train-the-Trainer Certification provides organizations with a structured way to prepare selected employees to deliver DART's Verbal De-escalation Training internally. It also licenses the use of DART's curriculum and materials annually. It can be delivered in-person or online through Zoom. The website link above has more information about this course.
Train-the-trainer programs play a critical role in ensuring that verbal de-escalation skills are taught consistently throughout an organization. By developing internal instructors, organizations can build long-term training capacity while reinforcing a shared approach to safety, communication, and crisis response.
In addition, DART updates clients on any modifications to the curriculum. Please contact us for additional information.
Enhanced Workplace Safety Training
This 4-hour training (in-person only) equips participants with the necessary skills to respond successfully to both verbally escalating and physically abusive situations in the workplace. A thorough discussion of warning signs and pre-violent behaviors provide important behavioral characteristics of potentially violent people. DART's Crisis Response Protocol is a proven framework to help participants respond to both verbal and physical situations. The course explores DART’s Emotional Hill, its Crisis Response Matrix, a variety of effective verbal de-escalation tools that can be used to diffuse verbal attacks, and key components of Situational Awareness. For the latter area, participants learn how to read body language and paraverbal clues and learn the importance of breath control.
Warning signs and responses for the Physical Abuse Stage are presented. Participants learn and practice basic defensive techniques such as stance, blocking and physical redirection as well as several effective, basic escape techniques from grabs. The proper use of voice is also taught. The importance of setting behavioral boundaries that are clear and enforceable are stressed for both verbal and physical abuse situations.
Learning Objectives - Participants will be able to:
- Describe the 4 elements of an effective Workplace Safety System.
- Examine and understand all facets of DART’s Crisis Response Protocol.
- Differentiate between the 3 stages of verbal aggression, learn appropriate responses for each stage and demonstrate their application to realistic workplace situations.
- Identify the three major areas of Situational Awareness and apply them to individual workplace environments.
- Demonstrate basic defensive personal safety skills.
- Participate in scenarios to demonstrate effective use of verbal de-escalation methods for verbal situations and defensive physical skills during physical abuse situations.
Team Intervention and Control Techniques
This 5-hour training (in-person only) equips participants with the necessary skills to respond to physical abuse situations in the workplace. Completion of DART’s Verbal De-escalation Training is a prerequisite for this course. Warning signs and responses for the Physical Abuse Stage are presented. Participants learn and practice basic defensive techniques such as stance, blocking and physical redirection as well as several effective basic escape techniques from grabs. The proper use of voice is also taught. The importance of setting behavioral boundaries that are clear and enforceable are stressed for both verbal and physical abuse situations.
The Basics of Team Intervention are covered, including the following: 1) Why this method is preferred, 2) Assembling the team, 3) Choosing a team leader, 4) Code Words and Phrases, and 5) Post-incident Response. Control Techniques: Theory and Application cover the following topics: 1) Define what restraints and takedowns are and when they should be used, 2) the difference between pain compliance and mechanical advantage, 3) Easy to learn restraint and takedown techniques, and 4) Practice code phrases, restraints, and takedowns. Practical scenarios are a key part of the training.
Note that this training requires quite a bit of physical activity and participants must be in good physical health.
Learning Objectives - Participants will be able to:
- Understand warning signs and staff responses for the Physical Abuse Stage
- Demonstrate basic defensive personal safety skills (blocking, redirection, and escapes from choke holds).
- Gain a thorough understanding of Team Intervention strategies (when and how to use it)
- Gain a thorough understanding of control techniques (restraints and takedowns)
- Practice material through a variety of scenarios
FREE Workplace Violence Safety Survey
DART's free Workplace Violence Safety Survey will help you evaluate the safety of your workplace environment and effectiveness of your policies. The survey will then provide you with a score based on a 100% scoring system.
After completing the survey, please feel free to download a PDF of the completed survey and its scores to share with your co-workers and/or employer. One will also be emailed to you.
