Barriers to effective workplace training implementation included: 

• Limited instructor capacity and key stakeholder engagement in high-demand departments 

• Some facilities lacked awareness of or accuracy within risk mapping documents 

• Classroom management and learning management system usage (LMS) were inconsistent across the system 

For a health care system of BJC’s size, these challenges impacted training infrastructure and participation, hindering long-term program sustainability. 

A Collaborative Framework for Scaling Crisis Prevention Training 

In 2023, BJC moved from a fragmented crisis prevention training approach to a coordinated, collaborative program management model across facilities. CPI supported this shift, partnering with program leaders to ensure that every employee within the system had access to the relevant training.  

The risk mapping process defined recommended training levels by role, taking into account the unique needs of different facilities and departments. Based on these recommendations, BJC implemented a mix of CPI programs tailored to staff risk levels, including: 

• Prevention First™ 

• Verbal Intervention™ 

• Verbal Intervention™ with Disengagements 

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® (NCI™) 

• NCI™ With Advanced Physical Skills 

To ensure program implementation success, BJC established the CPI Health Service Organization (HSO) Lead Support Group in 2024. These recurring checkpoints allowed leaders to align on goals and expectations, share key materials, and solve challenges in real-time. Having this centralized planning framework was critical in shifting the system’s approach from a series of standalone classes to a replicable, standardized model. 

Scaling Staff Safety Quickly and Effectively 

The significant impact of this coordinated effort was quickly realized. Within just nine months of collaborative support, BJC saw large-scale results in implementing de-escalation training for health care: 

• 1,200+ CPI classes were delivered across the system’s facilities 

• 13,000+ staff members completed in-person instructor-led CPI programs 

• 70% of all 30,000+ employees received some level of CPI training 

These results demonstrate how a standardized crisis prevention training approach can be scaled quickly, even within complex health care systems. 

The cultural shift has been profound, with leadership modeling engagement in crisis prevention training. “They're taking the classes themselves and see a lot of value,” says Sarah Sidwell, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC, Clinical Education Specialist at the Center of Practice Excellence at Barnes Jewish Hospital.  

“After 9 months of collaboration between the CPI HSO Lead Support group, each entity had initiated CPI training with their staff. This was a huge accomplishment for an organization of our size,” says Jan Murphy, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Clinical Education Specialist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  

Looking Ahead: 100% of Staff Trained by 2026 

The positive cultural perception influenced by program leaders’ alignment has improved training consistency, leading to increased employee confidence and strengthened perceptions of staff safety. With the roadmap for standardized de-escalation training in place, BJC HealthCare is positioned to scale its success.  

With steadily increasing training participation and a clear, standardized roadmap in place, BJC is now positioned to scale CPI training across its entire system. As programs continue to be implemented, risk mapping is regularly reassessed to determine training needs for each role. BJC’s goal of training 100% of employees in relevant CPI programs by the end of 2026 shows that even large systems can make a commitment to creating a safer, more prepared workforce.  

BJC’s experience proves a key truth: scaling training isn’t about increasing class volume; it’s about aligning leadership, visibility, and role-based relevance through a standardized program. 

CPI partners with health care organizations to design and implement scalable, evidence-based crisis prevention training. Whether you’re supporting a single facility or a large system, our team can help you strengthen staff safety, consistency, and confidence. Connect with us to learn how our programs can support your organization in achieving real results.