Making the shift to CPI’s 3rd Edition Training
In 1980, Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) first opened its doors to provide professionals with proactive de-escalation strategies.
A lot has changed since then, especially for health care workers, educators, and social services professionals. Increased tensions, shifting legislation, and rapid advancements in brain science and psychology mean that CPI training needs to be adaptable to meet the moment and the needs of those we serve. As Jeff Schill, VP of Training, puts it, “We need to update our content on a regular basis to keep our Certified Instructors up to date with best practices and the latest research. It keeps us and them at the forefront.”
“Chris Sheehan, International Director of Training explains “We have included some brain and physical science to help us understand what happens to us during a crisis moment, which helps us understand that sometimes the reactions we experience in those moments are triggered by the brain’s response to perceived threats’, truly understanding how behaviour affects behaviour.”
In January 2024, CPI unveiled the latest updated version of its training—3rd Edition. Whether you’re new to CPI, or have been using the training for a while now, we understand that a new edition of training brings with it a whole set of questions—the main two being:
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What changes were made and why?
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How can we easily make the shift to 3rd Edition?
Today, we’ll explore these questions and provide you with the tools needed to successfully implement 3rd Edition training in your workplace.
What Changes Were Made in 3rd Edition and Why?
“We want to make sure that we’re serving people in the best possible way,” shared Karen Bradley, VP of Product Development. “That starts with observing ourselves, looking at surveys and data, and listening to what our customers are saying.”
Creating 3rd Edition began in early 2021 with those starting points. Over the next few months:
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Current content was reviewed by experts
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Certified Instructors, learners, and Global Professional Instructors answered surveys and questionnaires
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Workshops and insight panels were held to gather feedback
The next step as Jeff Schill, VP of Training shared was, “We compiled all of that to help guide us with what should be in the next edition. We also had a lot of researchers who helped us look at the most up-to-date best practice.”
The necessary updates became clear as information was compiled, and customer input was reviewed. In 3rd Edition CPI needed to:
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Highlight key topics such as brain science and trauma-informed care
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Provide users with new, evidence-based insights and terminology
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Create a more seamless learner experience regardless of the mode of delivery
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Better address the needs of adult learners and non-native speakers
“This edition is very much based on professional reflection and has a clear focus on what learners can implement immediately once they return to working with the people they care for”, Chris shares.
“Furthermore, we have included through video clips the true experiences of individuals with lived experience. They speak to their experience in times of distress and how professionals can help or hinder their recovery in a crisis moment. They also speak to the trauma restrictive interventions can have on them -not just in the moment but how they can trigger past experiences and even how after the restrictive intervention has been removed, it can feel like it is still continuing. These are very powerful messages to us as professionals who work with vulnerable individuals.”
All the updates keep in mind the busy schedules of our Certified Instructors and end learners. We’ve done all we can to make it as easy for the instructors as possible.
Learn how you can bring 3rd Edition training to your workplace today
If you are a current Certified Instructor, or are thinking about becoming one, we know that the creation of a new edition of training can bring with it questions, concerns, maybe even some fears. Schedule a conversation with a CPI representative to learn how you can bring 3rd Edition training to your workplace.
Making the Shift to 3rd Edition Training
Jeff shared, “Everything is much more user friendly in 3rd Edition. We’re setting our Certified Instructors and end learners up for continued success. Our materials, our content, it’s all for them and was made to support them when they go back to their organisation. 3rd Edition takes all these relevant ideas, best practice, and melds it with the CPI content everyone knows and loves.”
The number of updates to expect will vary depending on the current training materials you are using. If you or your workplace are currently using 2nd Edition training, “The changes made were to fine tune the content,” Karen explained. It’s still the same training that you know and love but now it’s easier to teach, learn, and apply.
If you are still using older materials, you’ll notice more significant changes. This is because, as Karen points out, “In some of our older workbooks, people had to fill in the blanks. They had to listen and write everything down or they would miss it.”
No matter where you’re at, we encourage you to use up your current inventory of 2nd Edition or older materials before ordering 3rd Edition materials. Mixing training materials can cause confusion for both the end learners and instructors.
Here are some tips for transitioning to 3rd Edition:
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Continue to use up your current supply of CPI training materials
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Review resources for training 3rd Edition in My Account including instructor guides, guidance documents, a recorded webinar, and more
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Contact a CPI representative to plan out your purchase of 3rd Edition training materials
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Once you have your 3rd Edition training materials you can begin teaching the training
You do not need to attend a refresher course before leading 3rd Edition training. If you would like, you can attend a refresher course to see 3rd Edition taught by a CPI staff member.
We understand that updates take time to implement, and that the process looks different depending on your unique situation. “If you have any concerns or questions, we have a lot of support options. We’ll walk you through all the resources and content,” said Jeff.