In February, UT Police resumed in-person de-escalation training for MD Anderson and UTHealth Houston workforce members. 

It is widely cited by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics that health care workers experience the highest rate of injuries caused by workplace violence and are 5 times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers overall. Resuming these in-person training courses in clinical spaces is critical to giving our workforce members the skills needed to de-escalate a crisis. 

As part of this effort, five UT Police team members are trained in non-violent crisis intervention instructors by the Crisis Prevention Institute and in Vistelar de-escalation training. Three additional team members are trained in the CPI method and three others in the Vistelar method.  

Instructors are now offering in-person training that is limited due to pandemic-era safety precautions. With increased capacity now possible in institutional spaces, UT Police is now providing more in-person trainings and safety presentations.  

In addition to equipping health care workers with the skills to avert challenging interactions and prevent violence, de-escalation training also is offered to all front-line staff in the community we serve, including UT Police uniformed teams who are often called to high-stress situations. UT Police will continue to regularly schedule and offer de-escalation trainings to all front-line staff. 

As a team of teams dedicated to prevention, preparedness, and protection, UT Police fosters an environment where education, research, patient care, and staff support can thrive without safety concerns, promoting individual wellness. Providing non-violent crisis instructors is aligned with UT Police’s mission, vision, and values, and with the core values of MD Anderson and UTHealth Houston, safeguarding the well-being of the community members we serve.