CPI Training Certification

Kelly Modine
10 min readFeb 19, 2024

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If you are looking for CPI Certification the two best programs are:

Crisis Consultant Group certification — $139

Crisis Prevention Institute certification — $1,849

The Ultimate Guide to CPI Training and Certification

Have you ever wondered what CPI stands for or what CPI training and certification entails? As a healthcare professional, educator, or other staff member, you may encounter crisis situations where knowing how to respond appropriately is critical. CPI, or Crisis Prevention Institute, offers the leading training program in nonviolent crisis intervention, empowering participants with proven strategies to safely defuse tense situations.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about CPI Training Certification — from what it includes to who can benefit. Read on to learn why CPI should be a mandatory part of your professional development.

What is CPI Training?

CPI Training refers to the Crisis Prevention Institute’s signature course — the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® program. This evidence-based training provides staff across healthcare, education, and human services with strategies to safely manage disruptive, aggressive, or violent behavior while maintaining care, welfare, safety, and security.

The program’s cornerstone is the Crisis Development ModelSM, which identifies key stages during a crisis and appropriate staff responses. Participants learn preventative actions to minimize anxiety and defuse situations before behavior escalates out of control. If a crisis arises, the training gives staff skills to intervene nonviolently and regain safety. Core modules cover topics like:

  • Reading risk cues and intervening early
  • Employing nonverbal and verbal de-escalation
  • Avoiding power struggles
  • Understanding fight, flight, or freeze responses
  • Using approved holding skills if danger is imminent
  • Processing incidents calmly after the fact

With a blended focus on prevention, communication, and action, CPI Training Certification equips staff to handle crises confidently and humanely.

CPI Certification Levels

CPI Training contains different certification levels depending on your role, with customized courses for healthcare workers, educators, law enforcement, and other fields.

For healthcare providers and general staff, options include:

  • Certified Instructor Candidate Certification: Teaches nurses, CNAs and others how to become NVCI trainers
  • Basic Level Certification: Core principles and responses for all staff
  • Advanced Level Certification: Enhanced content for leaders regularly involved in incidents

Meanwhile, courses tailored to schools cover areas like classroom setup, child development, and addressing bullying. And human services modules dive into trauma-informed care, disability awareness, and family engagement.

No matter your discipline, completing the CPI course relevant to your position is essential to gain the knowledge and credentials to intervene in crises professionally and ethically.

CPI Training Certification Curriculum

So what specific content does the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® program include? While tailored to different fields, all CPI courses follow a similar framework backed by 40 years of research and development.

The comprehensive curriculum uses dynamic in-person instruction plus interactive online modules. Here is an overview of vital concepts participants take away:

Crisis Development ModelSM

By understanding each level of escalation, staff can detect rising tensions early and employ proven de-escalation responses:

  • Anxiety: The initial trigger causing distress
  • Defensive: Fight or flight instincts kicking in
  • Risk Behavior: Acting out with verbal/physical aggression
  • Tension Reduction: Exhaustion setting in post-crisis
  • Therapeutic Rapport: Reestablishing communication

Verbal Intervention Skills

Words can calm or inflame during confrontations. Trainees learn responses to avoid power struggles and redirect the individual’s behavior nonviolently.

Physical Intervention Skills

Only utilized when danger is imminent, CPI physical holds control and restrain the person while minimizing pain or injury until the crisis passes.

Postvention: Providing Support After a Crisis

Reconnecting effectively in the aftermath can prevent repeat incidents. Staff practice processing events calmly, offering reassurance, outlining expectations moving forward and providing resources.

By internalizing this end-to-end framework for addressing escalating behavior, CPI Training Certification graduates can put their organization on the path to fewer critical incidents, reduced liability risks and improved care quality.

CPI Training Delivery Formats

Today’s fast-paced workplaces demand flexible development options for employees to gain credentials like CPI Certification. Along with conventional in-person workshops, the Crisis Prevention Institute now offers:

Live Online Training: Join interactive virtual sessions led by CPI instructors using chat, polls and breakout groups for personalized coaching.

On-Demand Courses: Learn at your own pace via engaging online modules with scenario-based knowledge checks.

Blended Models: Combine self-paced eLearning with focused coaching from certified trainers to maximize retention.

Regardless of how your agency administers CPI Training, post-course testing ensures participants have internalized techniques for intervening in crisis situations confidently and safely.

Who Can Benefit From CPI Certification?

With escalating situations par for the course in healthcare, education, community services and beyond, every organization needs staff ready to respond. CPI Training Certification prepares personnel across fields including:

Healthcare Environments

  • Nurses, CNAs and patient care techs
  • Emergency room and psych ward staff
  • Long-term care workers
  • Group home employees
  • Family medicine practitioners

Schools & Classrooms

  • Teachers, administrators and counselors
  • Security officers and campus police
  • Bus drivers and school nurses
  • Special education staff
  • Coaches and recreational leaders

Human & Social Services

  • Case managers and social workers
  • Residential program staff
  • Family support specialists
  • Group home counselors
  • Halfway house advisors

First Responders & Law Enforcement

  • Corrections officers
  • Probation representatives
  • Court liaisons
  • Juvenile justice counselors
  • Crisis negotiation teams

And more!

If your role involves direct individual contact, chances are CPI Training would expand your capability to resolve tense interactions safely.

Top Benefits of CPI Certification

Beyond the hands-on tactics for defusing aggression, what results can leadership expect after scheduling widespread CPI Training?

Recent studies confirm that Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Certification delivers measurable benefits across healthcare, education and related industries:

  1. Fewer Injuries

Organizations recorded a 54% average decline in staff injuries following CPI Training implementation. Safer responses to combative behavior keep workers healthier.

2. Reduced Restraint Use

On average, agencies document a 50% drop in reliance on restraints after equipping employees with nonviolent techniques. Less physical coercion means lower liability.

3. Increased Confidence

9 in 10 staff report feeling better prepared to handle aggressive behavior thanks to CPI’s integrated verbal, nonverbal and physical responses.

4. Enhanced Workplace Culture

With disruptive incidents minimized, morale and patient/student outcomes improve. One district cut suspension rates in half the year after administrators and faculty completed CPI Certification.

5. Higher Retention

Feeling capable and supported reduces employee burnout. Across industries, sites with widespread CPI Training see double-digit drops in turnover year-over-year.

With clinical research confirming these workforce benefits, there is no doubt that organizations should prioritize comprehensive CPI Certification.

Why Choose Crisis Prevention Institute?

Today, CPI stands undisputed as the worldwide leader in crisis intervention training. But why does its signature Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® program remain the gold standard after nearly 40 years?

For starters, CPI’s curriculum is exhaustively researched and refined by subject matter experts across disciplines. The proven methodology integrates smoothly into healthcare, education and human services to enhance existing behavior policies.

Once staff complete certification, CPI’s unmatched support resources reinforce skills adoption long-term:

  • Refresher eLearning to maintain knowledge
  • Print and video resources expanding on course topics
  • Downloadable quick reference guides for on-the-job application
  • Monthly Skill Booster webinars building best practice habits
  • Signed Mandated Reporter Agreement fulfilling legal duties

At its core, CPI Training revolves around safe, ethical responses that value everyone’s dignity. Million of workers worldwide have experienced the Institute’s compassionate, empowering approach to crisis intervention.

One CPI instructor sums it best: “In my career, I’d only seen restraint taught in a correctional way. CPI opened my eyes to interventions focused on welfare, safety and security. It completely shifted my perspective.”

Does your healthcare, education or community services agency need similarly enlightened solutions? Contact a CPI representative today to explore flexible training options backed by unmatched quality and care.

CPI Training Pricing, Financing and Availability

With tight budgets the norm across public and nonprofit sectors, what does coveted CPI Training and Certification cost? Fortunately, the Crisis Prevention Institute offers affordable pricing tailored to every organization and funding situation.

Many options exist depending on program scope, location and preferred instruction format. At last check for the signature Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® course:

  • In-person group rates start around $99-$150 per participant.
  • Live online sessions cost about $265-$325 per person.
  • On-demand online courses retail from $199-$245 per enrollee.

Agencies can further cut costs by having internal staff complete the CPI Instructor Certification program to facilitate recurring sessions. And be sure to ask about custom content or Train-the-Trainer instruction for specialized crisis topics relevant to your workplace.

Can’t swing even CPI’s budget-friendly pricing? Check if your state reimburse program helps offset expenditures related to worker safety, disability services or professional development. Also talk to your CPI representative about splitting costs across departments or setting up monthly installments if needed.

Investing in comprehensive crisis prevention now breaks even quickly by reducing staff churn and legal liability around incidents. And money can’t put a price on the confidence, competence and compassion that CPI Training instills in your workforce.

Ready to bring CPI’s life-changing certification to your team? Enter your location on their website to connect with the expert sales consultant for your region.

CPI Training Implementation Best Practices

Ready to roll out CPI’s evidence-based crisis intervention program broadly across your organization? Whether managing the launch in-house or working with outside partners, lean on these proven change management tips:

Get Leadership Buy-In

Earning administration’s backing is essential to allocate budget, set participation expectations and reinforce training. Present data showing CPI’s safety impacts and highlight its value aligning with culture priorities.

Tailor Content Strategically

While all staff need foundational training, certain roles like security, ED nurses and special education teams likely require more advanced content responding to immediate risk. Work with CPI experts to map curriculum to frontline needs.

Coordinate Attendance Expectations

Make certification mandatory for high-risk roles while encouraging it institution-wide. Share schedules proactively so managers can adjust personnel coverage to ensure participation.

Pair With Existing Initiatives

Look for opportunities to schedule CPI alongside related training like trauma-informed care, disability rights or workplace violence prevention to integrate knowledge.

Reinforce Skills Ongoing

Beyond initial instruction, provide refresher modules, coaching and resources to sustain behavior strategies long-term. Culture change happens gradually so make CPI a priority staple.

Administer Evaluations Broadly

Collect input during and post-launch to assess effectiveness and identify potential customizations to better meet staff needs moving forward.

By laying this groundwork upfront, you’ll ensure maximum adoption across your agency and the best chance for lasting Returns on Investment.

Ready to champion a safer workplace? Reach out to CPI today to map out your customized certification rollout plan.

The Ongoing Value of CPI Training Certification

So your organization has completed the initial CPI Training Certification rollout. Now what? With crisis prevention and intervention skills, the learning process never truly ends. To achieve the best outcomes from Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® programming, agencies must focus on reinforcing knowledge and competency among staff over the long haul.

In this piece, we’ll explore tips for sustaining the benefits of CPI Training Certification through ongoing refreshers, monitoring impact on metrics and promoting a broader culture shift.

The Importance of Refresher Training

Imagine taking a college course and never receiving education in that field again. How much material would you retain a year or two later? Probably not as much as if you took a follow-up class. Workplace training works the same way — without periodic renewal sessions, even the best instruction gets forgotten on the job.

That’s why CPI Training Certification stays effective through annual refreshers. Short modules presented in person or online cover core principles around crisis stages, verbal and physical intervention and more. Reflecting on past response tactics and brushing up strategies reminds staff to apply Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® as issues arise.

But repetition alone isn’t enough. Targeted coaching helps cement lessons. Some best practices include:

  • Having on-site experts observe high-risk areas weekly to provide support
  • Running response scenario roleplays so teams practice coordinated tactics
  • Reviewing recent incident footage to strengthen crisis communication habits
  • Spotlighting residents, students or patients as “Success Stories of the Month” after a crisis gets smoothly resolved

This gentle encouragement builds confidence while correcting bad habits before they harden. It also demonstrates that leadership values CPI Training Certification as an ongoing investment rather than a one-time activity.

Tracking Key Metrics to Validate CPI’s Impact

Of course, the proof lies in the data. Does CPI Training Certification drive measurable change across employee health, consumer outcomes and workplace culture month to month? Unless agencies actively monitor progress around key performance indicators, they won’t know.

That’s why it’s crucial to identify baselines across factors like:

  • Patient, resident and student incident rates
  • Injury levels among consumers and staff
  • Use of restrictive interventions
  • Worker’s compensation claims
  • Staff sick days, turnover, etc.

Once CPI Training Certification launches, continue gauging these metrics on a dashboard to catch regression or improvement. Auditing records monthly in Incident Review Committees ensures accountability around implementation too.

Over time, the numbers should trends positive as personnel feel more empowered handling crises professionally. If impact plateaus, it indicates the need for wider adoption or supplemental coursework to address ongoing trouble areas.

Promoting Culture Change Organization-Wide

CPI Training Certification aims to drive wholesale culture improvement beyond resolving confrontations safely. After all, preventing crises in the first place is better for staff, consumers and operations.

That means getting personnel outside those directly participating to adjust attitudes and approaches accordingly by:

  • Avoiding power struggles and punitive measures
  • Using empathetic communication that respects dignity
  • Removing environmental stress trigger in care spaces
  • Intervening early when noticing consumer anxiety
  • Campaigning for adequate staff-to-consumer ratios

Essentially, agencies should promote the principles underpinning CPI Training Certification in policies, processes and personnel decisions facility-wide. Leadership can reference Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® or general de-escalation practices when outlining expectations around care. Regular all-staff meetings could include short modules refreshing aspects like crisis stages or prevention tactics too.

This comprehensive integration ensures CPI’s proven techniques permeate everyday habits, not just “in the moment” responses when situations spin out of control. It also demonstrates investment in a capability benefits all stakeholders, not just some departments.

Want More Strategies for Improving Outcomes?

While this piece focused on extending CPI Training Certification internally post-launch, partners specializing in behavioral care offer more help too. Groups like CPI itself provide supplemental resources agencies can utilize without added tuition costs.

For example, CPI’s regularly refreshed Skill Booster webinars offer free supplemental training around specialized topics like bullying prevention, disability awareness, self-care and more. The Institute also shares instructive case studies from other sites along with risk management guidance through a newsletter. And helpful tools like desktop references, training visuals and quick cards reinforce techniques between complete programming.

CPI further customizes follow-up solutions to address unique trouble spots. So if a particular department or consumer type struggles despite initial training, supplemental coursework around crisis communication, trauma or restraint reduction provides targeted support.

The Bottom Line? To create positive, lasting culture change, organizations must dedicate themselves to reinforcing CPI Training Certification internally while leveraging partners to fill gaps. It’s only through this comprehensive, community-based approach that all staff feel equipped handling crises confidently and safely long-term.

Want to learn more about options optimizing and expanding your CPI programming? Contact a representative to schedule a free consultation at your convenience. Investing in crisis prevention pays dividends across operational, consumer and workforce metrics over time.

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Kelly Modine

I'm committed to keeping us safe at work, ensuring a secure environment where we can thrive and succeed without worries. Your safety is my priority.