Calming the Chaos: Interpersonal Communication for First Responders
It’s clear that police officers are being watched, now more than ever, and ensuring they have the skills to perform the job successfully is imperative. The job requires effective and efficient interpersonal skills at every level of the agency. This two-hour course looks at different components of interpersonal communication, including, but not limited to, communication styles, barriers, cross-cultural considerations, and strategies specific to those with special needs and mental health challenges. The goal is to equip individuals with strategies to not only maximize communication with citizens of their community, but also with coworkers, supervisors, and their own families.
Understanding Implicit Bias and its Impact on First Responders
302 Funded | SNC: STS2020-1284 | Q Course: Q62J
This training takes a unique approach to implicit bias. Rather than attempting the impossible task of teaching participants how to retrain the brain in one training session, the goal is to understand the psychology behind implicit bias and offer ideas to positively impact preexisting beliefs over a period of time.
Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Definitions and statistics
- Types of biases
- Biases and first responders
- What influences decisions
- Results of implicit bias
- Rational Choice Theory
- Error Management Theory
- Scenarios
Maximizing Interactions with the Special Needs Population
302 Funded | SNC: STS2020-1303 (4 Hr) / STS2020-1283 (2 Hr) | Q Course: Q61X
This session discusses a wide variety of types of special needs, statistics, and behavioral traits. Participants take part in hands-on activities, tabletop discussions, and demonstrations. Sessions are customized to accommodate your department's schedule and needs in 2-8 hour sessions.
Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sensory Processing Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Down syndrome, anxiety, seizures and epilepsy, hearing/visual impairment, wheelchair users
- Communication strategies and techniques specific to the population
- Communicating with people who use an augmentative alternative device (AAC)
- Dangers of physical restraint specific to the special needs population
- Keywords and phrases specific to the population and best practices for responding effectively
- Real world scenarios specific to your industry
- Family panel of adults with special needs and their families
- Additional topics available upon request
Understanding Mental Health Disorders and How to Communicate Effectively
302 Funded | SNC: STS2021-1548 | Q Course: Q62I
Nearly 50% of Americans will experience mental illness in their lifetime; this means our society is surrounded by mental health struggles on a daily basis. Because of this prevalence, it is imperative people can effectively identify the signs and symptoms related to a variety of psychological disorders as well as respond safely and effectively for those involved.
Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Definitions and misconceptions
- Statistics and stigmas
- Mental health vs. brain health
- Anxiety-related disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, phobias, PTSD, OCD
- Communication with someone in crisis
- Mood disorders: depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia
- Communication with someone experience a mood-related disorder or crisis
- Importance and impact of self-care
Maximizing the Education Experience for Students with Disabilities
Approximately 20% of undergraduate college students reported having a disability. This growing population needs alternate options to effectively learn and ultimately succeed in a higher education environment. This 4-hour course discusses a variety of disabilities, tabletop discussions, visual demonstrations, and opportunities for improvement and maximization of physical spaces on campus.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Autism, OCD, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), speech impairments, wheelchair users, Deaf/hard of hearing, visual impairments;
- What OCD and ASD look like in a college setting;
- Seizures and epilepsy;
- Situational behavior discussion;
- Strategies to maximizing success;
- Terminology and acronyms;
- Visual supports;
- Walk-thru of facilities to discuss improvements/modifications of physical spaces
Mental Health & Special Needs in the Emergency Department
Approximately 28% of adults in Michigan have a disability and 1 in 4 of them does not have a primary care physician. This growing population is more likely to have mental health challenges compared to their neurotypical counterparts, making their experiences in the Emergency Department not only challenging for the individuals with special needs, but the staff working in the ED. This 4-hour course includes tabletop discussions, demonstrations, and self-assessments, among other activities.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD),
- What special needs and mental health challenges look like in a hospital setting;
- The Escalation Cycle;
- Diet and behavior relationship;
- Strategies to maximizing cooperation and safety;
- Visual supports;
- Importance and impact of staff practicing self care