Cape Assist hosts four-day crisis intervention training

Wildwood, NJ – Cape Assist successfully closed on a free four-day Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) training for Cape May County educators in early August. The workshop trains adults responsible for young individuals exhibiting behavioral struggles and those who may need emotional support in educational settings.

During the end of July into early August, roughly thirty educators and youth-based community leaders from Cape My County participated in training. LSCI is a brain-based, trauma-informed, relationship-building verbal strategy that helps adults turn problem situations into learning opportunities for young people who exhibit challenging behaviors in schools and communities.

The LSCI approach is a 6-stage verbal framework providing professionals with a consistent way to build healthy relationships, de-escalate crisis situations, foster self-awareness and insight, develop new social and emotional skills, and bring about long-term behavior change. The approach is centered on the core belief that behavioral changes for youth start with adults in their lives. LSCI recognizes that young people need to feel heard, understood, and connected to make positive changes in their behavior.

“These trainings teach the adults who work directly with our local youth how to look past the surface and identify why such troubled behaviors are occurring,” said Cape Assist Director of Prevention Services Joe Faldetta. “The program gives us the tools to connect with much more than the action, but also emotions and motivating factors - providing more effective support and positive change that has a greater impact in the lives of youth long-term.”

The workshop is led by educational specialist and founder of 4 Directions Seminars Michael McKnight, who has worked in behavioral therapy and special education for over 40 years. Faldetta, a former participant, is now training to become a workshop leader alongside McKnight.

Attendees ranged from school administrators to teachers and counselors, who noted that the training offered valuable guidance and was aligned with the efforts of schools to adopt restorative practices that provide a more holistic approach to behavioral supports.

“The Life Space Crisis Intervention training provided valuable insight into the effects that trauma and negative life experiences can have on young people and provided strategies for educators to help these students manage their emotions and behavior during times of crisis,” said training participant and Cape May County Technical High School assistant principal John Longinetti. “The tools and strategies presented reinforced the focus on social and emotional learning and restorative practices that we have implemented in our district over the past few years. The training was also an opportunity to network with other educators from Atlantic and Cape May counties and learn about strategies and programs that they have successfully implemented in their schools.”

This training was held at the newly constructed Cape May County Technical School District Conference Center in Cape May Court House.

Workshops and evidence-based trainings like these are being held regularly by Cape Assist to help build youth resiliency through the power of compassionate connection. For more information about Cape Assist and workshops like these, visit https://www.capeassist.org/.