New Year’s Resolution: Reducing Restraints in Schools and Facilities

Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences

What if the biggest threat to safety wasn’t bad behavior but bad preparation?

A residential facility set out to make things better. Restraints were happening too often, and leadership genuinely wanted to reduce incidents and improve safety. Their intentions were good, and their approach made sense, at least on paper.

They tightened up policies, required detailed incident reports, and made sure every restraint was sent to the state for review. They also doubled down on training, relying on a widely-used 8-hour crisis management program that was seen as the standard in the industry.

At first, the changes looked like progress. Restraints dropped, and staff felt like they were better prepared. But as time passed, cracks began to show.

The Problem with Surface-Level Training

Staff had completed their 8-hour training, checked the box, and felt ready. The training was engaging and hands-on, but when it came time to apply it, things unraveled.

• Staff didn’t remember what to do when tensions rose.
• They froze in the moment or made up steps because they couldn’t recall the sequence.
• They restrained when they didn’t need to or failed to prevent a restraint when it could have been avoided.

And the outcomes? Injuries to consumers, injuries to staff, and lawsuits.

What seemed like a quick fix turned out to be a dangerous liability. Not because staff didn’t care, but because 8 hours isn’t enough to build fluency.

Fluency means knowing what to do, how to do it, and when to do it—without hesitation. But fluency alone isn’t enough if the focus is on reacting rather than preventing. True safety starts with systems that keep people at their baseline—calm, engaged, and regulated—long before a crisis begins.

Shifting the Focus to Prevention

Most crisis management systems, including the 8-hour standard, emphasize de-escalation. And while de-escalation is absolutely important, it’s not prevention.

By the time you’re de-escalating, the situation is already a crisis. Prevention keeps things from escalating in the first place. It keeps people functioning at their baseline, calm, engaged, and regulated, so there’s no need for de-escalation.

Think of it like maintaining a car. Prevention is changing the oil regularly and inspecting the engine so it runs smoothly. De-escalation is having jumper cables ready in case the battery dies. Both matter, but prevention keeps you from breaking down in the first place.

Prevention isn’t about rules or paperwork. It’s about readiness. It’s giving staff the tools to create environments where people feel safe, supported, and valued, so problem behaviors never gain momentum.

The Professional Crisis Management Association (PCMA) focuses first and foremost on prevention. Its approach is grounded in behavioral science and trains staff to fluency, not just familiarity, in techniques that keep people calm and engaged.

Prevention Strategies That Work:

• Proactive Reinforcement Systems—Rewarding positive behaviors early and often to create a culture of cooperation.
• Non-Contingent Attention and Breaks—Providing attention or breaks before frustration builds to stop problems before they start.
• Teaching Replacement Skills—Giving individuals tools to communicate and cope without aggression.
• Environmental Structuring—Reducing triggers and modifying environments to minimize stress and overstimulation.
• Behavior Momentum—Building cooperation through small, achievable steps to create patterns of success.

Prevention isn’t a guessing game. It’s a science. And it works when staff have the training and fluency to apply it consistently.

Even with the best prevention, some crises can’t be avoided. That’s why PCM doesn’t just stop at prevention. It also prepares staff for effective, dignified interventions when absolutely necessary.

PCM’s physical procedures are:

• Fluently trained, so staff can respond quickly and confidently.
• Free of joint pressure, ensuring safety for everyone involved.
• Dignity-preserving, offering choices whenever possible, even during interventions.

Unlike other systems that emphasize reacting to crises, PCM trains staff to prevent first and respond second. It’s the gold standard for crisis management because it balances proactive prevention with safe, respectful intervention.

If you’re looking for a quick certification to check a compliance box, PCM isn’t for you.

But if you want:

• Staff trained to fluency, not familiarity.
• A manual full of evidence-based strategies ready for real-world use.
• A system focused on prevention first, escalation second, and physical intervention as a last resort.
• Procedures that protect safety and respect dignity.

Then PCM is the gold standard.

Policies don’t prevent crises. Prepared people do. And preparation starts long before the first sign of escalation. It starts with training staff to prevent problems before they happen and respond confidently if they do.

2025 is the year to stop putting out fires and start preventing them. Don’t wait for the next crisis—equip your staff with the tools they need to prevent problems before they start. Reach out to moreinfo@pcma.com to find out how you can bring PCM to your school district or facility today.

Because real prevention doesn’t just stop a crisis. It stops it before it starts.

About the Author

Specializing in human performance, coaching, and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni is a behavior scientist and educator who has worked across education and human services for almost three decades. In this capacity, he has served the needs of children and adults through various positions, including COO, Vice President, Director of School Improvement, Leadership Director, Professor, Assistant Principal, School Turnaround Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Therapist, District Behavior Analyst, and Director of Progam Development and Public Relations at PCMA. Dr. Gavoni is passionate about applying Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), or the science of human behavior, to make a positive difference in establishing safe, productive, and engaging environments that bring out the best in faculty and staff so they can bring out the best in the learners they serve. He is an active board member of the Opioid Awareness Foundation and World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance.

Known for his authenticity and practical approaches, Dr. Gavoni is the host of the Top 1.5% globally ranked Crisis in Education Podcast and a sought-out speaker at various Educational and Behavior Analytic Conferences Internationally. He a the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling co-author of The Scientific Laws of Life & Leadership: Behavioral Karma; Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership; Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance; and MMA Science: A Training, Coaching, and Belt Ranking Guide. Dr. Gavoni is proud to introduce OBM and Applied Behavior Analysis to worldwide audiences through his numerous publications and his work with PCMA to create productive, safe, and positive cultures.

Beyond his work in education and human services, Dr. Gavoni is also a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and a highly respected striking coach in combat sports. Coach “Paulie Gloves,” as he is known in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, has trained world champions and UFC vets using technologies rooted in the behavioral sciences. Coach Paulie has been featured in the books Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams a the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts, A Fighter’s Way, and the featured article Ring to Cage: How four former boxers help mold MMA’s finest. He is also an author who has written extensively for various online magazines such as Scifighting, Last Word on Sports, and Bloody Elbow, where his Fight Science series continues to bring behavioral science to MMA. Finally, Paulie was also a featured fighter in FX’s highest-rated show at the time, The Toughman, and as an MMA coach in the Lifetime reality series Leave it to Geege.

Disclaimer: All ideas presented are original to the author. ChatGPT has been used solely to enhance the reading experience.