Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) Training

The Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA), in partnership with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), offers a Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) training program for care workers in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). NVCI utilizes the CPI NVCI Model — an evidence-based training solution designed to prevent, de-escalate, and safely manage critical situations in various care settings.

The goal of this training for caregivers is to equip SNF staff with practical de-escalation strategies to safely manage behavioral challenges and provide confident, high-quality resident care.

8.5 NVCI Training Hours:

2.5 hours of asynchronous e-learning coursework online
6 hours of in-person, onsite training

NVCI Training Benefits:

Students will be compensated for classroom training time by their SNF employers
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) may earn 6 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Create a Safer Workplace with De-escalation Training

Residents in Skilled Nursing Facilities may sometimes exhibit disruptive behaviors. NVCI training teaches participants how to recognize early signs of escalation and how to intervene proactively using special techniques. This program instills the confidence and skills needed to maintain a safe workplace.

Apply Trauma-Informed, Person-Centered Approaches

CCA and our training partners at the Crisis Prevention Institute provide a curriculum that is effective in helping staff safely recognize and respond to everyday crisis situations. This includes person-centered, safe disengagements and trauma-informed verbal interventions.

NVCI Training Structure

Duration: 8.5 hours Hybrid Training (online + onsite)
Delivered by: Instructors from Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA)
Cost: Training fees covered by the Education Fund for SEIU L2015 members
Compensation: Students are compensated for all classroom training time by signatory Employers at their existing wage rate at a maximum of 8.5 hours/day
Continuing Education Units: 6 CEUs offered, as approved by CDPH for CNAs

Participation Requirements

Minimum of 6 students per class & maximum of 10 students per class
Dedicated training space that can accommodate participants & instructors performing skill-based activities
Access to working electrical outlets for instructional purposes
In-person training will be scheduled at least 17 days in advance
An MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) is required for participation
- Once approved, the CCA Outreach Manager will send the MOU to facility leadership for review and approval. Once approved, the Programs Manager issues the final MOU for signature.

NVCI Training Curriculum

Here is what you will learn in the NVCI course:

Module 1: Understanding Behavior and Its Risks

This module teaches participants to recognize and interpret behaviors as forms of communication, and to identify factors that may increase the risk of escalation or crisis.

Module 2: The CPI Crisis Development Model

Participants will learn to support individuals at all levels of the CPI Crisis Development Model by understanding behavior as communication. Using a trauma-informed, person-centered approach, they will prioritize each individual’s unique needs, dignity, and life experiences.

Module 3: Integrated Experience

The core idea is that behavior and attitudes are interconnected between staff and the people they support. The way one person acts or communicates influences the other person’s reactions and emotions.

Module 4: Supportive Communication Skills

Focuses on using calm, respectful, and empathetic communication to prevent or de-escalate crisis situations. The module teaches that communication—both verbal and nonverbal—directly affects a person’s emotional state and behavior.

Module 5: Responding to Defensive Behaviors

Participants use the Decision-Making Matrix to assess high-risk behavior and implement proportionate safety interventions. The module also covers post-crisis debriefing, documentation, and resilience strategies to foster recovery and future prevention.

Module 6: Safety Interventions

This module focuses on helping staff respond to escalating behavior in ways that protect everyone’s safety while using non-restrictive methods.

Module 7: Post Crisis

This module covers what happens after a crisis incident has ended. The goal is to rebuild safety, restore relationships, reflect on the event, and learn from it to prevent future crises.

Please Note: The initial course offering is a Pilot Program that runs April – June 2026* with limited seating.* The full program formally launches statewide in July 2026.

Need more information?

Contact CCA Outreach Manager Elizabeth Cabral:

(213) 670-5815; Elizabethc@advancecaregivers.org

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