Managing a Behavioral Crisis

Safe

• Introduce yourself
• Use plain, clear, concise words
• Explain your intentions
• Avoid sudden touch or grab
• Formally end your contact, e.g “I am going to leave now.”
• Wait it out (Don’t just do something, stand there)

Calm

• Control your affect and behavior
• Redirect attention to something concrete, factual, and non‐emotional
• Stand back to avoid getting injured
• Be aware of your position in relation to person (flight is better than fight)
• Remove objects that can be weaponized and extra people

Affirmation

• Set clear limits
• Minimize distractions
• Use kind, encouraging words
• Repeat a positive mantra
• Allow breaks

Routine

• Redirect to task at hand
• Cue person
• Provide visual support
• Be consistent

Empathy

• Ask what happened to you; not what is wrong with you
• Offer another way to get need met
• Avoid repeatedly disagreeing

Develop intervention plan

Lipsky, D, Richards, W. Managing Meltdowns Using the S.C.A.R.E.D. Calming Technique with Children and Adults with Autism. 2009. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. London.