Crisis Management and Safety Procedures Flashcards

The PRIMARY goal of de-escalation strategies when a client is in an agitated state is to:

Answer: Reduce the person's level of distress so that a crisis is avoided without the use of physical intervention

De-escalation aims to lower the individual's emotional and physiological arousal before behavior reaches a dangerous peak. By using calm verbal communication, reducing demands, providing space, and following the client's individualized crisis plan, a technician may prevent the need for physical intervention.

Physical management procedures (restraint) in an ABA setting should ONLY be used when:

Answer: The client engages in self-injurious or aggressive behavior that poses imminent danger and all other options have been exhausted

Physical management is a last resort, used only when there is imminent risk of serious harm and only by staff who are trained and authorized under an approved protocol. It must never be used as a behavior reduction strategy for non-dangerous behavior.

A client's crisis/safety plan includes a specific sequence of steps to follow when a behavior escalates. The ABA technician's responsibility is to:

Answer: Follow the plan as written and notify the supervisor after the crisis resolves

ABA technicians are responsible for implementing individualized crisis plans as written by the supervising BCBA. Deviating from an approved plan without authorization is outside the technician's scope of practice. After the crisis, the technician notifies the supervisor and completes required documentation.

Which of the following is an example of a PROACTIVE safety strategy?

Answer: Arranging the environment before a session to remove objects that could be used harmfully

Proactive safety strategies are put in place BEFORE a crisis occurs to prevent dangerous behavior. Examples include rearranging the physical environment, removing sharp or heavy objects, ensuring proper supervision ratios, and following recommended seating arrangements — all done in advance.

After a crisis event has ended and the client has returned to a calm state, the ABA technician's NEXT step should be:

Answer: Complete required documentation and inform the supervising BCBA about the incident

Post-crisis procedures require documentation of what happened (incident report) and notification of the supervising BCBA. This ensures that the supervisor can review the crisis, assess whether the behavior plan needs adjustment, and determine whether additional reporting obligations exist.

When a client begins to show early warning signs of escalation (e.g., increased vocal volume, pacing), the BEST first response from a trained technician is to:

Answer: Follow the individualized early-intervention steps in the behavior support plan to prevent escalation

Behavior support plans typically include individualized early-warning signs and corresponding proactive strategies (e.g., offering a break, reducing demand complexity, using calming scripts). Acting at the early stages of the escalation cycle is far more effective — and safer — than waiting until behavior becomes dangerous.