The use of restraint requires expertise by staff members that is developed through initial and on-going crisis prevention and intervention content and skill-focused training. Hillcrest Educational Centers provides all new staff members with 28 hours of initial crisis prevention and intervention training before the staff are allowed to provide any direct care or service to students at any program site. All new staff receive behavior support training within the first 30 days of hire. Hillcrest Educational Centers utilizes Therapeutic Crisis Intervention as its crisis prevention and intervention model.

Additionally, any staff that provides direct care or service to students are required to attend annual refresher trainings in crisis prevention and intervention totaling at least 12 hours per year.

Written and practical post testing in crisis prevention and intervention is conducted during initial training, as well as once a year during annual refresher training. Staff are required to meet a competency rating of 70% on the initial post testing and 80% on the annual refresher post testing. Staff must demonstrate effective Life Space Interview skills, as well as the safe application of protective and physical intervention techniques in both initial and annual refresher practical post testing.

All restraint training emphasizes the use of individual crisis management plans, relationship building, skill development, verbal interventions, nonverbal communication, behavior support techniques, alternative interventions, and de-escalation techniques as the preferred methods of intervening with a student in crisis.