Hillcrest Educational Centers:
• Operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
• Has multiple residential and non-residential sites.
• Primarily serves children and adolescents who have severe psychiatric and behavior disorders and who sometimes act in a manner that is dangerous to themselves or others.
• Holds the safety and security of students, clients and staff as our highest priority.

Given these conditions and priorities, it is necessary to have numerous people at the agency and campus levels who are authorized to intervene whenever conditions pose an immediate threat to life or health (such as a chemical spill, gas leak) or threaten damage to buildings or equipment (such as water leaks, electrical power system malfunction). Additionally, the agency clearly communicates by word and deed that there is a preference and an expectation for authorized persons to act proactively, preventively, and decisively in high risk situations.

The following people are authorized and expected to intervene in such cases.
1. Agency level
The Director of Quality Assurance
Any member of the Senior Management Team (i.e., Senior Managers and department heads)
The Director of Facilities
2. Campus level
Program Director
Any campus administrator/department head
Direct care Supervisors (who run all shifts each day)
Any member of the campus Environment of Care Committee.

Finally, as noted above, Hillcrest considers safety management to be an interactive process involving all staff members. Each staff member, regardless of position or role, is trained and expected to be vigilant and proactive with regard to safety and security in order to maximize the therapeutic and protective nature of the Hillcrest environment for students and clients.