Blog

We must remind ourselves everyday that the ethical dilemma resulting from physical restraint is the clinician’s value or emphasis of beneficence versus the patient’s autonomy and dignity. The latter is what The Mandt System was founded upon. At the Mandt System, our philosophy is individual served first. In order to execute that philosophy, our partners [...]

In January of this year, Aaryce Hayes wrote a blog on Building Positive Relationships in which she emphasized the elements of care, respect and dignity, trust, and time as being the important ingredients in the process of building healthy relationships. In The Mandt System, we define teamwork globally as “relationships in action”, and that is [...]

One of my favorite points in Chapter 1 is the reference we make to Ubuntu “the essence of being human” (Archbishop Desmond Tutu). In 1999, Tutu explained “a person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance [...]

Organizations utilizing the Mandt System within their workplace often ask us to share the factors that we believe most significantly contribute to transfer of learning into the working practice. Our immediate comment is that transfer is less of an issue than sustainability…. Over time many factors can contribute to derailing a well intentioned implementation process. [...]

According to the dictionary reliability is the ability of a person or system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected circumstances. Individuals who work in human service fields understand all too well that unexpected circumstances are often a daily routine. Our reactions to situations will determine the [...]

Max De Pree says, “Leadership is a condition of indebtedness.” I firmly believe that to be true. Over the years I have become who I am because of having the opportunity to be mentored and groomed by some amazing leaders and learning by some not so amazing. In addition, amazing co-workers and employees have supported [...]

The environment in which a person receives services is as important as the services being provided. We must be sensitive to the culture of our treatment environments to ensure that they are therapeutic and feel safe for the person receiving services. The Joint Commission includes in its standards, language that services be provided in a [...]

In any organization, the struggle is to find the balance in how all the systems work together. If the goals are set and a strategic plan put into place the challenge is then to make sure all the systems work together to get the desired outcomes. The performance management becomes how this can take place. [...]

Simple Reminders In light of the recent happenings in Boston where once again our country has been exposed to a terrible act of violence, it is important to have some simple reminders related to the impact that these occurrences can have on individuals in our care. Though individual’s receiving services or who need a greater [...]

I am not saying they do not exist. I am not saying they are not out there. What I am saying is I would like to see more. What I am talking about are more professionals who are involved in advocacy groups. Recently, I attended the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) conference in San Antonio, [...]

An increase in random shootings in schools, theaters, and society in general has raised the question of why. Many people are pointing to bullying and lack of acceptance as the primary reasons for individuals lashing out. In hopes of stopping the violence many initiatives have become popular. For example, Hollywood is speaking up in the [...]

Four years ago my son Tyler was diagnosed with fragile X and last year he qualified for an autism label while being tested in school. In the past year, ground-breaking research has uncovered precise genetic links between autism and Fragile X syndrome giving families like mine hope that treatment for many of the core symptoms [...]

When an incident occurs that involves the use of a restraint technique, regulations often require that staff meet with designated staff and the individual receiving services and their legal representative to identify factors that led up to the restraint, and how to make changes that reduce or eliminate the need for restraint. This is referred [...]

Over the last few years person to person verbal communication has been often substituted for other modalities such as texting and email. Quite aside from the distortions created by predictive text or spell checking (sometimes funny, sometimes disastrous) the potential for miscommunication is huge. Added to that, the emotive weight given to these bursts of [...]

Employers’ responsibility to prevent, manage and mitigate the consequences of workplace violence is a major issue for all corporations and human resource professionals today. Creating a dialogue and examining legal issues and practical challenges in preventing and mitigating the risks of workplace violence is a topic of monumental concern worldwide to all clients and customers. [...]

The task of developing a policy for an organization can be time-consuming and require focus. However, the ultimate objective is not simply to articulate a statement of what needs to happen. The objective of an organizational policy is to affect employee practice. The way in which a policy is developed can make the transfer of [...]

Having an understanding of bullying is vital in the work place. Though bullying has become more talked about in recent years in regards to school settings it is important to understand that it can take place in all work environments. Bullying is made up of negative actions that are meant to harm a specific victim [...]

The most valuable asset in an organization is a set of shared values and expectations (Kouzes, & Posner, 2012). Often these shared values are expressed in company policies that address the most suitable way to handle various situations. In the realm of social services, polices should reflect and clearly define how to manage a variety [...]

Retention of employees is key to organizations that provide care and services to others. Vital to good care is consistency and predictability and many organizations today struggle with keeping staff for expended periods. By understanding the organization needs and having a working understanding of various cultures represented by the organization, human resource planning can better [...]

By definition, reinforcement will increase the likelihood that behavior will be used again in the future. As service providers it seems we often focus our attention on what type of reinforcement we are able to identify and how we can offer that reinforcement so we can influence the behavior of the people with whom we [...]

One of the absolute best things about being a National Faculty Member for The Mandt System is the opportunity to meet so many diverse people across the country who have dedicated their lives to serving other people. I feel most comfortable talking to folks with similar background experience – those who are working in residential [...]

When people are engaged in a positive relationship with someone , whether the relationship is personal, professional or public , the interactions are more likely to be relaxed and generally more constructive. When individuals experience a positive healthy relationship with someone, they are more likely to feel safe emotionally, psychologically and physically with that person. [...]

On Friday, November 16, 2012 I experienced a sudden and rather debilitating headache. I was in a hotel room (as I so often am) in anticipation of a flight the next morning. My first response was to take some over the counter pain medication (I, like so many, tend to think that I am capable [...]

One of the first things service providers do in serving individuals diagnosed with dementia is to determine who is in charge of the decision making processes involving treatment, disclosure of information, and financing care. However, clarifying who has legal authority to provide (or withhold) consent is not the end of the story. Regardless of who [...]

In our training, we tell people that “the ultimate goal of The Mandt System® is to build healthy relationships in the workplace.” Our approach to Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is very much in keeping with this goal. We also tell people that in the assessment process, we always assess ourselves first before we assess others. [...]

Everyone struggles with breaking bad news, whether on a personal level or in the workplace. Most of us try to avoid the responsibility because of the emotional discomfort we associate with it. If we can feel competent in our ability to deliver bad news in the most effective and compassionate way, we may be less [...]

Increased Confidence and Competence is Key to De-escalation Years ago I participated in a noncommissioned officer leadership development course where the focus was on three key areas: confidence, competence and attention to duty. Over the years, I have seen these items as key to success in human service and education settings as well. Few individuals [...]

As a former direct care professional, I remember how frustrating it can be during the debriefing process to come to the realization that a crisis situation could possibly have been avoided if I had been more proactive and been better able to manage my own behavior. Sometimes I didn’t have my RADAR tuned in and [...]

School security is one of the most sensitive issues facing school staff, administrators, and parents today. No one wants a repetition of headline-hitting crimes that come to mind from recent years. Students have the right to have a safe place to be educated. Teachers and administrators have the right to a safe work environment. Maintaining [...]

A few years ago I received a call from a parent whose son received services from my community behavioral health agency. She called to inform me that she was moving his services to another provider. I was shocked. I had known them for years and felt we had a very good relationship. Upon asking what [...]

When I was an EMT (many years ago) we were taught to determine if a scene was secure and safe before we entered to make sure we didn’t become another patient to be treated. There are many potential threats to paramedics, first responders, police officers, etc. Downed power lines (as I sit in Virginia during [...]

“It is important to understand that there is a difference between anger and aggression” (stolen straight from the Mandt Trainer manual). The majority of the Mandt System® training focuses on developing healthy relationships and we spend time during our training to draw attention to the issue of emotion and understanding the link between emotion and [...]

As a learning and development organization we are often asked to provide curricula support to staff that function in some customer service capacity to their service users. Often the basis of concern is how to de-escalate angry and unhappy individuals. One of our starting points in this process is to ask the question, …. Are [...]

I have been an advocate of the Mandt System since I was first a student in a local class in 2005, and even more so when I became a trainer for Mandt in 2010. All parts of the Mandt System played a significant role in my professional life, as I worked for a non-profit agency [...]

In the Mandt System, there is a lot of talk and discussions throughout the workshops about the importance of building and maintaining trust. Trust with the individuals served, starts with trust that the staff role model in their relationships with one another. When teams have trust amongst the members then all other aspects are enhanced: [...]

To be human is to experience stress. At best it is disruptive, and at its worst it is destructive, During our training we speak of all the things that go on with people who experience too much stress. It is estimated that illnesses and accidents related to stress account for three-quarters of all time lost [...]

This past week the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published a new study in which they identify that the US Healthcare System wasted more than $750 billion in 2009. In addition to admin costs, unnecessary and inefficiently delivered services are cited as accounting for the majority of the $750 billion waste. The IOM foresees the need [...]

Sometimes I’m asked to teach on how to talk with a person with a diagnosis of a mental illness. My reaction is to say “treat them like an individual”. It’s difficult to respond without sounding flippant and I realize the request is sincere. Unfortunately, the question negates the fact that a person with a mental [...]

Hospitals in general, and emergency departments in particular, are feeling the effects of increased demand coupled with shrinking budgets. Personnel are stretched to the limits providing effective care in an environment that is increasingly dangerous due to gang violence, availability of addictive substances, lack of access to primary care physicians, lack of appropriate in-patient psychiatric [...]

We are all familiar with this frequently posed question, “How often do you practice a fire drill, and how many fires have you dealt with in your service”? “How often do you practice behavior response drills, and how many occasions of challenging behavior have you dealt with in your service”? The answer to the above [...]

When human service providers hear the term “risk management” they almost always have similar responses involving the flight or fight decision making process. There is often a low level of anxiety present during risk management meetings, and the process of risk management is seen as onerous and a necessary evil. The problem at hand is [...]

With all the data regarding physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and neglect which occur in home settings, it is easy to assume that anytime traumatic events occur, a family member is always the perpetrator. This is not true, and while over 40% of such events do occur within family settings, almost 60% do not. Those [...]

As staff of the Mandt System we believe in the concept ideal of ‘partnering with organizations’ rather than simply serving as vendors. One of the greatest privileges that this approach affords is the occasional opportunity to visit ‘onsite’ with staff at their place of work to see first hand how they are implementing the Mandt [...]

Wikipedia defines Duty of Care, in tort law, as a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they adhere to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others. It is the first element that must be established to proceed with an action in negligence. The claimant must be [...]

Dr. Strong to the psych unit…Dr. Strong to the psych unit!! We need the BIT (Behavior Intervention Team) to Mr. Johnson’s class!! All available personnel needed at Cottage 333 right now! These are just some of the many ways people are called to a crisis situation. Often times no indication is given to the level [...]

Conflict amongst people is as old as Adam and Eve and Cain and Able. As long as human beings are together there will be conflict or at least the potential of conflict will exist. Obviously, we as a species have survived dealing with conflict. Not only have we survived; we have grown and matured. People’s [...]

The use of seclusion is a highly emotionally charged issue. It is argued that the use of seclusion is often in the best interest of a person receiving services, but it is not always clear under what circumstances that is the case. This blog entry argues that there is a need for additional criteria and [...]

This week I am teaching a Mandt System® class, and have the pleasure of having teachers from middle and elementary schools. One of the topics that came up during discussion was how to work in settings where there is only one teacher and 6 students with significant behavioral needs. Keeping your sanity when things seem [...]

….“Social Worker stabbed to Death,” “Workers and Patients Taken Hostage,” “Worker Making Home Visit Injured” These are headlines and whilst dramatic and sensational are extreme examples and not the daily experience of most community based direct care professionals and social workers. Understandably many instructors delivering The Mandt System curriculum into their organizations will encounter participants [...]

Last year I had the opportunity to do a Mandt System® workshop at which several security staff from a hospital were in attendance. The teamwork they described between themselves and the medical staff was fantastic and served as a catalyst for discussion in how staff could support each other in different human service settings.The security [...]