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Preventing Violence, Trauma, and the Use of Seclusion and Restraint in

Mental Health Settings_______________________________

Effective Leadership Strategies Effective Leadership Strategies in Successful Organizational Changein Successful Organizational Change

A Core Strategy A Core Strategy ©©

A Primary Prevention ToolA Primary Prevention ToolModule Created by Huckshorn, 2004Module Created by Huckshorn, 2004

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A note about languageA note about language

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See how we speak…See how we speak…

De-humanizing Labeling and Language De-humanizing Labeling and Language

– Target populations, line staff, “in the trenches”, Target populations, line staff, “in the trenches”, “take downs”, “aggression control”“take downs”, “aggression control”

– Units, wards, lock downs, surveillance, strip Units, wards, lock downs, surveillance, strip searches, curfews, consequences, “handling”searches, curfews, consequences, “handling”

– Schizophrenics, THE mentally ill, borderlines; non-Schizophrenics, THE mentally ill, borderlines; non-compliant, manipulative, attention- seeking, compliant, manipulative, attention- seeking, needy, juvees, needy, juvees,

– Case managers, Case workers, “cases”Case managers, Case workers, “cases”

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Person First LanguagePerson First LanguageChosen language to use for Recovery-Chosen language to use for Recovery-Oriented systems of careOriented systems of care

A major change/shift from usual languageA major change/shift from usual language

Is culturally competent, respectful and Is culturally competent, respectful and person-centeredperson-centered

Based on linguistic philosophy e.g. “How we Based on linguistic philosophy e.g. “How we speak about something is indicative of how speak about something is indicative of how we value and treat it” we value and treat it”

(IAPSRS, 2003)(IAPSRS, 2003)

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Person First LanguagePerson First LanguagePromotes the use of words like Promotes the use of words like individual, individual, consumer, adult/child, given names, consumer, adult/child, given names, person in recoveryperson in recovery in place of patient, client, in place of patient, client, inmate, resident or using a diagnosis when inmate, resident or using a diagnosis when referring to persons served in the mental referring to persons served in the mental health systemhealth system

Never uses phrases like “the mentally ill” or Never uses phrases like “the mentally ill” or “the retarded” or “a borderline personality “the retarded” or “a borderline personality disorder”disorder”

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““In organizations, real power and energy In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them, are more capacities to form them, are more important than the task, functions, roles, important than the task, functions, roles, and positions”and positions”

Margaret Wheatly, Leadership and the New Margaret Wheatly, Leadership and the New ScienceScience

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Person First LanguagePerson First Language

Says that people are “people first” and that the Says that people are “people first” and that the routinized, consistent use of “one word” to routinized, consistent use of “one word” to describe groups of diverse individuals is describe groups of diverse individuals is dehumanizing, demeaning, ignores individuality, dehumanizing, demeaning, ignores individuality, encourages a herd mentality and encourages a herd mentality and institutionalizes institutionalizes *Using one word, like “patient, client, or *Using one word, like “patient, client, or resident” is for staff convenience. Does not resident” is for staff convenience. Does not honor individuality. Use people’s names!honor individuality. Use people’s names!Encourages individualized/respectful descriptors Encourages individualized/respectful descriptors that do not label that do not label