Workplace Violence Prevention

At UC Davis, aggressive behavior is not tolerated toward or from anyone, including patients, visitors, volunteers, students, physicians and/or staff members.

Workplace violence includes any ACT or THREAT of violence at the worksite.
If you see something, say something.

Reminder: Contact 911 in case of emergency

Reporting Workplace Violence

Training & Preventing Workplace Violence

Resources & Support

Reporting Workplace Violence

When to Report Workplace Violence:

Physical Harm or Risk of Physical Harm
Hitting, punching, pushing, kicking, spitting, shoving, throwing items, grabbing, physical sexual contact, etc.
Attempts to hit, punch, push, kick, spit on, shove, slap, grab, swinging at, throw items, attempt sexual contact, etc.
Verbal Harassment
Behavior, language, or gestures that frighten, humiliate, belittle, or degrade, including criticism or feedback that is delivered with yelling, screaming, threats, implicit threats, or insults.
Making threats to block a person’s academic or other advancement, opportunities, or continued employment at the University without a legitimate business or educational purpose.
Discriminatory or sexually harassing statements.

How to Report Workplace Violence:

Trainings & Workplace Violence Prevention

Interested in submitting a request or learning more about a Workplace Violence Training for you/your department?

Submit Inquiry

Nonviolent Crisis Intervention: Verbal De-Escalation

The Crisis Prevention Institute’s Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training® provides staff with an effective framework for preventing, de-escalating, and safely responding to crisis behavior. Participants will gain a broad range of tools to help them manage their own emotional responses and identify escalating behaviors in others. This training complies with all current legislation and is evidence-based.

You will learn:

How to identify and respond to various levels of crisis behaviors.
How to manage your own consistent, calm behavior in order to influence a positive outcome in a crisis situation.
Strategies to strengthen nonverbal communication.
How to develop limit-setting strategies when verbally intervening to de-escalate defensive behaviors.
A framework to help guide staff and the individuals in distress through a process of re-establishing the relationship.

Who should take Nonviolent Crisis Intervention: Verbal De-Escalation? All staff who interact with patients and guests either directly or indirectly. From providing customer service over the phone to providing direct-patient care, this training will support staff in building effective verbal de-escalation skills that can be utilized in a variety of settings.

Click Submit Inquiry (above)

Mental Health First Aid®

Mental Health First Aid® focuses on recognizing the patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and appearance that show there might be a challenge in the workplace.

You will learn:

How to recognize the signs and symptoms that suggest a potential mental health challenge.
How to listen non-judgmentally and give reassurance to a person who may be experiencing a mental health challenge.
How to refer someone to appropriate professional support and services.
How to apply an action plan to non-crisis and crisis scenarios in the workplace.

Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis.

Location: Virtual; Zoom
Date/Time: Monthly; Date/Time Vary; This is a two-day course, each day class will be from 9 AM - 12 PM

Resources & Support

Counseling Program

Our counselors provide therapeutic services to UC Davis employees who have experienced workplace violence and develop programs to assist in preventing workplace violence

Our Services

Individual Counseling
Counselors provide individual and group counseling for UC Davis employees who have experienced workplace violence.
Therapeutic Debriefing
Counselors gather required information after a workplace violence incident and offer affected employee resources and support.
Outreach
Counselors provide presentations, workshops, and consultations related to employee mental health.

Pilot Programs

Drop-In Counseling Program
Drop-in counseling available in departments/units with higher incidents of workplace violence.
Employee Reintegration Protocol
A protocol that provides therapeutic support for UC Davis leadership and staff members when an employee is returning to a unit after investigatory leave for a workplace violence incident.

To schedule an appointment, contact ASAP with the contact information below and specify which program you are interested in. You will get assigned to a Workplace Violence Prevention Clinician who will be able to help you.

Call UC Davis ASAP:
- Health: (916) 734-2727
- Campus: (530) 752-2727
Email:
- Health: ASAPhealth@ucdavis.edu
- Campus: slree@ucdavis.edu

Partners

Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP)	Confidential, cost free assessment, counseling, intervention, consultation and referral services for all UC Davis Health faculty, staff and their immediate families. Appointments: Please call and specify that you would like to be seen for an incident related to workplace violence.
Employee and Labor Relations	Provide direction and guidance on unions, policies agreements, and more. Ensures the correct application of policies, procedures, and laws.
Employee Health Services (Health Only)	Assist all members of UC Davis Health with work-related health problems, injuries, illnesses.
UC Davis Police Department
Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program	Assists individuals and campus units resolve conflicts and complaints related to harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence and hate and bias.
Center for Advocacy, Resources and Education (CARE)	Confidential advocacy, support, and healing services to survivors of sexual harassment and all forms of sexual violence, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.
Occupational Health	Assist all members of UC Davis with work-related health problems, injuries, illnesses.
Ombuds Services	Confidential, independent, impartial, and informal problem-solving and conflict management resource for all members of UC Davis Health.
Support U Peer Responder Program (Health Only)	A safe and confidential program that provides peer-to-peer support for caregivers experiencing trauma or stress from an adverse care experience.
Behavioral Escalation Support Team (BEST) (Health Only)	Call 'BEST' on Vocera.
Health 34 (Campus Only)	Health 34 is a team of healthcare educators and providers who will deliver free, non-emergency support and service navigation for mental health and basic medical care to every segment of the UC Davis campus.
Workers' Compensation Health Campus	Workers' compensation provides benefits to employees who have sustained a work-related injury or illness. It is a mandatory coverage provided to all eligible employees in California. It is designed to provide employees with immediate medical attention and other benefits when they sustain a work-related injury or illness.
Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs (OSSJA) (Campus Only)	The Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs (OSSJA) supports the University's educational mission by upholding standards of academic honesty and responsible behavior, promoting student development, and assisting students in need.

Common Reactions to Workplace Violence
These are all common responses to trauma, and each person will respond differently. The differences in response will largely depend on the event's severity and each person's trauma history, support system, and coping strategies.
Re-experiencing the Event: Memories or flashbacks of the violent incident can come up unexpectedly or can be triggered by reminders of the event. You may experience nightmares or feel like you are reliving the incident again.
Avoidance: You may find yourself avoiding people, places, and things that remind you of the event. This may look like avoidance of certain smells, sights, or sounds – or avoiding thinking about the event, in general.
Feeling on Edge: You may notice you are feeling especially jumpy or reactive after the violent event. The people around you may notice you seem more irritable or angry as your body subconsciously stays on the lookout for 'danger.' You may also experience difficulties with sleeping or concentrating.
Emotional Changes: You may find yourself feeling an increase in sadness, anxiety, or fear after a violent incident. You may also experience an increase in feelings of hopelessness, difficulty trusting others, or an overall numbness.
Physical Changes: It is common to experience physical discomfort after experiencing a traumatic event. This can look like an increase in headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplained pain. You may also find yourself feeling especially fatigued.
Other Issues: Following a violent incident, you may notice an increase in difficulties in personal and professional relationships. You may also realize that your substance use has increased.
Coping Skills
Connect with Others: Make time to reach out or spend time with loved ones.
Strategy: Set aside time each week to call or get together with a support person in your life.
Stay Active: Move your body or go outdoors.
Strategy: Plan to take a 20-minute walk today. Invite a friend to join you for added encouragement.
Practice Mindfulness: Notice how often your brain jumps into the past or the future and practice bringing your focus back to the here and now.
Strategy: Look around you and identify one thing from every color in the rainbow.
Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing helps calm your central nervous system, which helps your body relax.
Strategy: Breathe in for 4 counts - hold your breath for two counts – breathe out for 6 counts.
Utilize Self-compassion: Be patient with yourself. Remember that you are coping with something stressful.
Strategy: Ask yourself what you would say to a friend going through a similar situation – then say the same thing to yourself.
Focus on Basic Needs: Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating enough and drinking water?
Strategy: Look for small ways to make taking care of yourself easier. Buy frozen meals so you don’t have to worry about cooking. Put bottles of water in areas where you tend to spend time. Set a reminder to go to bed on time.