At Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 (CLIU 21) in Pennsylvania, supporting students with autism, behavioral disorders, and other special needs requires more than dedication; it requires consistency, collaboration, and evidence-based practices.

To ensure both students and staff thrive in safe, supportive environments, CLIU 21 unified all of its crisis prevention training under Safety-Care. We spoke with Katy Rabenold, Special Education Supervisor/Enhanced Autism, to learn how this decision has strengthened their programs and culture.

A Passion for Special Education

Katy brings decades of experience to her role. She began her career as a teacher for students with visual impairments before pursuing her Master’s degree in Special Education, where she found her calling in supporting students with autism. Over the years, Katy has taught in classrooms, worked as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and even helped build self-contained schools across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Today, Katy supervises CLIU 21’s Enhanced Autism Program, overseeing two center-based buildings that serve students with autism and severe behavioral needs.

A Broad Range of Services

CLIU 21’s Special Programs and Services Department provides both specialized and related services for students across the region. These include:

• Life skills, emotional support, and multi-disability support
• Work-based learning opportunities
• Autistic support and enhanced autism programs
• Services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Speech, OT, and vision support for students in general education settings

This diverse range of programs requires well-prepared staff who can confidently respond to challenging situations while maintaining a safe, supportive learning environment.

The Challenge: Two Different Training Programs

Before adopting Safety-Care across the board, CLIU 21 faced a major challenge: staff were split between two different crisis prevention and safety training programs. Some programs relied on Safety-Care while others used a different provider’s model.

This created inconsistencies with behavioral support and safe crisis intervention. When staff needed to provide coverage across programs, differences in training approaches led to confusion and, at times, limited the ability to provide seamless support. Additionally, the alternative training model was costly and placed heavy demands on maintaining trainer certification.

Why Safety-Care?

The decision to unify training under Safety-Care came from CLIU 21’s leadership team. Their goals were clear:

• Consistency: Staff could seamlessly support one another across programs.
• Accessibility: More in-house trainers meant training was easier to access and sustain.
• Cost-effectiveness: Lower expenses compared to the alternative program.
• Evidence-based practices: A curriculum grounded in ABA and proactive intervention.

Transitioning wasn’t without challenges. Some staff were initially hesitant to give up a familiar program, and additional trainers had to be recruited and certified. But CLIU 21 tackled this strategically by:

• Training staff from each program as new Safety-Care trainers, ensuring buy-in within their own buildings.
• Utilizing advanced modules to tailor training for staff working with different populations.
• Incorporating variations of techniques for unique student needs, including deaf/hard of hearing students or older students with significant size differences.

The Impact: Stronger Teams and Safer Classrooms

With at least one Safety-Care trainer in every center, staff now have on-site experts who can provide guidance during incidents, support debriefs, and refresh skills throughout the year.

Trainers lead ongoing refreshers through internal newsletters, morning practice sessions, and collaboration in classrooms during crises.

Staff feel more confident and supported, knowing they share a common language and approach.

Interventions focus increasingly on antecedent strategies, preventing crises before they escalate.

The change has also improved culture. Posters and individualized “staircases” (behavior de-escalation guides) remind staff of strategies to use, while the shared Safety-Care language fosters collaboration across programs.

“Safety-Care has given us a universal language and framework,” Katy shared. “When staff are in a stressful moment, having trainers on-site gives them peace of mind, someone they can look to for guidance, leadership, and support.”

Katy goes on to describe the positive outcomes she has observed with both students and staff, including:

• Increased self-regulation skills among students with significant behavioral challenges.
• Reduced reliance on physical interventions by emphasizing proactive strategies.
• Greater teamwork among staff to problem-solve unique challenges rather than feel frustrated by them.

Katy emphasized that while crises will always occur, Safety-Care has equipped her team to respond effectively and confidently.

Advice for Other Districts

For schools or districts considering Safety-Care, Katy recommends investing in training staff as trainers in each location.

“Safety-Care works best when you have trainers on hand to support your team…it’s a team approach — and having those trainers is key to building buy-in and culture.”

Looking Ahead

CLIU 21 continues to build on its success by expanding its trainer base, reinstating a popular skills newsletter, and reinforcing strategies in newer programs. The goal is clear: maintain a unified, proactive approach that empowers staff and supports every student.

For Katy, the program is more than just training. “I don’t know that I could effectively run these programs without Safety-Care. It’s become so ingrained in what we do — it’s our security blanket. It ensures that staff and students alike are as safe and supported as possible.”

About Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21

The Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 (CLIU) serves as the coordinating agency that brings together diverse school districts, career and technical schools, businesses, and community groups in Pennsylvania.

It is the job of the CLIU to facilitate inter-district cooperation, provide educational and administrative services to schools, and function as a link between the Pennsylvania Department of Education and local school districts.

About Katy Rabenold

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