Walt Piszchala
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families employed Walt Piszchala for 33 years (now retired),
working with children in a variety of capacities, in residential care.
For 27 of those years Walt worked as a trainer in the field of Crisis Intervention and Health and Safety,
teaching both verbal and physical intervention technique and CPR, AED, First Aid, Blood Borne Pathogens Walt
retired from the Connecticut Juvenile Training School as a full-time training coordinator. His main focus
had been in the development and implementation of a comprehensive behavior management and crisis intervention
program. In addition, he was responsible for developing, training, and monitoring all Health and Safety Programs
(AED, CPR, First Aid, Blood borne Pathogens, etc.) for the staff at CJTS. Walt has trained several staff who have
recorded life-saves involving choking emergencies. Walt was the only Department of Children and Families employee
with the certification to train and certify new trainers in any health and safety curriculums for the American Safety
and Health Institute (ASHI). He has certified new trainers for all four DCF Facilities.
From 1997 to 2006 Walt was an adjunct staff trainer at the Department of Children and Families training academy.
He was responsible for creating a curriculum entitled "Worker Safety". Walt personally trained every new social worker
hired during this time period in this course to help them identify escalating behavior, how to appropriately and
effectively de-escalate that behavior and how to develop safe working habits and strategies to stay safe when visiting
with clients in their homes. Walt was called upon to consult with other State and private agencies regarding issues
involving Crisis Intervention and Physical Restraint.
In 1998, Walt served on the Physical Behavioral Task Force for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families,
established by then Governor John Roland. Walt was the chairperson for the sub-committee for curriculum development.
This task force developed regulations and guidelines for issues regarding physical restraint and seclusion for the State of CT.
In 2006, Walt began to offer a new training from the American Safety and Health Institute entitled Pet First Aid.
This course has received the ASPCA seal of approval. Walt donated his time to train the Windsor Police departments
Canine Unit in this course. The Windsor Journal covered this in an article entitled "Police K-9 teams receive pet
first aid training." Additionally, in 2006 Walt trained members of the Connecticut Chiropractic Association in Professional
Rescuer CPR. These doctors served as First Responders in medical emergencies at the CT Nutmeg Games. Since retiring in
January of 2007, Walt has become a member of the training faculty for the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive
Parents. He is offering courses in Verbal De-Escalation and working with Oppositional and Defiant Children.
Check out his website at www.piszchala-associates.com/
Email Address: piszchala@sbcglobal.net
Articles by Walt Piszchala