Breakout Session Speaker

Toby "T.J." Barr

Health and Safety Specialist at Southwest Idaho Treatment Center, Certified Instructor

Transforming Safety and Care: The Power of Positive Workplace Culture in Human Services
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Join us for an enlightening session that explores how a positive workplace culture can significantly enhance safety and therapeutic outcomes in human services settings. This session will highlight the transformative journey of the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC) and the impactful strategies they implemented to address critical issues such as staff turnover, client stability, and overall safety.

Takeaways include:  

  • Identifying the Problem: Understand the challenges faced by SWITC, including high staff turnover, increased risk due to low staffing, and frequent use of physical holds.
  • Solutions and Implementation: Learn about the Behavioral Response Team (BRT) and the comprehensive training programs introduced, including NCI training with advanced physical skills, verbal and physical de-escalation techniques, and the importance of direct supervision and specialized meetings.
  • Cultural Shift: Discover how SWITC fostered a cultural shift through enhanced staff training, increased onboarding, and the integration of PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) principles.
  • Outcomes: Review the impressive results achieved, such as significant reductions in injury claims, lost work hours, and assaultive behaviors, alongside financial savings and improved staff morale.
  • Moving Forward: Explore the ongoing efforts and future plans to sustain and build upon these successes, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for both staff and clients.

This session is designed for human services professionals seeking practical insights and strategies to create a safer and more effective workplace. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from real-world examples and equip yourself with the tools to drive positive change in your organization.

About T.J.

Toby “T.J.” Barr is a former Adult Protective Services Investigator and currently serves as a Health & Safety Specialist for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. He has worked with vulnerable populations for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles including case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, intake and assessment, and direct client care. He holds a B.S. degree in psychology with an emphasis on forensic investigations.  

For the past 6 years, he has worked at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC), a specialized care facility acting as the state’s safety net to serve members of the DD community who have nowhere else to go, often due to extreme and dangerous behaviors. He was instrumental in creating a system within the facility to investigate allegations of abuse or neglect toward clients as well as being a champion for better training methods to ensure staff and client safety. He is currently the lead Certified Instructor—having 900+ hours of experience teaching CPI and having trained 600+ participants over the course of his tenure at SWITC. He specializes in verbal de-escalation techniques and is certified as an instructor in conflict resolution through the Verbal Judo Institute and Ukeru Systems. Toby is a lifelong martial artist and has earned black belts in both Kajukenbo and Taekwondo, as well as a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu, and he is currently a martial arts instructor at a dojo specializing in teaching kids and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  

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