Care and Safety Assistants (CSAs) are certified school safety officers trained in areas such as de-escalation, teen mental health first aid, safety procedures, and more.

CSAs are “more mentor than muscle”--they have deep relationships to our schools and families. They provide an extra set of eyes and ears in the hallways and in oversight of safety practices. 

They receive training from Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) on topics such as student behavioral dynamics; collective and vicarious trauma; suicide intervention; and emergency response. They also receive training in de-escalation and cultural sensitivity. 

CSAs are staffed at CHS, Buford, Walker, and Lugo-McGinness.