PORT TOWNSEND — In the wake of the two-county mandate requiring restaurant and bar staff to check patrons’ vaccination status, The Chamber of Jefferson County is offering a free program on de-escalation.

This hour-long workshop, open to business people in Clallam and Jefferson counties, will start at 10 a.m. Tuesday. To sign up and receive the Zoom link, visit https://www.jeffcounty chamber.org/events/.

“We understand the extra challenges faced by many of our North Olympic Peninsula businesses,” as they work with various health mandates, chamber membership manager Tristan Mortarotti said in a press release.

Jud Haynes, the Port Townsend Police Department navigator and a licensed mental health counselor, plans to open with a talk about how de-escalation works. He’ll walk through a few scenarios, then respond to questions from the audience.

In an interview on Friday, Haynes sought to define de-escalation without using too much jargon. To de-escalate a situation, he said, is to help an agitated person move from a high state of tension or stress to a calmer state.

Haynes added he hopes to provide coping strategies for business owners, so they might help their employees work with the proof-of-vaccination and masking rules.

Prior to the workshop, viewers can submit questions about their specific concerns. These questions should be emailed to admin@jeffcountychamber.org.

Since Sept. 4, bars and restaurants have been ordered by Clallam-Jefferson health officer Dr. Allison Berry to verify that customers 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

A Peninsula-wide mask mandate, in effect since Aug. 16, requires everyone age 5 and older to wear face coverings while not eating or drinking inside restaurants and bars. The order also applies to other indoor businesses and government buildings.

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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladaily news.com.