Author: Psychiatry

Mental Health Update

Crisis Intervention

An unexpected occurrence: What now?

Special points of interest:
Responding to a Crisis
Helpful hints for the educator
Signs and Symptoms associated with crises
References
Resources
Contact Information

A crisis event can occur at anytime. A crisis isn’t necessarily a life changing event; an uncontrollable student in the classroom may be considered a “crisis” situation.
With proper training, resources, and skills, crisis events can be handled effectively and efficiently. A sudden change in the child’s surrounding environment may cause mental and emotional distress in the child and a need for crisis intervention can arise. It is important to address these issues because a child may resort to substance use, suicide or other extreme forms of negative coping due to a lack of support, resources, and/or positive coping skills.
Some children may benefit from talking about their experience while others are not able to express their frustrations and thoughts verbally. Keep in mind that because the child is not talking about the event does not mean he/she does not need to express themselves and receive guidance and support.

Crisis Intervention for a school/community crisis

In responding to a crisis¹,²:
Managing the Situation– a student can cause emotional reactions from
other students quite quickly creating an unmanageable situation
-Remain calm, direct, authoritative, nurturing and problem solving oriented.
-Address the distressed child
-Indicate why child is upset, if this is not possible, identify someone
who is able to do so
-State what can and will be done
-Convey a sense hope and positive expectation -- that while crises change things, there are
ways to deal with the impact
2. Mobilizing Support
-Ensure that student has proper support from peers, family, and staff
-Help student to express emotions and deal with their emotional reactions
-Provide outlets for the student who may be hesitant to verbalize their feelings (i.e. involving the
student in clubs, sports, mentors, writing and drawing activities)
-Encourage students to deal with the facts of the event; give accurate information and explanations
about what happened and what to expect. Do not give unrealistic or false information
-Be sure that students and families are connected to necessary supports and resources.
-Talk to the mental health clinician, guidance counselor, school psychologist and any
other support staff that may be able to provide assistance.
3. Following Up
-Check on progression of the student
-Reinforce desired behaviors of the student
-Determine whether the student needs additional support
-Create a feedback loop between yourself, caregivers and school clinicians to reassess
student symptoms

Common Symptoms Associated with Crises³

Sadness and Crying
Physical Complaints
School Avoidance
Poor Concentration
Regressive behavior
Aggressive Behavior

Irritability
Anxious
Withdrawal
Attention Seeking Behavior
Loss of Interest in Activities
School Difficulty

Fear of Personal Harm
Depression
Poor School Performance
Agitation
Distractibility

As an educator, what can I do?

Become a more active observer of student behavior in and around the classroom.
Consult with school personnel who are trained in crisis response and crisis intervention.
Inform caregivers and school clinicians about your observations of the student.
Ask school clinicians to present on different treatment approaches for crisis intervention and management.
Develop classroom activities and homework assignments that address students’ feelings regarding the crisis.
Incorporate prevention/educational activities into your lesson plans. Receive guidance from the school
clinician, counselor, or psychologist

Suicide Watch4
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth ages 15-24. In 2005 there were 86 deaths in Maryland attributed to suicide among persons ages 10-25 years old. Significant people in the lives of students, such as family members, educators, clinicians, and school staff, can play a large role in preventing suicidal thoughts and identifying the warning signs. Some of the warning signs include past suicide attempts/threats, family history of violent behavior, risky behaviors, involvement in gangs, use of substances, poor peer relationships, and delinquent behaviors. Individual, home, peer, school, and community factors, although are often defenses, can also serve as risk factors for a student. Therefore, it is important to identify protective factors that will provide the students with resources and skills to utilize in times of high stress and in crisis situations. For more information please visit the following website:
http://csmha.umaryland.edu/resources.html/resource_packets/download_files/crisis_intervention_2002.pdf

Resources:
http://www.fema.gov/kids/safes6.htm
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/crisis_tt/somekeyconsiderations.pdf
http://www.apa.org/practice/ptguidelines.html
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/index.aspx#general

References
1Retrieved on March 12th 2007 from http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/crisis_qt/crisis_psych_first_aid.pdf
2Retrieved on March 12th 2007 from http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/crisis_qt/crisis_principles.pdf
3Center for School Mental Health Alliance. Resource Sheet. Crisis Management and Intervention for Children and Adolescents
4Center for School Mental Health Alliance. Resource Sheet. Suicide in Children and Adolescents. Information for School Clinicians

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Crisis Intervention

Volume 1 Issue 5

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.