Professionals responding to individuals who are experiencing a crisis are often challenged by the unpredictable moods; escalating, high-risk behaviors; and deep despair presented by their clients. Without a good framework for understanding crisis dynamics, and an understanding of the essential elements of effective crisis management, serious symptoms might be left unaddressed, exacerbating the crisis. This results in an extremely stressful and high-risk situation for both the client and the professional.
This course provides key training for licensed behavioral health professionals on how to recognize when a person is in crisis. You will learn how to effectively help people return to their pre-crisis level of functioning through the use of a task-based model of crisis management. Specific interventions will be described that you can use to stabilize clients who may be impacted by an isolated crisis, as well as those challenged with multiple crises. You will learn how to create a crisis prevention plan, along with how to use it with clients in a variety of settings. Further, you will explore how to handle situations with individuals who experience recurring crises, those who are hostile and aggressive, and people with substance use disorders.
Note: While assessing for safety risks is one component of crisis management addressed in this course, it is beyond the scope of the course to provide comprehensive training on how to manage suicidal or homicidal emergencies. Clinicians are advised to seek additional training in these areas. This course also assumes the learner has a clinical background and foundational knowledge relevant to the content as it is targeted to licensed clinicians.