Community Crisis Response

Case Description

A local crisis hotline receives a call regarding a 17-year-old individual displaying signs of acute emotional distress. The individual, identified as “Lucia,” stands alone near the edge of a wooded area in a public space. Lucia appears visibly upset and distant, potentially in need of immediate assistance. The county Crisis Outreach and Engagement Team is dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, participants must empathically engage with Lucia and assess Lucia’s risk for self-harm, employ supportive de-escalation skills if needed, identify any underlying social determinants of health (SDOH) (e.g., housing instability, social isolation), and coordinate with the team to create a follow-up plan.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify immediate priority actions following an initial on-scene SI-HI assessment.
2. Demonstrate therapeutic communication techniques to establish trust and rapport with youth experiencing a mental health crisis.
3. Utilize evidence-based de-escalation strategies.
4. Apply trauma-informed principles to ensure safety, dignity and autonomy are upheld throughout the crisis intervention process.
5. Collaborate with the crisis response team to coordinate roles and responsibilities, ensuring a unified, trauma-informed approach.