CRISIS SCREENING & CRISIS SERVICES--Y.Eaton & A.Roberts (2002) Crisis Services of Erie County, Pennsylvania receives more than 2,000 phone calls per month. Crisis calls result in Crisis screening and triage, crisis counseling and support, and information and referrals. Social workers engage all callers with empathic responses and supportive listening skills. Professor Roberts (2000) offers a compre­hensive text for crisis intervention strategies, which includes numerous case applications in outpatient clinics, group private practices, mobile units, crisis intervention programs, crisis hotlines, hospitals and other health care facilities. At the Erie County program, a screening/triage form is completed for all callers who request further services or face-to-face contact. This essential form addresses both clinical information (such as suicide or homicide risk) and safety issues (such as weapons on the scene and legal history). All calls are assigned an intervention priority code, which allows the shift supervisor to prioritize these multiple requests on a clinical and danger assessment basis. Priority I calls require immediate intervention because of an individual's significant risk of harm to self or others. Some examples of Priority I calls include suicide attempts in progress, police on scene or en route, and suicidal or homicidal ideation with intent and means readily available. Priority II calls require timely interven­tion because of an inability to cope with current stressful life events, including traumatic stress. Risk of harm to self or others is not imminent at the time of contact due to the presence of reliable supports or lack of feasible plan, intent, or method. Some examples include hallucinations, delusions, and suicidal or homicidal ideation with lack of plan or intent. Priority III calls require intervention because of a moderate level of dysfunction. There is no identified risk of harm to self or others. Some examples include impaired ability to meet basic needs (shelter, hygiene), impairment in ability to meet family, educational, or occupational roles, and mood disturbance or other significant vegetative disturbances. Priority IV calls require intervention because of subjective distress and/or mild level of dysfunction or difficulty coping with current stressors. Some exam­ples include minor mood disturbance and relational conflict. Regardless of the intervention priority assigned, all requests for services are addressed as quickly as possible, and every request for service is addressed within 24 hours. Source: Yvonne Eaton and Albert Roberts, (2002). “Frontline Crisis Intervention: Step-by-step practice guidelines with case applications.” In A. R. Roberts & G. J. Greene (eds.). Social Workers’ Desk Reference. (New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press). Pp. 89-96; and A. Roberts (2000). Crisis Intervention Handbook, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press. Also available through Barnes and Noble.com
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