Crisis response

CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations

This unit is about recognizing situations where people might be in imminent crisis, and then collaborating to minimize any safety concerns and make plans to access support services. Crisis management can involve face-to-face, telephone or remote contact with persons involved. This unit applies to any community services worker involved in crisis intervention. Crises are also called critical incidents.

In this context, a crisis is a potential or actual emergency, and:

• It usually has a sudden, unexpected onset.
• It creates an immediate risk of harm of some kind. There are many kinds of harm, such as physical, emotional/psychological, sexual, or financial.

 

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed through:

• Assessor observation on the job
• Supervisor reference (if the assessor is not the supervisor)
• Review of your workplace documents (e.g. procedures, incident reports)
• Interview/assignment based on the requirements below.

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Practical

CA RE

You will be assessed in the workplace with:

• facilities, equipment and resources, including organization policies, procedures and resources
• interactions with people from a range of diverse backgrounds
• links to other services

You need to show that you have been involved in at least crisis interventions.

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Interview/assignment questions

RK

1. Explain each of the following legal and ethical considerations relevant to recognizing and responding to crises:
1. duty of care.
2. privacy, confidentiality and disclosure.
3. work role boundaries, responsibilities and limitations.
4. mandatory reporting.
5. codes of practice.
2. What are your organization’s policies and procedures for responding to crises?
3. How can each of the following kinds of issues can become a crisis:
1. potential suicide.
2. threats to harm others.
3. self harm.
4. received threats.
5. abuse, including child abuse.
6. domestic and family violence.
7. common indicators or signs of crisis in other people.
4. Some kinds of personal values, beliefs and attitudes either help of hinder crisis care:
1. What are the common assumptions about who might be at risk?
2. What are the common misconceptions about crisis management?
5. Explain the following principles and practices of crisis intervention:
1. What is good practice for procedures to intervene in critical incidents?
2. What should you do to address safety concerns in critical incidents?
3. How do you refer somebody in a crisis to other services? What options do you have?
4. How can you look after yourself during and after a crisis?
5. Explain how chain of command works in a crisis?
6. In your context, what are the risk factors that contribute to people entering crises?
7. Explain how to use mediation and negotiation in an emerging crisis.
8. Explain the other main methods of intervening in an emerging crisis.
9. What are the most dangerous characteristics of aggressive and abusive behavior?
10. How can you defuse aggressive/abusive behavior?
11. What are the most probable ways in which a worker might inappropriately intervene in a crisis?
12. For each kind of inappropriate intervention, what would be the probable consequences?

Note: Your assessor may also ask you a variety of what if questions.

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Detailed requirements

1. Recognize imminent crises. El 1/PC, RS O,In

1. Recognise and respond to signs of safety risks for people.
2. Consider signs from direct and indirect communications that suggest safety issues.
3. Ask directly about safety issues if you have grounds for concern, and take immediate action, following your organization’s procedures.

 

2. Address immediate safety concerns El 1/PC, RS O,In

1. Listen empathetically to details of the current crisis situation.
2. Affirm and strengthen links to safety and living.
3. Give structure and strategies for dealing with the immediate crisis through enabling thoughts and behaviours.
4. Balance collaboration and direction according to the person’s current capacity for decision-making and coping.
5. Identify and agree actions to reduce immediate danger and risk to others, including mobilisation of emergency help as required.
6. Confirm that actions are legal, ethical, consistent with your organization's policy and meet duty of care requirements.
7. Ask for advice or help from supervisor as required.

 

3. Give referral for crisis intervention support El 1/PC, RS O,In W

1. Empower the person to make informed choices about further help
2. Explore possible barriers to asking for or accepting help, and develop responses
3. Develop a plan with the individual. It needs to:
1. include agreed first steps to access, and
2. uses informal supports and professional help.
4. Refer the person to appropriate professionals as required.
5. Complete and maintain accurate documentation.

 

4. Care for yourself El 1/PC, RS, L Id

1. Recognise and minimize risks to yourself associated with crisis support
2. Identify your need for supervision and debriefing and respond.

 

5. Other.

1. Manage tasks and contingencies on the job.
2. Comply with legislation (duty of care).
3. No applicable industry code of practice.

 

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Code for unit reqts: CA: Conditions of assessment El/PC: Element & criteria RE: Required evidence RK: Required knowledge RS: Required skills

Code for Foundation skills: L: Learning Id: Identify beliefs & thinking R: Reading W: Writing

N: Numeracy O: Oral communication N: Navigate world of work In: Interact with others G: Get work done