In the Trenches, A Course in Mobile Crisis Response
Clinicians in a mobile crisis role are working in unfamiliar environments: a stranger's home, hotel room, park trail, or side of a road. This is fundamentally different from an office, walk-in center, emergency room, or jail. Conducting assessments in the field is nothing like conducting assessments in a familiar environment, and the skills needed to be effective, efficient, and, most of all, safe are vital.
In the Trenches is designed as a one- or two-day course that has round table discussions, scenario reviews, and role-play segments for each module. In addition to the presentation of material, participants can discuss in-depth step-by-step situations, evaluate safety issues, and learn to think critically and slowly for outcomes to be safe and effective. In the Trenches is designed to energize crisis clinicians and others working in the crisis response world with the ability to be confident and proud of the work they do. A summary of topics covered in this course is listed below.
'In the Trenches' Course Topics
Course Topics for In the Trenches, A Course in Mental Health Mobile Crisis Work
NOTE - Module Titles contain a brief list of bullet points that highlight only a few of the topics covered in the module, but the list is not all encompassing.
The Crisis Mindset
- Essential crisis 101 skills
- Approaching a scene, rapport building, and crisis intervention tactics
- The crisis "lane", who plays what role on a scene?
Being a Good Investigator
- Everything is data!
- Ecosystems - what you see, hear, and smell
- Who knows this person? The importance of collateral
Crisis Avoidance & De-escalation
This module stresses avoiding a crisis altogether and how that can be done by:
- learning to detect signs of behavioral PREescalation
- Truly understanding how our behavior can contribute to escalation if we are not careful
- And covers effective de-escalation skills
Gray Matter Matters
- What power does our brain have that we can harness in every crisis situation to make us better at our jobs
- Communication, let's evaluate exactly HOW we communicate and why this is vital
- Emphasizes the role WE play in every interaction and why this matters
On-Scene Assessments
- How to rapidly and effectively establish, build, and strengthen rapport on scene
- Risk assessment tools, protective factors and safety plans
- Negotiating someone's safety vs. assessing safety
Safety First, Safety Last, Safety Always
- What defines a safe scene?
- How to keep yourself, the client, and others on scene safe
- Boundaries, safety zones, "head over heart" thinking.
- Suspicion can actually be healthy and keep you alive.
Mental Health Disorders & Psychiatric Emergencies
- Major psychiatric diagnoses and how to interact with individuals with specific diagnoses
- How to quickly differentiate psychiatric issues, substance intoxication, and medical conditions
Navigating Patients Rights, Confidentiality, and Laws
- Confidentiality for all, HIPAA, FERPA, confidentiality, etc.
- How can we use HIPAA for good rather than as a barrier
Mobile Crisis, a Specialty in the Behavioral Health Field
This one-hour session is an introduction to In the Trenches, a Training in Mental Health Mobile Crisis. The presentation is designed to provide a high-level overview of the day-long course(s). It stresses how mobile crisis distinctly differs from other areas in the field where little research or training is available. The material can be presented over Zoom and is designed mainly for individuals, agency directors, and supervisors to "sample" or view what would be covered in the full-day session(s), to determine relevance and appropriateness. Crisis, a Specialty in the Behavioral Health field was first presented at the 2nd Annual Co-Responder Conference in Olathe, KS, in June 2021 and has been presented at multiple other conferences since that time, including the St. Cloud MN, Indianapolis, IN, Kansas City, KS.
Crisis Avoidance and De-escalation
A one-and-a-half-hour course that explains why people can become challenging and how to resolve conflicts in a civilized, calm, and safe manner. Attendees will learn skills, allowing them to assess their environment better and continuously “loop” through observation and action. They will be able to discuss how their presence affects each situation. Communication skills will be practiced and mastered, as well as de-escalation and exit strategies, which will be used when safety cannot be obtained.
