SERVICE

One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.		  
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  COMMUNITY

A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.		  
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  CRISIS INTERVENTION

The immediate response to the acute needs of a person in crisis including referral to appropriate community resources, advocacy, support, or direct assistance.		  
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  QUALITY

In this context, the extent to which contemporary and generally recognized standards for professional practice are met and exceeded, and desirable service outcomes achieved.		  
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  PERSONNEL

The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards		  
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  TRAINING

Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.		  
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  SERVICE POPULATION

A group or target population that the organization's services are designed to serve in accord with its mission, and which includes the organization's service recipients. An organization's service population may be defined by geographic location, specific problems or needs, religion, ethnicity, culture, or other factors.		  
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  PROCEDURES

Written instructions that outline the steps for performing a task(s) or operationalizing an administrative or service delivery process. A procedure can be written as a step-by-step set of instructions or as a narrative description of a process. A procedure tells someone how to do something not just what to do.

Unlike policies, procedures do not need to be approved or reviewed by the governing body, and need not be associated with a specific policy. For example, whereas a broad anti-discrimination policy requires grievance or other procedures in order to be operationalized within an organization, assessment procedures do not require a governing body approved assessment policy.

Note: Procedures are sometimes referred to as administrative policies.

  
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  REFERRALS

Resource suggestions provided to consumers to address problems or needs that are beyond the scope of the organization's mission.		  
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  PREVENTION

Actions taken to minimize and/or eliminate social, psychological, or other conditions. Prevention can occur at the individual, group, community, and societal levels and enhances opportunities to achieve positive fulfillment.		  
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  CASE

A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organization for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child's family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.		  
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  ASSESSMENT

An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.		  
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  POLICY

A written statement of principles, values, or intent that provides a basis for consistent decision making and guides the actions of staff, management, and board of trustees. A policy is intentionally broad in its language and application. The following is an example of an anti-discrimination policy:

"[Organization Name] shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and provision of services."

In contrast, a procedure is a detailed, step-by-step description of a process. It tells the reader how to do something. Generally, policies are implemented through procedures. For example, the above anti-discrimination policy would require a detailed grievance procedure in order to operationalize it within an organization.

The governing body has the fiduciary responsibility for setting organizational policy. Therefore, policies must be approved and periodically reviewed by the organization's governing body. However, the governing body typically delegates (via policy) the responsibility for policy development to management. In owner-operated for-profit companies, the owner can act as the company's governing body, depending on the company's corporate structure.

In a public agency the responsibility for setting and reviewing policies may belong to the agency's management team, elected officials, another governmental agency, or as is often the case, a combination of the above.

  
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  CONSUMER

The individual, family, group, or community that seeks or receives services.		  
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  CONFIDENTIALITY

An ethical and practice principle that requires the protection of information shared within a professional-client relationship. An organization that upholds confidentiality prohibits personnel from disclosing information about persons served without their written consent.		  
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  SUPERVISION

Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.		  
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  PRACTICE

Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.		  
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  PROGRAM

A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.		  
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  CLINICAL

The study, assessment, and diagnosis of the client situation followed by direct treatment to help the client achieve prescribed goals.		  
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  PSYCHOLOGIST

A qualified professional who has a doctoral degree from a program of psychology accredited by or recognized as meeting the standards set by the American Psychological Association. A master's degree in psychology is an acceptable credential for the provision of counseling services provided that licensure is attained.		  
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Crisis Response and Information Services: Crisis Intervention; Crisis Hotline Services; Information and Referral Services
  
Private Org Public Agency  

PA-CRI 9: Personnel: Crisis Intervention Services and Crisis Hotline Services

 
Crisis intervention and crisis hotline service providers are carefully selected, trained, and closely supervised.
NA The agency does not provide crisis intervention and crisis hotline services.

PA-CRI 9.01

 
Direct service providers are selected for their ability to handle stressful situations and for qualities such as maturity, judgment, and alertness to warning signs of potential crisis.
Research Note: A study of the 1-800-SUICIDE Network found a significant association between the level of worker empathy and caller hang ups. Highly empathic workers had a hang-up rate of 2.4% as compared to workers with low empathy who had a 12.5% hang-up rate. Empathy was also related significantly to reaching an agreement by the end of the call. High empathy workers ended in agreement in 73.3% of calls while low empathy workers reached an agreement in 41.8% of calls. The study concludes that empathy is a quality that agencies should consider when screening prospective crisis intervention personnel.

PA-CRI 9.02

 

Direct service providers participate in ongoing training that addresses:

  1. assessing needs in crisis situations;
  2. special issues regarding age, substance use and mental health conditions, developmental disabilities, and other needs typically presented by the service population;
  3. de-escalation techniques for crisis situations;
  4. procedures for making referrals; and
  5. prevention of compassion fatigue or “burn-out.”
Update: Added Research Notes - 03/01/09
Added Second and Third Research Notes
related PA-TS 1,  PA-TS 2
Research Note: Empirical studies have shown that direct service providers who work with individuals in crisis may experience the psychological effects of trauma. A supportive workplace that offers both extensive training on the prevention of compassion fatigue and sufficient opportunities for processing difficult cases can significantly decrease the liklihood of staff turnover due to “burn-out.”

Research Note: Several studies on telephone crisis services found that training workers to systematically assess for suicide risk could increase their consistency and inclination to conduct risk assessments.

Research Note: In a study that followed up with callers to the 1-800-SUICIDE hotline, the most frequent negative feedback concerned problems with referrals including being referred to services that were unrelated to the problem, and unanticipated costs and travel. Improved training on community resources and procedures for making referrals may help to solve this problem.

PA-CRI 9.03

 

Orientation for service personnel includes:

  1. laws governing disclosure of suspected abuse or other criminal behavior;
  2. agency policy reconciling the principles of consumer confidentiality and the requirements of the law;
  3. handling emergencies, including situations that may require consultation with supervising or cooperating professionals, or the police; and
  4. documentation requirements.
related PA-TS 1,  PA-TS 2

PA-CRI 9.04

 
Direct service providers work under the supervision of trained professionals who meet the applicable legal requirements for practice within their professions.
related PA-TS 3

PA-CRI 9.05

 
At all times when the program is in operation, a master’s level social worker, doctoral level clinical psychologist, board-certified psychiatrist, or master’s level psychiatric nurse is available on staff, through on-call consultation, or through a formal arrangement with a social service organization.
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PURPOSE: Crisis Response and Information Services operate as part of the community's crisis response system to provide immediate, dependable responses and reliable information to promote safety and stability for the individual in crisis.
 
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