ACT Emergency Procedures & Response 2

Question 1

During an ACT session, a client discloses they have a specific plan to end their life tonight. What is the therapist's FIRST priority?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the client's immediate physical safety and assess access to means

Answer

Immediate safety and means restriction take precedence over therapeutic techniques when there is imminent suicide risk.

Question 2

An ACT practitioner receives a call from a client's family member stating the client has not been seen in 48 hours after expressing hopelessness. The appropriate response is to:

Accepted Answer

Conduct a wellness check by contacting emergency services if the client cannot be reached

Answer

When a client is unreachable and risk indicators are present, initiating a welfare check via emergency services is the appropriate duty-of-care response.

Question 3

Which element is MOST critical to include in a collaborative safety plan developed within an ACT framework?

Accepted Answer

Specific coping strategies, support contacts, and steps to reduce access to lethal means

Answer

Effective safety plans include warning signs, coping strategies, social supports, professional contacts, and means restriction.

Question 4

A client in an ACT session becomes acutely dissociative and unresponsive to verbal prompts. The practitioner should:

Accepted Answer

Use grounding techniques (e.g., 5-4-3-2-1) and if unresponsive, call emergency services

Answer

Acute dissociation unresponsive to grounding may indicate a medical emergency requiring professional emergency intervention.

Question 5

Under HIPAA's emergency exception, a therapist MAY disclose protected health information without client consent when:

Accepted Answer

Disclosure is necessary to prevent serious and imminent threat to the client or others

Answer

HIPAA permits disclosure to prevent serious and imminent threat to health or safety under its safety exception.

ACT Practice Test

ACT Practice Test

ACT Emergency Procedures & Response 2