Alcohol and Drug Counselor Crisis Intervention Strategies Flashcards

A counselor responding to a client in a methamphetamine-induced psychosis crisis should prioritize:

Answer: De-escalating the environment and ensuring safety while awaiting medical support

Meth-induced psychosis can involve dangerous agitation; de-escalation and environmental safety are paramount while medical backup is secured.

The 'EARS' model used in crisis telephone counseling stands for:

Answer: Empathize, Assess, Refer, Summarize

The EARS model — Empathize, Assess, Refer, Summarize — provides a structured framework for crisis telephone counselors to guide calls efficiently.

When conducting a crisis assessment for a client with co-occurring PTSD and stimulant use disorder, the counselor should be aware that:

Answer: Stimulant intoxication and PTSD hyperarousal can overlap, complicating accurate risk assessment

Stimulant intoxication can mimic or amplify PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, making it challenging to accurately assess risk level and crisis severity.

In crisis intervention, the term 'disposition' refers to:

Answer: The agreed-upon plan for where and how the client will receive care after the crisis contact

Disposition is the action plan that determines the client's next level of care, such as hospitalization, referral to outpatient services, or a follow-up appointment.

Which of the following is an example of secondary traumatic stress (STS) in a substance use crisis counselor?

Answer: Developing intrusive thoughts and emotional numbing after repeated exposure to clients' trauma narratives

STS involves trauma-like symptoms — intrusive thoughts, avoidance, hyperarousal — that develop in helpers exposed vicariously to clients' traumatic experiences.

A counselor determines that a client in crisis does NOT meet criteria for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. The MOST appropriate next step is to:

Answer: Develop a collaborative safety plan and arrange a timely follow-up contact or appointment

When hospitalization is not warranted, a collaborative safety plan combined with a structured follow-up contact bridges the gap between crisis and ongoing care.

Which legislative act most directly impacts how substance use disorder crisis records can be shared with other treatment providers during a crisis situation?

Answer: 42 CFR Part 2 (Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records)

42 CFR Part 2 imposes stricter confidentiality protections on SUD records than HIPAA, restricting disclosure even in some crisis situations without specific consent.