CADC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Crisis Intervention Strategies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes 'psychological first aid' in the context of addiction crisis intervention?
- Providing medication to manage acute withdrawal symptoms
- Offering immediate emotional support, practical assistance, and connection to resources without causing harm (Correct answer)
- Conducting a structured DSM diagnostic interview in the immediate aftermath of a crisis
- Administering rapid detoxification protocols
Correct answer: Offering immediate emotional support, practical assistance, and connection to resources without causing harm
Psychological first aid focuses on stabilizing the person emotionally, meeting immediate practical needs, and linking them to further care without imposing structured therapy.
Question 2: A counselor is meeting with a client who relapsed after six months of sobriety and is expressing intense shame. Which response is MOST consistent with crisis intervention principles?
- Remind the client that relapse means treatment has failed
- Normalize the experience of relapse while assessing for immediate safety risks (Correct answer)
- Discharge the client from treatment until they demonstrate willingness to stop
- Focus exclusively on identifying which substances were used
Correct answer: Normalize the experience of relapse while assessing for immediate safety risks
Normalizing relapse reduces shame, maintains therapeutic alliance, and allows the counselor to safely assess for co-occurring suicidal or self-harm ideation.
Question 3: Under the CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) framework, the role of the counselor is best described as:
- Expert authority who determines the client's risk level and prescribes a safety plan
- Collaborative partner who works with the client to understand and manage their suicidal ideation (Correct answer)
- Passive listener who reflects feelings without providing direction
- Case manager who coordinates hospitalization paperwork
Correct answer: Collaborative partner who works with the client to understand and manage their suicidal ideation
CAMS is explicitly collaborative, positioning the counselor and client as partners sitting side-by-side to assess and address suicidal ideation together.
Question 4: A client presents in crisis following a domestic violence incident and is also intoxicated. The counselor should FIRST:
- Begin trauma-focused therapy immediately
- Ensure the client's immediate physical safety and stabilize acute intoxication (Correct answer)
- Contact the alleged abuser to gather collateral information
- Discharge the client until they are sober
Correct answer: Ensure the client's immediate physical safety and stabilize acute intoxication
Physical safety and medical stabilization must be addressed before any counseling intervention can be effective.
Question 5: The SLAP formula used in suicide risk assessment stands for:
- Severity, Lethality, Accessibility, Proximity to help
- Specificity, Lethality, Availability of means, Proximity (timeline) (Correct answer)
- Seriousness, Level of distress, Ability to cope, Plan
- Suicidal intent, Location, Access to weapons, Precipitating event
Correct answer: Specificity, Lethality, Availability of means, Proximity (timeline)
SLAP evaluates the Specificity of the plan, Lethality of chosen method, Availability of means, and Proximity (how soon the act would occur).
Question 6: When applying the equilibrium model to crisis intervention, the goal is to:
- Eliminate all stressors from the client's environment
- Help the client regain a state of homeostasis disrupted by the precipitating event (Correct answer)
- Teach the client advanced coping skills for future crises
- Process childhood trauma underlying the current crisis
Correct answer: Help the client regain a state of homeostasis disrupted by the precipitating event
The equilibrium model views crisis as a disruption of homeostasis and defines intervention success as restoring the client's functional balance.
Question 7: A client in opioid crisis intervention repeatedly returns to the same crisis state. This pattern MOST likely suggests:
- The counselor is using inappropriate techniques
- Unresolved underlying issues such as trauma, co-occurring disorders, or inadequate coping resources (Correct answer)
- The client is deliberately manipulating the treatment system
- Crisis intervention is contraindicated for opioid use disorder
Correct answer: Unresolved underlying issues such as trauma, co-occurring disorders, or inadequate coping resources
Recurrent crisis often indicates unresolved co-occurring conditions, trauma history, or a lack of adequate coping resources that require deeper ongoing treatment.
CADC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Crisis Intervention Strategies 3
Which of the following BEST describes 'psychological first aid' in the context of addiction crisis intervention?