CASAC Crisis Intervention Strategies 4

Question 1

A client in opiate withdrawal becomes agitated and threatens to leave the detox unit against medical advice. What is the counselor's FIRST priority?

Accepted Answer

Engage the client calmly and explore their concerns about staying

Answer

Therapeutic engagement that addresses the client's concerns is the first step to de-escalate the situation and encourage voluntary cooperation.

Question 2

Which lethality assessment tool is specifically designed to evaluate suicide risk in substance-using populations by incorporating substance use factors?

Accepted Answer

Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

Answer

The C-SSRS is widely validated and recommended across clinical settings, including substance abuse treatment, because it assesses ideation intensity, behavior, and intent comprehensively.

Question 3

A client discloses that their domestic partner destroys their medications when angry. In crisis intervention, this pattern is BEST classified as:

Accepted Answer

Situational crisis related to financial stress

Answer

Domestic violence that disrupts treatment is a situational crisis because it arises from an external, identifiable event rather than a developmental or psychiatric cause.

Question 4

During a crisis call, a client says 'I've already taken the pills.' The counselor's immediate action should be to:

Accepted Answer

Dispatch emergency services while keeping the client on the line

Answer

A completed overdose is a medical emergency; dispatching EMS immediately while maintaining verbal contact is the only appropriate response.

Question 5

The ABC Model of Crisis Intervention focuses on Affect, Behavior, and Cognition. In the 'C' step, the counselor's goal is to:

Accepted Answer

Help the client reframe distorted thinking that is maintaining the crisis

Answer

In the ABC model, the Cognition step targets irrational or distorted beliefs that amplify the crisis state so the client can regain cognitive control.

CASAC - Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Practice Test

CASAC - Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Practice Test

CASAC Crisis Intervention Strategies 4