CAT CAT Crisis Intervention and Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'duty to warn' require an addiction counseling professional to do?
- Warn clients about the side effects of all medications
- Take steps to protect an identifiable third party from a credible threat made by a client (Correct answer)
- Notify law enforcement of all substance use activity
- Report all relapses to the client's employer
Correct answer: Take steps to protect an identifiable third party from a credible threat made by a client
Duty to warn, derived from Tarasoff v. Regents, requires clinicians to take protective action when a client poses a credible, specific threat to an identifiable person.
Question 2: Which level of suicide risk requires the MOST immediate clinical response and possible hospitalization?
- Low risk with vague passive ideation
- Moderate risk with intermittent ideation and no plan
- High risk with specific plan, means, and intent (Correct answer)
- Minimal risk with no current ideation
Correct answer: High risk with specific plan, means, and intent
High-risk clients who have a specific plan, access to means, and stated intent require immediate intervention, which may include hospitalization.
Question 3: A client reports returning to alcohol use after a period of abstinence. How should the addiction technician respond?
- Immediately discharge the client for violating program rules
- Respond with empathy, document the relapse, and inform clinical staff for treatment plan review (Correct answer)
- Shame the client to motivate future abstinence
- Ignore the disclosure to avoid upsetting the client
Correct answer: Respond with empathy, document the relapse, and inform clinical staff for treatment plan review
Relapse is addressed with empathy and clinical review, not punishment—it is a common part of the recovery process that requires treatment adjustment.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a trauma-informed crisis response?
- Using physical restraints as a first option to control behavior
- Approaching the client with calm, choice, and transparency to minimize retraumatization (Correct answer)
- Demanding the client explain their behavior before receiving help
- Separating the client from all staff and leaving them alone to calm down
Correct answer: Approaching the client with calm, choice, and transparency to minimize retraumatization
Trauma-informed care during crisis emphasizes safety, trustworthiness, and choice to avoid retraumatizing vulnerable individuals.
Question 5: What is the primary goal of de-escalation techniques when working with a client in emotional crisis?
- To punish the client for disruptive behavior
- To reduce the intensity of the crisis and restore the client's ability to engage in rational communication (Correct answer)
- To physically restrain the client quickly
- To terminate the client's enrollment in the program
Correct answer: To reduce the intensity of the crisis and restore the client's ability to engage in rational communication
De-escalation aims to lower emotional intensity so the client can engage constructively with support and problem-solving.
Question 6: An addiction technician suspects a client is experiencing stimulant intoxication. Which symptoms would support this concern?
- Extreme drowsiness, slurred speech, and low heart rate
- Agitation, elevated heart rate, sweating, and paranoia (Correct answer)
- Severe nausea, muscle cramps, and tearfulness
- Euphoria, sedation, and slowed breathing
Correct answer: Agitation, elevated heart rate, sweating, and paranoia
Stimulant intoxication commonly presents with agitation, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and paranoia requiring medical monitoring.
CAT CAT Crisis Intervention and Safety 2
What does the term 'duty to warn' require an addiction counseling professional to do?