CRSS - Certified Recovery Support Specialist Crisis Support and Safety Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A peer you are supporting becomes highly agitated and is speaking in a loud, aggressive tone. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial de-escalation technique for a CRSS to use?
- Firmly tell the peer to calm down and lower their voice.
- Maintain direct eye contact to show you are not intimidated.
- Respect their personal space and use a calm, non-judgmental tone. (Correct answer)
- Immediately call for your supervisor to handle the situation.
Correct answer: Respect their personal space and use a calm, non-judgmental tone.
Effective de-escalation begins with managing your own response and the environment. Respecting personal space reduces perceived threats, and a calm, non-judgmental tone helps to lower the emotional intensity of the situation without being confrontational. Telling someone to calm down can feel dismissive, and intense eye contact can be perceived as challenging. While involving a supervisor might become necessary, it is not the first step.
Question 2: A CRSS is collaboratively developing a safety plan with a peer who has a history of suicidal ideation. Which of the following is an essential component to include in the plan?
- A list of reasons why their negative feelings are irrational.
- Contact information for the CRSS's personal phone for 24/7 support.
- A detailed schedule of mandatory daily activities the peer must follow.
- A list of the peer's own internal coping strategies and supportive contacts. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A list of the peer's own internal coping strategies and supportive contacts.
A collaborative safety plan is person-centered and focuses on the individual's strengths and resources. It should be written in the person's own words and include their identified coping skills, supportive people they can contact, and professionals they can reach out to during a crisis. The other options are either not collaborative, violate professional boundaries, or are overly prescriptive.
Question 3: During a support session, a peer discloses that their child has unexplained bruises, and they are worried their partner may be responsible. The peer asks the CRSS not to tell anyone. What is the CRSS's legal and ethical obligation?
- Maintain confidentiality as requested by the peer to preserve trust.
- Advise the peer to report the situation themselves but take no further action.
- Report the suspicion of child abuse to the appropriate authorities as a mandated reporter. (Correct answer)
- Only report the incident if the peer gives explicit permission to do so.
Correct answer: Report the suspicion of child abuse to the appropriate authorities as a mandated reporter.
In most jurisdictions, professionals working with vulnerable populations, including CRSSs, are mandated reporters. This legal duty requires them to report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the designated state agency, such as Child Protective Services. This obligation overrides the general principle of confidentiality in this specific circumstance.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the primary goal of post-crisis follow-up by a CRSS?
- To ensure the individual complied with all instructions given during the crisis.
- To reinforce stabilization and facilitate linkage to ongoing community supports. (Correct answer)
- To conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the crisis.
- To get a formal apology from the individual if their behavior was disruptive.
Correct answer: To reinforce stabilization and facilitate linkage to ongoing community supports.
The period after a crisis is a vulnerable time. The primary goal of follow-up is not punitive or investigative, but supportive. It aims to help the person maintain stability, process the event, revisit their safety or recovery plan, and ensure they are connected with the necessary long-term resources and natural supports to prevent future crises.
Question 5: A CRSS is working with a peer who is currently experiencing a non-violent crisis related to a substance use relapse. The peer is distressed but coherent. What is the most appropriate action for the CRSS to take?
- Immediately call 911 for emergency medical services.
- Share their own detailed relapse story to show the peer they are not alone.
- Provide a directive, step-by-step plan for what the peer must do next.
- Listen empathetically, validate their feelings, and explore next steps collaboratively. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Listen empathetically, validate their feelings, and explore next steps collaboratively.
In a non-life-threatening crisis, the core role of a CRSS is to provide empathetic support. This involves active listening, validating the person's distress without judgment, and then working together to explore options, which might include reviewing their recovery plan, contacting a sponsor, or connecting with clinical support. Calling 911 may be unnecessary, over-sharing can shift the focus, and providing directives undermines self-determination.
Question 6: When is it necessary for a CRSS to break confidentiality due to a safety concern, outside of mandated reporting for child or vulnerable adult abuse?
- When the peer admits to committing a minor crime in the past.
- When the peer expresses a specific, credible threat of serious harm to another identifiable person. (Correct answer)
- When the peer's family members call and ask for information about their progress.
- When the CRSS believes the peer is making a poor decision about their recovery.
Correct answer: When the peer expresses a specific, credible threat of serious harm to another identifiable person.
This scenario relates to the 'Duty to Warn' principle. While confidentiality is a cornerstone of the peer relationship, it is not absolute. If a peer makes a specific and credible threat to harm an identifiable person, the CRSS has an ethical and often legal obligation to take steps to protect the potential victim, which includes breaking confidentiality to warn the person and/or notify law enforcement.
CRSS - Certified Recovery Support Specialist Crisis Support and Safety Questions and Answers
A peer you are supporting becomes highly agitated and is speaking in a loud, aggressive tone.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial de-escalation technique for a CRSS to use?