CRSS Crisis Support and Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor is considered MOST protective against suicide in individuals with substance use disorders?
- Complete abstinence from all substances for at least one year
- Strong social support and sense of connection to others (Correct answer)
- Participation in a 12-step program exclusively
- A history of prior psychiatric hospitalization
Correct answer: Strong social support and sense of connection to others
Social connectedness is one of the strongest protective factors against suicide across all populations, including those with substance use disorders.
Question 2: A peer specialist learns that a peer they serve was recently a victim of domestic violence. In a trauma-informed crisis framework, the specialist should FIRST:
- Immediately contact law enforcement on the peer's behalf
- Acknowledge what the peer shared, validate their experience, and ask how they can best be supported (Correct answer)
- Schedule an emergency psychiatric evaluation without the peer's input
- Advise the peer to leave their home immediately for their safety
Correct answer: Acknowledge what the peer shared, validate their experience, and ask how they can best be supported
Trauma-informed response prioritizes acknowledgment, validation, and centering the survivor's voice before taking action.
Question 3: When a peer's safety plan includes the step 'call a trusted friend,' the peer specialist should ensure:
- The peer can recite the step from memory without a written copy
- The peer has the friend's contact information readily accessible and the friend is aware of their role (Correct answer)
- The step is approved by the peer's psychiatrist before being added
- The friend is a licensed mental health professional
Correct answer: The peer has the friend's contact information readily accessible and the friend is aware of their role
A safety plan step is only actionable if the peer has current contact info for the support person and that person knows they may be called.
Question 4: Which statement BEST describes the relationship between relapse and crisis for individuals in recovery?
- Relapse is always a medical emergency requiring hospitalization
- Relapse can increase vulnerability to crisis, including overdose and suicidal ideation (Correct answer)
- Relapse indicates the peer is not committed to recovery and should be discharged
- Relapse and crisis are unrelated events that require separate support systems
Correct answer: Relapse can increase vulnerability to crisis, including overdose and suicidal ideation
Relapse increases risk for overdose, shame, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation — making crisis support highly relevant in relapse situations.
Question 5: A peer specialist is the first to respond when a peer calls saying they have just taken a large number of pills. The IMMEDIATE action is to:
- Ask the peer to describe their feelings about recovery before calling for help
- Call 911 or direct emergency services to the peer's location immediately (Correct answer)
- Schedule an urgent next-day appointment to process what happened
- Contact the peer's sponsor and wait for their guidance
Correct answer: Call 911 or direct emergency services to the peer's location immediately
A possible overdose is a medical emergency; contacting emergency services immediately is the only appropriate first response.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of appropriate self-disclosure by a peer specialist during a crisis?
- Sharing extensive personal details about their own worst crisis to shift attention from the peer
- Briefly mentioning that they have also felt hopeless and that support helped them get through it (Correct answer)
- Disclosing the names of their previous treatment providers to build rapport
- Sharing graphic details of their own past substance use to demonstrate understanding
Correct answer: Briefly mentioning that they have also felt hopeless and that support helped them get through it
Brief, purposeful self-disclosure that normalizes struggle and models hope is appropriate; extensive or graphic disclosure centers the specialist and can harm the peer.
Question 7: In the context of CRSS, 'Psychological First Aid' (PFA) is best described as:
- A formal psychotherapy approach requiring clinical licensure
- An evidence-informed approach to support people in the immediate aftermath of crisis by promoting safety, calm, and connection (Correct answer)
- A medication protocol for managing acute psychiatric symptoms
- A legal framework for involuntary psychiatric holds
Correct answer: An evidence-informed approach to support people in the immediate aftermath of crisis by promoting safety, calm, and connection
PFA is an evidence-informed, non-clinical approach focusing on practical comfort, safety, and connection in the immediate aftermath of a crisis or disaster.
CRSS Crisis Support and Safety 5
Which factor is considered MOST protective against suicide in individuals with substance use disorders?