Description

In this training, participants will explore key concepts related to mental health crises, including the distinction between mental health and mental illness, risk factors that contribute to crises, and best practices for crisis intervention. The session will provide an in-depth understanding of the role of 988 as an essential resource for mental health emergencies, strategies for assessing crisis risk, and practical de-escalation techniques to ensure safety. Through real-world applications, participants will learn how to respond effectively to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and connect them with appropriate support services.

Target Audience

This training video will be helpful to:

Behavioral health professionals
Crisis hotline operators and mobile crisis team members
Individuals supporting peer-driven recovery

Learning Outcomes

After completing this training, you will be to:

Role of Peer Specialists: Understand the unique contributions of peer specialists in behavioral health settings, including their ability to foster hope, connection, and recovery for individuals facing mental health challenges.
Peer-Led Interventions: Explore the development and application of evidence-based interventions led by peer specialists, focusing on their role in reducing suicide risk and supporting post-crisis recovery.
Integration into Crisis Teams: Identify effective strategies for integrating peer specialists into 988 suicide hotlines and mobile crisis teams, emphasizing their role in fostering mutuality and empathy in crisis response.
Support and Advancement: Examine the tools, training, and administrative supports necessary for peer specialists to succeed in behavioral health roles and advance within their career paths.
Differentiate Between Mental Health and Mental Illness:
Understand Corey Keyes' model of mental health and mental illness as separate but related continua, recognizing that individuals can experience flourishing mental health despite having a mental illness, or struggle with languishing mental health without a diagnosable condition.
Utilize Crisis Resources Effectively:
Explain why 988 is the preferred emergency contact for mental health crises, highlighting its role in providing direct access to trained professionals and minimizing unnecessary law enforcement involvement.
Identify Key Risk Factors for Mental Health Crises:
Assess major contributors to mental health crises, such as chronic stress, inadequate coping mechanisms, and lack of social support, and distinguish these from less immediate risk factors.
Apply Effective De-escalation Techniques:
Demonstrate how to use active listening, emotional validation, and a calm presence to de-escalate mental health crises while avoiding counterproductive responses such as giving unsolicited advice or engaging in debates.

Key Topics

Research on peer support effectiveness in crisis settings
Crisis prevention and de-escalation strategies
Recovery tools: Wellness Recovery Action Plan and psychiatric advance directives
Designing individualized plans for wellness, crisis support, and post-crisis recovery