Crisis intervention allows students and adults the opportunity to process difficult experiences, and regain emotional stability. It is an essential mental health support service to the school community.
The crisis intervention program is a direct services model. School student services teams offer support to their schools, to students, adult staff members, parents, and community members in the aftermath of a tragedy. All school psychologists and social workers have the requisite background and training in individual crisis intervention. Group crisis intervention is offered in classrooms, faculty meetings, assemblies, and the like when large numbers of people need to process the event and its impact. When the nature of the event or the extent of its impact are significant, crisis resource teams are deployed. Those teams, comprised of a trained team leader, and up to seven support team members, offer direct service, consultation, and support to affected school communities.
Crisis intervention is an essential part of support to healthy learning environments. Student services teams have assumed leadership in offering necessary support, care, and intervention to school communities in the aftermath of tragedy. Ongoing work within our schools and with outside agencies is essential to increasing our capacity to support our larger community.
