Training Crisis Hotline Volunteers Through Use Of Caller Assessment And Feedback Techniques

Effects of a training program for volunteer telephone crisis counselors at the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) were examined. The participants were 35 individuals who self-selected to participate in the NRS training to become crisis counselors. All participants filled out the NRS Knowledge Questionnaire, which assessed knowledge related to crisis intervention and comprehension of topics related to the NRS. They also responded to a standardized crisis call from the same scripted simulated call. The role plays were evaluated with the NRS Role Play Evaluation Form, which assessed specific skills related to the NRS's five-step solution focused Crisis Intervention Model. The Knowledge Questionnaire and role plays were administered pretraining, posttraining, and at the three-month follow-up period. A Training Satisfaction Survey was also administered posttraining to address the participants overall satisfaction with the program. The questions being asked were: (a) Are there any common characteristics among volunteers who do not complete training? (b) Can the volunteers be effectively trained? (c) Does the training program change the volunteers' knowledge base about the National Runaway Switchboard and the types of calls they receive? (d) Does the training program change the volunteers' crisis intervention skills? (e) How satisfied are the volunteers with the training experience? Results indicated that the NRS training program significantly increased the volunteers' crisis intervention skills and knowledge base. Significant increases were seen when comparing the pretraining scores to the posttraining scores. Volunteer skills and knowledge did not show further significant improvement as a result of three months experience. Volunteers who completed the training program were highly satisfied with the program. Although several volunteers dropped out of the training program, it was difficult to characterize and predict the individuals, suggesting the NRS does a sufficient job of training and retaining a diverse group of volunteers. Only gender and educational level were seen as significant predictors, with males and those with lower levels of education being more likely to drop out of the training program. In addition, it can be implied that retaining volunteers in the summer months may be more difficult when compared to the other months of the year.

This practical introduction to the art of interacting with crisis helpline callers will be essential to those who work, or intend to work, on a crisis line. The book is geared towards volunteers and others who initiate the crisis intervention process, when they need to accurately gauge the nature of the call and effectively engage the caller in problem-solving. The manual, in a loose-leaf binder, helps provide consistency in training on communication and listening skills. The text is designed to help telephone counselors provide an appropriate level of response and direction - but it is not written to help counselors detect underlying causes or otherwise engage in therapeutic encounters. The authors anticipate the possibility that the i

Describes the rationale and evidence for the effectiveness of various youth suicide prevention strategies. Identifies model programs that incorporate these different strategies. For use by persons who are interested in developing or augmenting suicide prevention programs in their own communities.

The field of emergency psychiatry is complex and varied, encompassing elements of general medicine, emergency medicine, trauma, acute care, the legal system, politics and bureaucracy, mental illness, substance abuse and addiction, current social issues, and more. In one comprehensive, highly regarded volume, Emergency Psychiatry: Principles and Practice brings together key principles from psychiatric subspecialties as well as from emergency medicine, psychology, law, medical ethics, and public health policy. Leading emergency psychiatrists write from their extensive clinical experience, providing evidence-based information, expert opinions, American Psychiatric Association guidelines, and case studies throughout the text. This fully up-to-date second edition covers all of the important issues facing psychiatry residents and practitioners working in today’s emergency settings, or who encounter psychiatric emergencies in other medical settings.

Build a broad fundamental knowledge of mental health concepts and disorders with Foundations of Mental Health Care, 6th Edition — perfect for students, nurses, and other health care providers. This market-leading text features new psychotropic drug content and concise explanations of adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, as well as descriptions of the most current therapeutic interventions and treatments for mental health conditions. It helps you work comfortably with clients who exhibit a wide range of maladaptive human behaviors, and apply the concepts of holistic care when assisting clients in developing more effective attitudes and behaviors. Sample Client Care Plans address how members of the health care team work collaboratively to meet client needs. Realistic case studies illustrate chapter concepts, strengthen critical thinking, and ensure you consider psychosocial aspects of therapeutic care. Critical Thinking boxes include practice scenarios and contain thought-provoking client issues and questions that stimulate critical thinking. Cultural Consideration boxes highlight cultural issues and encourage you to attend to the mental health needs of culturally diverse clients. Drug Alert boxes focus attention on medication issues and identify the risks and possible adverse reactions of psychotherapeutic medications. Key terms with phonetic pronunciations, text page references, and a comprehensive glossary strengthen your understanding of mental health terminology. Numbered chapter objectives provide a framework for the chapter content and the accompanying TEACH Lesson Plans. NEW! Content on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on mental health coverage and treatment informs you of the most current treatment options. NEW! Up-to-date coverage of the latest psychotropic medications emphasizes the most recent findings in safe pharmaceutical treatment in mental health care. EXPANDED and NEW! Increased coverage of mental health surrounding mass violence keeps you up to date on the latest issues and approaches to treatment. UPDATED! Current content on mental health issues and returning war veterans highlights mental health disorders affecting this population. NEW! Discusses emerging mental health issues surrounding usage of electronic devices and the Internet, such as addiction. NEW! Addresses updated DSM 5 diagnoses within appropriate chapters to ensure you have the latest information on new mental health diagnoses recognized by the American Psychiatric Association.

This book will further stimulate interest and discussion of the telephone and the Internet as a mode of treatment. In this extensively revised third edition, a practical framework for providing immediate problem-solving assistance by telephone to persons in crisis is provided. Several new chapters have been added and several chapters have been updated and rewritten. The text offers specific techniques to deal with out-of-control situations with the highly important initial steps to protect the caller, the crisis worker, and the community. The scope of the book includes an overview of counseling by telephone, how to effectively manage crises, how to be supportive verbally and nonverbally, how to accurately assess situations, and how to help create a sense of stability. Part I discusses the varieties of telephone services, while Part II covers crisis intervention and counseling, including telephone therapy, active listening, cognitive therapy approaches, transactional analysis and learned helplessness approaches, as well as Gestalt therapy approaches. Part III discusses a variety of problem callers: the obscene caller, the chronic caller, the silent caller, the nuisance caller, and the “one counselor” caller. A new section, Part IV—Special Topics, includes valuable information on dealing with adolescents, war veterans, rural communities, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities on campus. Part V offers a look at contact beyond the telephone, including crisis intervention by e-mail and letter. Part VI views the roles of telephone counselors, such as the mental health professional, the nonprofessional crisis worker, selecting telephone counselors, and training crisis workers. Finally, Part VII summarizes and evaluates today’s telephone counseling services. This unique and up-to-date book serves as a comprehensive tool for those setting up telephone and Internet counseling services and those in charge of centers already operating, especially in training and supervising those on the front lines, the crisis interveners.

Part of the authoritative Oxford Textbooks in Psychiatry series, the new edition of the Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention remains a key text in the field of suicidology, fully updated with new chapters devoted to major psychiatric disorders and their relation to suicide.