Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Seite 70

Practice Issues

Dear Social Service Practitioners,
Being able to carry out crisis intervention work is one of the basic skills that
social workers are trained for. But what exactly does this involve? Oftentimes,
the context for delivering help or intervention matters and a social worker
will be quick to learn that it is not simply about applying a set of steps
from a standard operating procedure. Different contexts would require
different kinds of intervention and response. For example, in the area of
child protection, the intervention and support of the police are oftentimes
central to the safeguarding of the interest of children. In the area of elder
abuse and neglect, the key intervention would be to get them to accede to
receive medical help when needed.

Recognising abnormal behaviour
There are a variety of situations that call for an emergency response. However,
most of them tend to involve mental illness or mental health concerns.
While only trained mental health professionals can diagnose mental
illnesses, frontline social workers are expected to recognize behaviours that
are indicative of a person suffering from a mental illness or in crisis, with a
special emphasis on those that suggest potential violence and/or danger.
Responding to situations involving such individuals requires a crisis team to
make difficult judgments about the mental state and intent of the individual.
It often requires intervention with the support of the police who may use
special police skills, techniques, and abilities to effectively and appropriately
resolve the situation, while avoiding unnecessary violence and potential civil
liability.
The goal in such contexts is to de-escalate situations safely for all individuals
involved when it is reasonable, practical, and consistent with established
safety priorities. De-escalation refers to a deliberate attempt to reduce
the necessity or intensity of force to resolve a confrontation. The aim is
to attempt to resolve such incidents in as constructive and as humane a
manner as possible.

Assessing Risk
A team responding to a crisis should first assess the risk to themselves,
the person involved, and any other people involved before determining a
course of action. Many persons affected by mental illness or in crisis are not
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