Vignette: Collaborative Crisis Intervention at a Domestic Violence Shelter
Order Description
Course Text: James, R. K. & Gilliland, B.E. (2013). Crisis intervention strategies (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole
Readings
Course Text: Crisis Intervention Strategies
Review Chapter 5, “Crisis Case Handling”
Review Chapter 17, “Disaster Response”
Article: Lauer, M., & Brownstein, R. (2008). Replacing the revolving door: A collaborative approach to treating individuals in crisis. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing
& Mental Health Services, 46(6), 25–32.
Use the PsycINFO database.
In this article, the authors examine the positive effects of the implementation of CAPES, a Crisis Assessment and Psychiatric Emergency Services unit in Delaware
hospitals. The CAPES unit approaches the treatment of those experiencing mental health crises from a collaborative standpoint.
Article: Plichta, S. B., Vandecar-Burdin, T., Odor, R. K., Reams, S., & Zhang, Y. (2006). The emergency department and victims of sexual violence: An assessment of
preparedness to help. Journal of Health & Human Services Administration, 29(3), 285–308.
Use the Academic Search Complete database.
This article analyzes the needs of sexual assault victims and examines how hospital emergency departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia typically do or do not
adequately address these needs. The authors make a recommendation for the development of Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART), which work with emergency departments
and allow for the provision of comprehensive, continuing care for victims.
Article: American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
Article: American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Article: National Organization for Human Services. (1996). Council for standards in human service education. Retrieved from
https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43
Application: Vignette: Collaborative Crisis Intervention at a Domestic Violence Shelter
The collaborative nature of crisis intervention benefits clients in a variety of ways, but can also bring up various ethical issues and considerations. Human services
professionals often are privy to the most personal, sensitive aspects of clients’ lives. When a client’s situation calls for collaboration, it may be unavoidable that
some of these details are shared with other parties, whether they are medical professionals, police officers, lawyers, or employees in government agencies. In some
cases, human services professionals may be able to secure the services or help of other people or organizations while maintaining the confidentiality of their clients’
identities. In other cases, this may not be possible and it is thus the job of the human services professional to maintain the utmost in sensitivity and discretion.
Guidelines from organizations including the National Organization for Human Services, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counseling Association
can help human services professionals navigate this complicated ethical terrain. Above all, human services professionals have the responsibility to treat clients with
respect, empathy, and nonjudgmental acceptance. They must keep the details of their interactions with clients confidential, except when these interactions indicate
that the client or someone else is in immediate danger.
To prepare for this assignment:
Review the articles, “Replacing the Revolving Door: A Collaborative Approach to Treating Individuals in Crisis ” and “The Emergency Department and Victims of Sexual
Violence: An Assessment of Preparedness to Help,” noting how the principles of collaborative crisis intervention presented in these articles might be applied to other
crisis situations.
Review Chapter 5 in your course text, Crisis Intervention Strategies, paying particular attention to the legal, ethical, and moral principles of confidentiality in
case handling.
Review the National Organization for Human Services’ “Council for Standards in Human Service Education,” the American Psychological Association’s “Ethical Principles
of Psychologists and Code of Conduct,” and the American Counseling Association’s “ACA Code of Ethics,” noting the ethical considerations that should be taken into
account when working on a collaborative crisis intervention.
Read the vignette that follows. As you read, consider the collaborative aspects of working at a domestic violence shelter, the challenges you might encounter in
facilitating this collaboration, and the ethical issues that might arise.
***Vignette: Working at a Domestic Violence Shelter
You are a case worker in a domestic violence shelter. You assist shelter residents with identifying community resources that they need. Such resources may include
legal and law enforcement aid, transportation services, medical care, and other functions of living. Your shelter provides housing for the battered women and men as
well as their children. The agency also provides individual, family, and group counseling services
***The assignment:
Identify the community partners with whom you might collaborate to provide services to your residents, and, for each, explain why this collaborative relationship might
be necessary.
Explain the role you might play and the actions you might take in facilitating these relationships.
Explain which services might be most challenging to provide to shelter residents, assuming this shelter is located in your community, and why.
Explain at least two specific ethical issues you might consider or have to address while working with the shelter residents.
