A crisis is a short-term, extremely distressing situation with the potential to lead to negative outcomes (Linehan, 2014). Mental health crises create a strong urge to act, often in unhelpful ways, and an individual may be at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or experiencing decreased functioning (Brister, 2018). Different stimuli result in crises for different people with culture playing a strong role in how meaning is attributed to a stressor, how a crisis is interpreted, and how individuals and communities express reactions to crises (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Possible stressors, including those that may be linked to traumatic experiences, will be identified along with signs of a mental health crisis and trauma informed approaches for de-escalation. Components of culturally competent crisis response including acknowledgment and acceptance of cultural differences to facilitate immediate trust and rapport will be reviewed (Hernandez et al., 2015). 

Format

Enduring webinar 

Learning Objectives

• Define and recognize a mental health crisis, as well as evaluate potential triggers and signs. 
• Identify and incorporate evidenced based tools and resources for managing distress and coping with crisis reactions.  
• Differentiate culturally competent crisis management strategies from those that are not. 

Target Audience

Counselor, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Social Worker, Peer Specialist/Peer Support

Instructional Level

Introductory, Intermediate  

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour 
Program Start Date: February 10, 2023
Program End Date: February 10, 2026

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board

After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through SMI Adviser's Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.

How to Earn Credit 

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, CE credit for social workers, or a certificate of participation may do so by viewing the live presentation and completing the evaluation. Participants claiming CE credit for psychologists and those claiming CE credit for social workers, must have full attendance to claim credit. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), CE certificate (social workers) or certificate of participation (other disciplines) showing the event date and hours earned.

Continuing Education Credit 

Physicians 

In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

Physicians 

The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Psychologists 

Social Workers  

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, American Psychiatric Association (APA) is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. APA maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1 social work continuing education credits.

Planning Committee and Faculty Disclosures

Faculty Disclosures

• Jason Phillip, LCSW has over a decade of experience in the mental health profession and currently serves as an adjunct professor at Fayetteville State University. Jason is considered an expert in evidence-based treatment, certified in prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. Jason earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University, Master of Social Work from University of Michigan, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Social Work at Barry University. Jason has extensive experience working with individuals to address trauma, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal issues. Jason has worked in many settings throughout his career to include community mental health, college universities, grief and loss, psychiatric inpatient units, and held many positions within the federal government (Department of Defense and VA healthcare organizations). Jason has served as Clinical Director for multiple embedded behavioral health clinics on military installations and frequently provides consultation to corporate organizations to strengthen employee wellness and facilitate mental health initiatives. Jason has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  

Planning Committee

• Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  
• Amy Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cohen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• Sherin Khan, LCSW, Thresholds. Ms. Khan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact smiadviserhelp@psych.org for technical assistance