Hot Sheet of Resources, Approach(es), and Important Notes on Mental Health Crisis Response

Create a 1-page “hot sheet” of resources, approach(es), and important notes to take with you for use in mental health crisis response. Also list three or four self-care activities you will use to destress and rejuvenate after responding to crisis situations. This sheet should be small enough to carry in your wallet, purse, or digitally on your phone.

Recall the mental health resources you researched in your community in Week 1.

Consider additional resources, services, and supports that you could use with individuals in crisis in future practice. These could include community mental health agencies in your area, national hotline numbers, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meeting places, etc.

Review crisis response approaches and any other important information you learned in this course, which would be useful to have at your fingertips.

My week1 Assignment:

Mental health issues affect how a person thinks, feels, relates to others, and functions daily. Mental health crises place a person at risk of hurting others or themselves and unable to function effectively within the community. Georgia is one of the states known for numerous mental health issues and crises. As a result, the state has an ardent crisis response system that includes a statewide toll-free call center operating for twenty-four hours. The call center is highly effective since it assesses callers for the intensity and urgency of crisis response (GDBHDD, n.d.). I have observed a crisis response in action at a crisis stabilization unit in the community. The patient was a teen mother having severe post-partum depression and was caught in action, just about to stab her newborn to death. The psychiatrist walked in and performed an elaborate assessment, administered antidepressants, and counseled her before enrolling her in Georgia disaster mental health services for continuity of care.

Mental health crises in Georgia are more severe among youths and teens. According to GDBHDD, one out of every eight teens suffers from depression. Additionally, 50% of mental health issues and disorders start at fourteen years old (GDBHDD, n.d.-b). With regard to these statistics, I see the need for crisis response among the youths and teens, especially those from poor backgrounds and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ).

Stigma forces people experiencing mental health issues to shy away from seeking help, worsening their conditions. It derails acceptance and causes the patients to suffer from poor self-esteem. One of the ways NAMI advocates publicly for treatment is by reducing stigma, which is done by enhancing the public’s understanding of mental issues and how they affect people (NAMI, 2018). Therefore, reducing stigma in the community would significantly improve access to care and reduce mental health crises.
References

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (GDBHDD). (n.d.). Adult Mental Health Crisis Services. l
Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (GDBHDD). (n.d.-b). Georgia Kids and Youth Face Mental Health Crisis

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2018). Navigating a Mental Health Crisis.