Crisis Intervention Learning Contract
B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
This study group discusses the concepts and issues raised in crisis intervention. You will develop the skills inherent in assessment, management and resolution of crises as well as an overview of the types of crises that can confront almost anyone, including terrorist attack, traumatic injury, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, suicide prevention, post-traumatic stress syndrome and the development of severe mental illness. Development an awareness of how a crisis differs from a difficult situation will be addressed as well as models for assessing and dealing with people in crisis. The centrality of personal understanding and reflection to the crisis worker's interactions will be emphasized through group discussion and experiential reports the student will be asked to submit. All annotated written work is to be given to the mentor by the last meeting and will be returned to the student upon completion of the study.
Specific Learning activities include:
1. This study will use the college's online communication platform, the Angel system. Your first assignment is to take the Angel tutorial for students by going to www.esc.edu/ole and clicking on the student tutorial. Students will be submitting weekly questions on the reading through the Angel platform. These questions will form the basis for in-class discussion. You are responsible for reading your classmates questions each week and incorporating as much as possible into your weekly group discussion. You are not required to discuss each others questions online, only to read them and keep them in mind for the group meetings.
2. Write a 2-3 page typewritten paper about your initial experience of the September 11 attack. Include a brief statement of where you were, how you found out, what you were doing, and the thoughts and feelings that you experienced. Comment on whether this experience changed since the disaster occurred. This paper will be submitted in hard copy form to the instructor during the second study group meeting. In addition, students who wish to post their experience for others to read may do so on the Angel platform.
3. Read James, R.K. and Gilliland, B.E. (2008). Crisis Intervention Strategies(Sixth Edition) according to the syllabus.
4. Read Jamison, K.R. An Unquiet Mind, and Amador, X. I Am not Sick; I Don't Need Help.Write a one page critical review of each book.
5. Active discussion of readings and practical application of concepts during group discussion. Write one question on each chapter per week to be handed in and used as the basis of class discussion --hand in a running question log of your questions at the last group meeting.
6. Complete and submit triage assessment form.
7. Take at least one test on the six step model.
8. Sign up to be on a team of four with three other classmates. Choose a captain for your team (team captains will receive extra credit), divide up the work and complete together a final term project in which you explore in-depth and write a research paper on a particular issue in crisis intervention. This paper should be no more than 10 pages long with at least 6 professional source references. It must be written in APA style. There will be one grade per paper that each team will receive. Teamwork is an essential part of crisis work. Your evaluation will include consideration of your ability to be an effective team member. Each team will submit their paper to the Angel Drop Box as well as a hard copy to the instructor.
9. Complete a final reflective paper that highlights what in you has changed through this study: What you have learned, how your experience of crises or people in crisis has changed, what do you need continued work on in order to continue to develop yourself in this area. In addition, talk about the experience of working on a team under pressure and what that taught you about others and yourself. Submit this paper to the Drop Box in Angel.
C. METHOD AND CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
Evaluation will be based on the completion and quality of the learning activities, demonstrating grasp of the concepts and their importance in structuring effective crisis intervention. Quality of references and proper use of APA style will be considered in the evaluation.