
Crisis Response and Information Services Definition
Purpose
Crisis Response and Information Services operate as part of the community's crisis response system to provide immediate, dependable responses and reliable information to promote safety and stability for the individual in crisis.Definition
Interpretation
Stabilization is a combination of methods used to return the service recipient to his or her pre-crisis level of functioning, including:- identifying the precipitating event;
- mobilizing support and resources;
- identifying coping skills; and
- developing plans to ensure safety.
Note:An organization that provides education and support groups as part of its Crisis Response and Information Service will also complete the Coaching, Support, and Education Services (CSE) section.
Note:Please see CRI Reference List for the research that informed the development of these standards.
Note:For information about changes made in the 2020 Edition, please see the CRI Crosswalk.
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 1: Person-Centered Logic Model
- needs the program will address;
- available human, financial, organizational, and community resources (i.e. inputs);
- program activities intended to bring about desired results;
- program outputs (i.e. the size and scope of services delivered);
- desired outcomes (i.e. the changes you expect to see in service recipients); and
- expected long-term impact on the organization, community, and/or system.
Examples: Information that may be used to inform the development of the program logic model includes, but is not limited to:
- needs assessments;
- risk assessments; and
- the best available evidence of service effectiveness.
Logic models have been implemented for all programs and the organization has identified at least two outcomes for all its programs.
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- Logic models need improvement or clarification; or
- Logic models are still under development for some of its programs, but are completed for all high-risk programs such as protective services, foster care, residential treatment, etc.; or
- At least one client outcome has been identified for all of its programs; or
- All but a few staff have been trained on use of therapeutic interventions and training is scheduled for the rest; or
- With few exceptions the policy on prohibited interventions is understood by staff, or the written policy needs minor clarification.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Logic models need significant improvement; or
- Logic models are still under development for a majority of programs; or
- A logic model has not been developed for one or more high-risk programs; or
- Outcomes have not been identified for one or more programs; or
- Several staff have not been trained on the use of therapeutic interventions; or
- There are gaps in monitoring of therapeutic interventions, as required; or
- There is no process for identifying risks associated with use of therapeutic interventions; or
- Policy on prohibited interventions does not include at least one of the required elements.
- Logic models have not been developed or implemented; or
- Outcomes have not been identified for any programs; or
- There is no written policy or procedures for the use of therapeutic interventions; or
- Procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation on therapeutic interventions is routinely incomplete and/or missing; or
- There is evidence that clients have been harmed by inappropriate or unmonitored use of therapeutic interventions.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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No On-Site Evidence
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Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 2: Personnel
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- With some exceptions, staff (direct service providers, supervisors, and program managers) possess the required qualifications, including education, experience, training, skills, temperament, etc., but the integrity of the service is not compromised; or
- Supervisors provide additional support and oversight, as needed, to the few staff without the listed qualifications; or
- Most staff who do not meet educational requirements are seeking to obtain them; or
- With few exceptions, staff have received required training, including applicable specialized training; or
- Training curricula are not fully developed or lack depth; or
- Training documentation is consistently maintained and kept up-to-date with some exceptions; or
- A substantial number of supervisors meet the requirements of the standard, and the organization provides training and/or consultation to improve competencies when needed; or
- With few exceptions, caseload sizes are consistently maintained as required by the standards or as required by internal policy when caseload has not been set by a standard; or
- Workloads are such that staff can effectively accomplish their assigned tasks and provide quality services and are adjusted as necessary; or
- Specialized services are obtained as required by the standards.
- A significant number of staff (direct service providers, supervisors, and program managers) do not possess the required qualifications, including education, experience, training, skills, temperament, etc.; and as a result, the integrity of the service may be compromised; or
- Job descriptions typically do not reflect the requirements of the standards, and/or hiring practices do not document efforts to hire staff with required qualifications when vacancies occur; or
- Supervisors do not typically provide additional support and oversight to staff without the listed qualifications; or
- A significant number of staff have not received required training, including applicable specialized training; or
- Training documentation is poorly maintained; or
- A significant number of supervisors do not meet the requirements of the standard, and the organization makes little effort to provide training and/or consultation to improve competencies; or
- There are numerous instances where caseload sizes exceed the standards' requirements or the requirements of internal policy when a caseload size is not set by the standard; or
- Workloads are excessive, and the integrity of the service may be compromised; or
- Specialized staff are typically not retained as required and/or many do not possess the required qualifications; or
- Specialized services are infrequently obtained as required by the standards.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CRI 2.01
CRI 2.02
CRI 2.03
- an individual with an advanced degree in human services and appropriate certification and/or licensure by the designated authority in their state is available to provide clinical supervisory guidance to direct service personnel;
- crisis hotline personnel have immediate access to clinical supervision, when applicable; and
- procedures outline how to access this clinical support.
CRI 2.04
- assessing for and responding to suicide risk;
- special issues regarding age, substance use and mental health conditions, developmental disabilities, and other needs typically presented by the service population;
- prevention of compassion fatigue or “burn-out;"
- procedures for making referrals to, or providing information on, community resources;
- interview techniques;
- handling emergencies including assessing needs in crisis situations, de-escalation techniques, and situations that may require consultation with supervising or cooperating professionals or the police;
- laws governing disclosure of suspected abuse or other criminal behavior;
- organization policy reconciling the principles of consumer confidentiality and the requirements of the law; and
- documentation requirements.
CRI 2.05
- helping direct service personnel process and debrief following a crisis or traumatic event;
- building and maintaining morale;
- providing constructive ways for direct service personnel to approach difficult situations with service recipients; and
- facilitating a structure for ongoing communication and collaboration among personnel.
CRI 2.06
CRI 2.07
- the qualifications, competencies, and experience of the worker including level of supervision needed;
- the work and time required to accomplish assigned tasks and job responsibilities; and
- service volume, accounting for assessed level of needs of persons served.
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 3: Intake and Assessment
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- In a few rare instances, urgent needs were not prioritized; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Culturally responsive assessments are the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Urgent needs are often not prioritized; or
- Services are frequently not initiated in a timely manner; or
- Applicants are not receiving referrals, as appropriate; or
- Assessment and reassessment timeframes are often missed; or
- Assessments are sometimes not sufficiently individualized;
- Culturally responsive assessments are not the norm, and this is not being addressed in supervision or training; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent; or
- Intake or assessment is done by another organization or referral source and no documentation and/or summary of required information is present in case record.
- There are no written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CRI 3.01
- hours of operation;
- how to access the organization’s services; and
- whether crisis services have a particular focus (e.g. mental health or rape crisis intervention).
CRI 3.02
CRI 3.03
- gather information necessary to identify critical service needs and/or determine when a more intensive service is necessary; and
- support timely initiation of services or an appropriate referral when individuals cannot be served, or cannot be served promptly.
CRI 3.04
- if the individual is in imminent danger;
- potential lethality including harm to one’s self or others and risk for suicide;
- the individual’s emotional status and imminent psychosocial needs;
- individual strengths and available coping mechanisms; and
- resources that can increase service participation and success.
Interpretation: Some crisis intervention services, such as mobile crisis units, should include a more thorough psychosocial assessment. This is likely to occur when the treatment provided is much more extensive including the prescribing of medication by a physician.
Interpretation: The Assessment Matrix - Private, Public, Canadian, Network determines which level of assessment is required for COA’s Service Sections. The assessment elements of the Matrix can be tailored according to the needs of specific individuals or service design.
CRI 3.05
- suicidal desire;
- capability;
- intent; and
- buffers/protective factors.
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 4: Crisis Intervention Services
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CRI 4.01
- provide intervention and stabilization;
- work with the person to develop an action plan;
- work with the person to develop a safety plan, as needed, once it has been determined that no immediate emergency intervention is required;
- never utilize “no suicide contracts” or “no-harm contracts;"
- refer or connect individuals with appropriate resources; and
- follow up with each person within 24 hours, when appropriate.
Interpretation: No-suicide contracts are based on a verbal or written agreement by the service recipient to not engage in self-harm or suicidal acts during a specific timeframe. Research does not support this practice or show that these agreements are effective at preventing suicides, nor have they been found to provide protection against malpractice lawsuits.
Interpretation: In cases of individuals at risk for suicide, every effort should be made to follow up within 24 hours after the initial contact.
CRI 4.02
CRI 4.03
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 5: Additional Requirements for Crisis Hotline Services
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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No Self-Study Evidence
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CRI 5.01
CRI 5.02
CRI 5.03
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 6: Community Connections and Coordination
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CRI 6.01
- police and fire departments;
- hospital emergency rooms;
- mental and physical health crisis teams; and
- child and adult protective services.
CRI 6.02
CRI 6.03
- name, location, and telephone number;
- contact person;
- services offered;
- languages offered;
- fee structure; and
- eligibility requirements.
Crisis Response and Information Services (CRI) 7: Community Needs Assessment
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CRI 7.01
CRI 7.02
- collecting data on service use;
- evaluating referral resources on an ongoing basis to assess the safety, quality, and effectiveness of services provided; and
- reviewing quality data quarterly.