Crisis Intervention Model

The suicide of Aaron Hernandez caught many to surprise and has not left many of his family members, friends, and the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Staff in distraught and in possible need of crisis intervention. Perhaps more could have been to assess Aaron Hernandez for signs of suicide, but now the focus is on those who are alive, to ensure that they are properly assisted with their feelings about this events and many others like it.
The Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model was created by Albert R. Roberts to be able to provide crisis intervention and assessment. These seven stages I what Roberts believes is what clients go through on the “road to crisis stabilization, resolution, and mastery” (Albert & Allen, n.d.). Roberts believes that
In Stage III: Identify the Major Problems or Crisis Precipitants, the crisis worker is assessing what the major feelings and problems are arising after the traumatic event. At the same time, if there are more than one problems, prioritizing which problem should be addressed first. At this time the crisis worker is looking out for ways that the client is coping with the current events. With Stage IV: Deal With Feelings and Emotions techniques as the crisis worker is helping the client come to terms with their feelings and emotions with the addressed problems cause by the current events. The clients should be allowed to properly express themselves about the situation in any way that they would like. Egan's believes that that there the crisis worker must be familiar with ‘‘active listening’’ skills like paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, and probing” (2002). By being familiar with these techniques, a client’s story and the assessment will flow much effectively and allow for the healing process to begin. Roberts states that the challenge begins when the crisis worker needs to implement crisis-counseling dialogue with the client. The crisis worker must be able to provide information, reframing, interpretations, and even play devil’s advocate to the client. If done appropriately, the crisis work is able to “help to loosen clients’ maladaptive beliefs and to consider other behavioral options” (Albert & Allen,
In the example of the current event, the clinician may be able to implement a no-suicide contract or even a brief hospitalizations for those who were closer to Aaron Hernandez. Perhaps family members or close friends may be at risk for increased thoughts or feelings of suicide. Alternatives must be found with the client to ensure the clients safety and well being in their road to recovery. It is important for the client to “own” the alternatives, so that they feel empowered in their road to recovery. In Stage VI: Implement and Action Plan is when the clinician and client put together into action what was decided in the previous stage. Roberts describes that in the case of someone who is suicidal the following elements should be implemented to assist them: removing any means, negotiating safety, future linkage to contacts, decreasing anxiety and sleep loss, decreasing isolation, and if need hospitalization. In this stage the crisis worker must also help the client find meaning in this event. “Working through the meaning of the event is important for gaining mastery over the situation and for being able to cope with similar situations in the future” (Albert & Allen, n.d.). It is hoped that the client has gained an understanding and coping skills to be able to assist them if feelings of this even arise once more.
In the final Stage VII: Follow-Up,