| The Crisis Intervention team of PWSA (USA)
has designed this section to help you respond effectively to non-medical
crisis situations.
A non-medical crisis situation can include a legal, behavioral,
school, or placement crisis. It can also include having difficulty
obtaining needed benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or
Medicaid.
Some crisis situations require more significant intervention. If that
is the case, please contact us to talk with a Crisis Counselor by
calling 1-800-926-4797 or e-mailing
kbeaver@pwsausa.org
Non-medical crisis assistance is available Monday –Friday 10AM-5PM EST
Please click on any of the links below to learn more about resources to
help you prevent or respond to a specific crisis situation.
2010 Edition of Social Security's Redbook. The
2010 edition of the Red Book, which serves as a general
reference source about employment related provisions of the
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) programs is now available in English for
review and download at
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/
|
When people are in crisis, one of
the first steps is to give them an opportunity to fully express
themselves. Sensitive listening, hearing, and understanding are
essential at this point. Being heard and understood helps ground people
in crises, helps to calm them in the midst of turmoil, and enables them
to think more clearly and make better decisions. Although a person’s
crisis is not likely to be resolved by one or two contacts with a
helper, such contacts can pave the way for being open to receiving help
later. If the person in crisis does not feel understood and accepted, he
or she may lose hope of ‘returning to normal’ and may not seek help in
the future. Genuine support, caring and non-possessive warmth can go a
long way in building bridges that can motivate people to do something to
work through and resolve a crisis. Communicating a deep sense of
understanding should always precede other more problem-solving
interventions. People in trouble do not need false reassurances that
“everything will be all right.” Yet … contact with a caring person can
do much to bring about healing.
-From “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy” by Gerald
Corey. |
