Crisis prevention is vital in saving lives and strengthening communities. It happens at multiple levels, each being vital but consisting of different components. The community level refers to services offered to residents in a certain neighborhood, town, or demographic. This level involves healthcare services, schools, and other community services.
Collaborative Care Model
As we learn more about mental illness, the healthcare field has become more open-minded to mental health therapies and has begun to recognize the mind-body connection. Many mental illnesses may result in physical complaints (such as gastrointestinal distress or increased blood pressure). We also know that serious chronic or terminal diseases, such as cancer, can have a huge impact on mental wellbeing and lead to issues like depression or anxiety. The collaborative care model recognizes these connections and advocates for integrated care for both mental and physical health. In this model, doctors and mental health professionals are encouraged to work closely together as teams to address the whole being. Doctors may also choose to study mental health in more detail while mental health professionals may receive education in basic anatomy. This results in simpler and more effective care for the patient as multiple concerns may be addressed at once.
School-Based Interventions
Adolescence is a crucial time in our lives. Children and young adults are discovering who they are and learning how to cope in a turbulent world. How we develop and learn to deal with mental health challenges in this stage sets the tone for the rest of our lives. School-based interventions are effective in helping children address mental health challenges they may face when away from home. These interventions include counselors, mental health training for teachers, and the inclusion of mental health education in health and development courses. By providing resources and education to students, we can set them up for success and prevent future complications. When crisis cannot be avoided, schools may also work with social workers, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals to ensure the safety of students – such as in the instance of reported child abuse.
Homeless Services
Another vulnerable population that is addressed at the community level are individuals facing homelessness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 21% of individuals experiencing homelessness have reported having a serious mental illness. Much like physical health, mental health and homelessness are interrelated and can contribute to each other. By addressing mental health concerns of the homeless, we can increase quality of life for these individuals and address an underlying factor of homelessness.
Crisis Intervention Teams
No matter how many services a community may have, it will not be able to prevent every crisis. However, there are things communities can do in order to keep a crisis from escalating further and to aid those experiencing crisis. Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) are made up of mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, and emergency services. Each member of the team is given special training on de-escalation and crisis management. These teams work to find the best solution to an ongoing crisis and direct the individual to the care they need quickly. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that CIT training is especially beneficial to law enforcement as it reduces arrests of individuals with mental illness and reduces the time officers spend on a mental health call. While not every community has these teams, it is becoming more and more common to find them in every state.
Final Thoughts
Community crisis prevention services are crucial to saving lives and strengthening both the community and individuals. While this list is not all inclusive, these are services that, in my opinion, help the most individuals and are most effective in focusing on general mental health. There are many other community services that focus on specific issues, such as the detox center I used to work at. The importance of such services should not be underestimated. By understanding the services offered in our community, we can utilize them and advocate for more support where needed.
For more information on community crisis prevention check out these articles and websites…
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Mental Health in Schools
Harvard Health – Collaborative Care
National Alliance on Mental Illness – Crisis Intervention Teams
National Library of Medicine – Community Interventions
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – Homelessness