Prior to starting the discussion, take time to watch this video: The Suicide Crisis Line: An Education in Listening | Dylan Gunaratne | TEDxCalStateLA
TEDxTalks, director. The Suicide Crisis Line: An Education in Listening | Dylan Gunaratne | TEDxCalStateLA. YouTube, YouTube, 5 June 2017. Accessed 13 Nov. 2021. (10:50, captioned.)
Please choose one of two case studies, both focusing on suicide. The first case study, Trevor, discusses a 54-year-old white identified male who has a history of depression and has been struggling for the past few years with employment. The second case study, Michelle, focuses on a 15-year old female who is struggling with her identity. For your initial post, answer the questions for the case study you chose. Use information from the video and your readings to help support your thoughts. One of the two responses to classmates should be to the opposite case study. In this response, take the time to compare similarities and differences you noticed based on the age and situation of the client
Case Study #2: Michelle
Michelle is an African-American born-female 15-year-old who is experiencing bullying in school while questioning her identity. She is a sophomore in high school and lives with her mom and two younger brothers. Her mom is a single mom who works two jobs to support the family. Michelle describes her mom as very loving and supportive, but she feels bad bothering her because she works so hard and juggles so much. Michelle tends to keep her feelings to herself. During freshman year, she was a straight A student and the number two player on the girl’s tennis team. During her freshman year, Michelle started questioning her sexuality. She never “felt quite right” but ignored those feelings. But now she is having a hard time ignoring them. She finds herself more interested in girls and while she does not know if she identifies with boys, she always thought of herself as a “tom boy,” but generally comfortable as a girl. As a sophomore, her grades are dropping and two months ago she quite the tennis team. Her mom keeps asking her if she is ok and her mother is very worried about her, but doesn’t know what to do to help. Michelle does not want to burden her mom with her problems and is afraid of how her mom will react if she tells her she likes girls, not boys. She is thinking it would be best if she had never been born.
Michelle feels scared, alone, confused and helpless and like no one will understand. She is terrified of kids finding out what she is struggling with so she has withdrawn and in recent months started thinking about ending her life. She attempted to cut her wrists, but survived the attempt. A teacher whom she trusts and connects with, Ms. Rausch, discovered this and has been supporting Michelle. Ms. Rausch has referred her to the school social worker. You are the school social worker doing the initial assessment.
1. How would you assess Michelle’s suicide? What are the appropriate assessment questions to ask her? How would you address her fear and confusion while assessing where she is with his feelings of suicide?
2. Develop a crisis intervention plan and immediate next steps. Who is involved with this?
3. Consider a long-term action and goals plan for Michelle after she recovers from the immediate crisis.
