You will complete a 2 – 3 page crisis management plan that outlines how you would approach crisis counseling for someone with a problem of your choosing (selected during class) and a client group or population of your choosing (individual, couple, family, group, 1st grade class, etc.). This will be a step-by-step intervention plan with the inclusion of at least 2 sources, one of which should be from a peer-reviewed journal article that was published from 2016 to the present. You may include any general information on the crisis area, such as incidence rates, population affected, symptoms or issues, and any special factors. Your treatment plan will serve the fictitious individual or group you have chosen. For example, if the topic you chose for presentation was sexual assault, your crisis management plan might be designed to help a female sexual assault survivor who is in college. Your plan will consist of six components, which are identified below, and two additional questions.
Your paper must be submitted as a Word document and follow APA formatting. It must be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and TNR font. Your similarity score CANNOT reach 20%. If it does, you will receive the lowest possible score on the rubric.
Problem Selection
An effective treatment plan can only deal with a few selected problems, or treatment will lose its direction. Here you will briefly define the type of crisis with which you have selected to deal and identify the population or client group of your choosing. Although multiple issues may be presented during counseling, you must determine the most significant problems on which to focus the treatment process.
Problem Definition
Each client presents with unique nuances as to how a problem reveals itself in his or her life. Therefore, each problem that is selected for treatment focus requires a specific definition about how it is evidenced in the particular client. Identify these behavioral patterns in your client. Examples might include excessive and/or unrealistic worry that is difficult to control, restlessness, tiredness, shakiness, muscle tension, palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling constantly on edge, experiencing concentration difficulties, having trouble falling or staying asleep, or exhibiting a general state of irritability. Describe in detail what your client is experiencing.
Examples:
Family members question the issue of priorities because of the unusual amount of time that is dedicated to the son’s football games.
Conflict and tension arise over the fact that certain duties and responsibilities are being shifted onto other family members unfairly due to the time absorbed by football.
Jealousy and envy brew between family members unfairly due to the time spent on football.
Goal Development
The next step in developing your treatment plan is to set broad goals for the resolution of the targeted problem. These statements need not be crafted in measurable terms but can be global, long-term goals that indicate a desired positive outcome to the treatment procedures. Identify several possible goals for each problem.
Examples:
Reduce overall frequency, intensity, and duration of the anxiety so that daily functioning is not impaired.
Learn and implement coping skills that result in a reduction of anxiety and worry and an improvement in daily functioning.
Objective Construction
In contrast to long-term goals, objectives must be stated in behaviorally measurable language so that it is clear to review agencies, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations when the client has achieved the established objectives. Identify objectives for your client. These are actions that the client will take.
Examples:
Each family member identifies the destructive effects that his/her uncontrolled anger has had on all family members, including self.
Identify any secondary gain that has been derived through expressing anger in an intimidating style.
Intervention Creation
Interventions are the actions of the clinician designed to help the client complete the objectives. There should be at least one intervention for every objective. If the client does not accomplish the objective after the initial intervention, new interventions should be added to the plan. Interventions should be selected on the basis of the client’s needs and the treatment provider’s full therapeutic repertoire. Interventions represent what the counselor does.
Examples:
Urge family members to sign a contract agreeing to accept responsibility for containing their own anger and managing it effectively.
Use role-playing and modeling to teach assertiveness as an alternative to angry aggressiveness used to declare independence.
Diagnosis Determination
The determination of an appropriate diagnosis is based on an evaluation of the client’s complete clinical presentation. The clinician must compare the behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal symptoms that the client presents with the criteria for diagnosis of a mental illness condition as described in DSM-5. It is the clinician’s thorough knowledge of DSM-5 criteria and a complete understanding of the client assessment data that contribute to the most reliable, valid diagnosis. While you are not asked to utilize the DSM, you are asked to provide empirical support from your research to support your diagnosis for this client.
Note: An important aspect of effective treatment planning is that each plan should be tailored to the individual client’s problems and needs. Treatment plans should not be mass-produced even if clients have similar problems. The individual’s strengths and weaknesses, unique stressors, social network, family circumstances, and symptom patterns must be considered in developing a treatment strategy.
