School-Based Crisis Intervention: Preparing All Personnel to Assist

by Melissa Allen Heath PhD, Dawn Sheen Ed.S.

Overview

When a student is in dire need of emotional support, caring adults in the school can make a difference. This essential resource helps practitioners prepare all school personnel to respond sensitively and effectively to children and adolescents in crisis. Packed with user-friendly features--including over 50 reproducible tools--the book provides crucial guidance for helping students cope with such stressful circumstances as bullying, abuse, parental divorce, chronic illness, depression, loss, and more. The emphasis is on giving teachers and staff basic crisis intervention skills: how to react, what to say, and what to do to create a safe and supportive environment. In a large-size format to facilitate photocopying, the volume's utility is enhanced by many specific training ideas and activities.

This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462527656
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	03/09/2016
Series:	The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	174
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Melissa Allen Heath, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education at Brigham Young University. Her primary research interest is crisis prevention and intervention in the school setting. She is a licensed psychologist and a nationally and state-certified school psychologist. In addition to serving on school crisis teams, district crisis teams, and community crisis teams, she also received crisis training through Red Cross Disaster Mental Health and Community Emergency Preparedness Training (CERT). Over the past 10 years, she has worked with schools and communities in developing basic training materials for crisis intervention.

Dawn Sheen is currently a master's student in school psychology at Brigham Young University. Prior to graduate school, she was a middle school teacher specializing in multicultural awareness and French and Spanish language instruction. Her previous experience with crisis intervention includes managing a women's shelter for those affected by domestic violence and assisting with a community rape crisis hotline. Recognizing the need for student involvement with disaster preparedness, she sponsored an after-school "Masters of Disaster" class taught in conjunction with the Red Cross. Her research interests include crisis prevention and intervention as well as multicultural issues in school settings.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Crisis Intervention, Melissa Allen Heath, Dawn Sheen, Ellie L. Young, and Bart Lyman
2. Responding to a Crisis, Melissa Allen Heath, Dawn Sheen, Neil Annandale, and Bart Lyman
3. Communication: How to Listen, What to Say, and How to React, Melissa Allen Heath and Annette Jerome
4. Children's Literature: A Resource to Assist with Crisis Intervention, Dawn Sheen, Melissa Allen Heath, Nathan Jones, Emily Heaton, and April Gstettenbauer
5. Assisting Students with Specific Problems, Dawn Sheen, Melissa Allen Heath, Jolene Campbell, Chrisandra Melville, and Bart Lyman
6. Preparing Noninstructional Personnel and Bus Drivers to Assist with Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Melissa Allen Heath and Ellie L. Young
7. Avoiding Burnout: Taking Care of Yourself, Melissa Allen Heath and Bart Lyman
Appendix A: Free Crisis Intervention Resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Appendix B: Additional Books for Bibliotherapy
References

Interviews

School-based psychologists, counselors, and social workers, who will use the book to develop their own crisis intervention skills and provide training for other adults in the school. May serve as a text in staff development and inservice training related to school crisis intervention, as well as in graduate-level courses.

Editorial Reviews

"This book is a most welcome contribution to the school crisis response literature. Anyone who works in a school setting—and school-based mental health professionals in particular—will find this book invaluable. A powerful crisis-preparedness tool, it offers practical guidance and support for those charged with helping students cope with challenging realities in their lives."—Stephen E. Brock, PhD, Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and School Psychology, California State University, Sacramento

"This book demonstrates a comprehensive approach to educating all school personnel about how to deal with crisis situations. Using practical activities and lessons, it vividly illustrates how school counselors can help students and staff members cope with the aftermath of a crisis and the wide span of emotions that everyone feels."—Kwok-Sze R. Wong, Executive Director, American School Counselor Association

"This book fills an important and unique niche in the crisis intervention field. Training all school personnel to help children cope with crisis is a unique focus. Broad-based interventions are essential for successful outcomes. The activities presented are highly engaging and will enable teachers and support staff to recognize and intervene with children in distress."—Bill Pfohl, PsyD, Department of Psychology, Western Kentucky University

"This book presents essential information for school personnel in today's world. It offers excellent coverage of basic crisis intervention and support skills. School psychologists and counselors will want to share the information in this book with everyone from the principal to the bus driver. This is very valuable knowledge that everyone in education should have."—Scott Poland, EdD, Director of Psychological Services, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Houston, Texas

From the Publisher