Crisis Management

Responsive Support in Critical Moments

Immediate intervention and stabilization for youth in crisis

At Adolbi Care Behavioral Health Center, we understand that mental health crises can occur suddenly and require immediate, skilled intervention. Our Crisis Management services provide rapid response, assessment, and stabilization for young people experiencing acute emotional or behavioral emergencies.

Our approach to crisis management emphasizes safety, de-escalation, and connection to appropriate levels of care. We recognize that crises represent both danger and opportunity—moments of significant distress that, when handled effectively, can become turning points toward healing and growth.

Through our comprehensive crisis services, we aim to minimize risk, reduce distress, and establish pathways to recovery. We work closely with families, schools, and community partners to ensure coordinated, effective responses to youth in crisis, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations when possible while ensuring access to higher levels of care when needed.

Crisis support session

Our Crisis Management Services

Comprehensive support for youth and families in crisis

24/7 Crisis Hotline

Immediate telephone support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for enrolled clients experiencing crisis situations. Our crisis hotline is staffed by trained clinicians who can:

  • Provide immediate emotional support and de-escalation
  • Assess risk and safety concerns
  • Guide implementation of existing safety plans
  • Determine need for in-person assessment or emergency services
  • Connect callers to appropriate resources

The crisis hotline serves as a first point of contact during emergencies, ensuring that help is available whenever crises occur, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Urgent Crisis Assessment

Rapid in-person evaluation for young people experiencing acute mental health crises. These comprehensive assessments include:

  • Evaluation of immediate safety risks and concerns
  • Assessment of mental status and functioning
  • Identification of crisis precipitants and contributing factors
  • Determination of appropriate level of care
  • Development of immediate intervention plan

Urgent assessments are typically conducted within 24 hours of crisis identification and may take place at our center, in the home, or in community settings based on clinical need and safety considerations.

Safety Planning

Development of individualized plans to manage safety risks and prevent crisis escalation. Safety planning includes:

  • Identification of warning signs and triggers
  • Personalized coping strategies and distress tolerance skills
  • Removal of access to means of self-harm when applicable
  • Specification of supportive people and resources
  • Clear steps for emergency response when needed

Safety plans are developed collaboratively with the young person and family, documented in writing, and regularly updated as circumstances change. All involved parties receive copies and training in plan implementation.

Mobile Crisis Response

On-site crisis intervention provided in homes, schools, or community settings when young people cannot safely come to the center or when assessment in the natural environment is clinically indicated. Mobile crisis services include:

  • Rapid deployment of crisis clinicians to the location of need
  • On-site risk assessment and safety planning
  • De-escalation and stabilization interventions
  • Family support and guidance during the crisis
  • Facilitation of transport to higher levels of care when necessary

Our mobile crisis team works closely with families, schools, and sometimes law enforcement to ensure coordinated, effective crisis response in the community.

Crisis Stabilization Services

Short-term, intensive interventions designed to stabilize young people in crisis and prevent the need for psychiatric hospitalization when safe and appropriate. These services may include:

  • Daily or multiple weekly therapy sessions
  • Frequent check-ins between sessions
  • Family-based crisis intervention
  • Coordination with schools during the crisis period
  • Psychiatric evaluation and medication management

Crisis stabilization typically lasts 2-4 weeks, with service intensity gradually decreasing as the crisis resolves and the young person stabilizes. These services bridge the gap between outpatient care and inpatient hospitalization.

Hospital Liaison Services

Support and coordination for young people requiring psychiatric hospitalization, ensuring continuity of care and appropriate discharge planning. Hospital liaison services include:

  • Facilitation of hospital admission when needed
  • Communication with inpatient treatment teams
  • Family support during hospitalization
  • Participation in discharge planning meetings
  • Coordination of post-discharge services and follow-up

Our hospital liaison maintains relationships with local inpatient facilities and helps bridge the gap between hospital care and outpatient treatment, reducing the risk of readmission through effective transition planning.

Post-Crisis Follow-Up

Structured support following crisis resolution to ensure stability, prevent recurrence, and connect to appropriate ongoing care. Post-crisis follow-up includes:

  • Rapid post-crisis appointment (typically within 24-48 hours)
  • Review and refinement of safety plans
  • Assessment of continuing risk factors
  • Connection to appropriate level of ongoing care
  • Coordination with other providers and systems

This critical transition support helps maintain gains made during crisis intervention and ensures that underlying issues contributing to the crisis are addressed through appropriate treatment.

Crisis Prevention Education

Educational programs for families, schools, and community partners focused on recognizing warning signs and responding effectively to youth in emotional distress. These preventive services include:

  • Workshops on recognizing crisis warning signs
  • Training in basic crisis de-escalation techniques
  • Guidance on when and how to access crisis services
  • Information about mental health resources
  • Strategies for creating supportive environments

By building capacity for early recognition and response, crisis prevention education helps create safer communities and reduces the severity of crises when they do occur.

Our Crisis Response Process

A systematic approach to managing youth mental health emergencies

1

Crisis Identification and Initial Contact

The crisis response process begins when a young person's emotional or behavioral state escalates to a level that poses safety concerns or significantly impairs functioning. Initial contact may come through:

  • Call to our crisis hotline from family, the young person, or other concerned individuals
  • Escalation during a regular therapy session
  • Referral from schools, emergency departments, or community partners
  • Walk-in crisis presentation at our center

During this initial contact, our priority is gathering essential information to determine the nature and severity of the crisis while providing immediate emotional support and guidance to maintain safety.

2

Triage and Risk Assessment

Once a crisis is identified, we conduct a structured triage process to assess risk level and determine the appropriate response. This assessment includes evaluation of:

  • Immediate safety concerns (suicidal/homicidal ideation, self-harm, aggression)
  • Mental status and level of functioning
  • Nature and severity of symptoms
  • Available supports and resources
  • Environmental safety factors

Based on this assessment, the crisis is categorized as requiring immediate emergency response (e.g., active suicidal behavior), urgent response (significant distress but no immediate danger), or scheduled rapid response (distress requiring prompt but not immediate intervention).

3

Immediate Stabilization

Following triage, we implement immediate interventions to stabilize the crisis situation and ensure safety. These interventions may include:

  • De-escalation techniques to reduce emotional intensity
  • Safety planning and removal of access to means of harm
  • Mobilization of family and social supports
  • Psychiatric consultation for medication intervention when needed
  • Facilitation of emergency services or hospitalization for high-risk situations

The goal of this phase is to reduce immediate risk and establish sufficient stability to allow for more comprehensive assessment and intervention planning.

4

Comprehensive Crisis Assessment

Once immediate safety concerns are addressed, we conduct a more thorough assessment to understand the factors contributing to the crisis. This assessment explores:

  • Precipitating events and stressors
  • Recent changes in behavior, mood, or functioning
  • History of similar crises and effective/ineffective interventions
  • Current treatment and medication status
  • Family dynamics and environmental factors
  • Strengths and protective factors that can support recovery

This comprehensive understanding guides the development of an effective crisis intervention plan that addresses not just immediate symptoms but underlying contributors to the crisis.

5

Crisis Intervention Planning

Based on the comprehensive assessment, we develop a structured crisis intervention plan that specifies:

  • Short-term goals for crisis resolution
  • Specific interventions and their frequency
  • Roles and responsibilities of the treatment team, family, and young person
  • Detailed safety plan with warning signs and response strategies
  • Criteria for step-up to higher level of care if needed
  • Timeline for reassessment and plan adjustment

This plan is developed collaboratively with the young person and family whenever possible, ensuring that it is realistic, acceptable to all involved, and responsive to the specific crisis situation.

6

Implementation of Crisis Interventions

Following plan development, we implement the specified crisis interventions, which may include:

  • Increased frequency of therapy sessions
  • Family-based crisis intervention
  • Skills training for emotion regulation and distress tolerance
  • Coordination with school or other systems
  • Psychiatric evaluation and medication adjustment
  • Regular check-ins between formal sessions

Throughout implementation, we maintain close monitoring of the young person's status, with particular attention to safety concerns and response to interventions. The intensity and nature of services are adjusted based on this ongoing assessment.

7

Transition to Ongoing Care

As the acute crisis resolves, we facilitate transition to appropriate ongoing care. This transition process includes:

  • Assessment of current functioning and remaining needs
  • Development of a post-crisis treatment plan
  • Gradual reduction in crisis service intensity
  • Connection to appropriate level of ongoing care
  • Transfer of information to ongoing providers
  • Education about crisis prevention and early intervention

This carefully managed transition ensures continuity of care and addresses the underlying issues that contributed to the crisis, reducing the risk of recurrence while supporting continued recovery and growth.

Recognizing Crisis Warning Signs

Early identification for timely intervention

Mental health crises rarely occur without warning. Learning to recognize early warning signs can help families and caregivers intervene before a situation escalates to a full crisis. While warning signs vary based on the individual and the nature of their challenges, there are common indicators that may signal increasing distress and the need for intervention.

Cognitive Warning Signs

  • Confused thinking - Difficulty concentrating, disorganized thoughts, or illogical thinking that represents a change from baseline
  • Preoccupation with certain thoughts - Persistent focus on troubling thoughts or ideas that interfere with daily functioning
  • Paranoid thinking - Unfounded suspicions about others' intentions or beliefs that people are "out to get them"
  • Distorted perception - Misinterpreting others' actions or comments in a consistently negative way
  • Difficulty making decisions - Unusual indecisiveness or inability to make even simple choices
  • Thoughts of death or suicide - Any expression of wanting to die or hurt oneself, even if stated casually

Emotional Warning Signs

  • Intense mood swings - Rapid shifts between different emotional states that are disproportionate to circumstances
  • Prolonged depression - Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest lasting more than a few days
  • Overwhelming anxiety - Fear or worry that significantly interferes with daily activities
  • Heightened irritability - Increased sensitivity and angry responses to minor frustrations
  • Emotional numbness - Expressed inability to feel emotions or feeling "empty" inside
  • Excessive guilt or shame - Self-blame that is disproportionate to actual responsibility
  • Feelings of worthlessness - Expressions of being a burden or having no value to others

Behavioral Warning Signs

  • Withdrawal from activities - Abandoning previously enjoyed activities or declining social invitations
  • Changes in sleep patterns - Significant increase or decrease in sleep, nightmares, or inability to stay asleep
  • Changes in appetite or weight - Marked increase or decrease in eating or noticeable weight changes
  • Decline in personal hygiene - Reduced attention to cleanliness or appearance that is unusual for the individual
  • Increased substance use - Using alcohol or drugs to cope with emotions or increased frequency of use
  • Self-harming behaviors - Cutting, burning, hitting oneself, or other forms of self-injury
  • Reckless behavior - Engaging in dangerous activities without concern for consequences
  • Giving away possessions - Unexplained gifting of valued items to others

Verbal Warning Signs

  • Talk of suicide or death - Statements like "I won't be around much longer" or "Everyone would be better off without me"
  • Hopeless statements - Expressions such as "Nothing will ever get better" or "There's no way out"
  • Feeling trapped - Comments about being stuck in an unbearable situation with no escape
  • Goodbye messages - Unusual or unexpected farewells or expressions of gratitude that seem final
  • Threats of violence - Statements about wanting to harm others, even if said in anger
  • Preoccupation with death - Increased talking or asking questions about death or dying

Social Warning Signs

  • Isolation from friends and family - Pulling away from previously close relationships
  • Relationship conflicts - Increased fighting or tension with family members or friends
  • School refusal or decline in performance - Resistance to attending school or dropping grades
  • Bullying or being bullied - Either experiencing victimization or engaging in bullying behaviors
  • Loss of interest in social activities - No longer wanting to participate in group activities previously enjoyed
  • Changes in friend groups - Sudden shifts to new peer groups, especially those with concerning behaviors

Important Considerations

  • Warning signs should be considered in the context of what's typical for the individual; changes from baseline are most significant
  • The presence of multiple warning signs, increasing intensity, or longer duration indicates higher concern
  • Some warning signs (such as suicidal statements or self-harm) require immediate intervention regardless of other factors
  • Cultural factors may influence how distress is expressed; what constitutes a warning sign may vary across cultural contexts
  • When in doubt about the seriousness of warning signs, it's always better to seek professional consultation

What to Do If You Notice Warning Signs

  1. Express concern calmly and non-judgmentally - Let the young person know what you've noticed and that you care
  2. Listen actively - Create space for them to talk about their feelings without rushing to solve problems
  3. Take all talk of suicide seriously - Never dismiss suicidal statements as "attention-seeking" or "just a phase"
  4. Remove access to means of harm - Secure medications, weapons, or other potentially dangerous items
  5. Connect with professional help - Contact their therapist, our crisis line, or emergency services if needed
  6. Don't leave them alone if safety is a concern - Maintain supervision until professional assessment occurs
  7. Follow up - Continue to check in and show support even after the immediate concern has been addressed

Supporting Families Through Crisis

Resources and guidance for parents and caregivers

Family support session

When a young person experiences a mental health crisis, the impact extends to the entire family. Parents and caregivers often feel overwhelmed, frightened, and uncertain about how to respond effectively. At Adolbi Care Behavioral Health Center, we recognize that supporting families is essential to effective crisis management and recovery.

Guidance for Families During Crisis

Prioritize Safety

The first priority during any crisis is ensuring physical safety. We help families:

  • Recognize when emergency services are needed
  • Create a safe home environment by removing access to potentially dangerous items
  • Develop supervision plans for high-risk periods
  • Implement specific safety protocols based on the young person's needs
  • Balance safety concerns with respect for privacy and autonomy

Effective Communication

How families communicate during crisis can significantly impact outcomes. We guide families in:

  • Using calm, clear, and non-judgmental language
  • Listening actively without rushing to problem-solve
  • Validating feelings without necessarily agreeing with all perspectives
  • Avoiding power struggles and escalation cycles
  • Maintaining appropriate boundaries while showing care

Practical Support

Families need concrete strategies and resources during crisis periods. We provide:

  • Crisis response protocols tailored to the specific situation
  • Guidance on managing school absences and academic expectations
  • Assistance navigating insurance and healthcare systems
  • Information about community resources and support services
  • Help with practical logistics during intensive treatment periods

Self-Care for Caregivers

Supporting a young person in crisis is emotionally and physically demanding. We emphasize the importance of:

  • Maintaining basic self-care (sleep, nutrition, exercise)
  • Identifying and utilizing personal support networks
  • Setting realistic expectations and boundaries
  • Accessing parent support groups and resources
  • Seeking individual support when needed

Education and Understanding

Knowledge is empowering during crisis situations. We provide families with:

  • Information about specific mental health conditions
  • Explanation of crisis dynamics and typical patterns
  • Guidance on distinguishing between normal developmental challenges and crisis situations
  • Understanding of treatment approaches and options
  • Resources for continued learning and skill development

Resources for Families

In addition to direct support during crisis situations, we offer several ongoing resources for families:

  • Parent Support Groups - Regular meetings where parents can share experiences, strategies, and encouragement with others facing similar challenges
  • Family Skills Workshops - Educational sessions focused on specific topics such as de-escalation techniques, emotion coaching, and setting effective boundaries
  • Family Therapy - Therapeutic sessions that address family dynamics, communication patterns, and relationship healing after crisis events
  • Resource Library - Curated books, articles, videos, and websites about youth mental health, crisis management, and recovery
  • Parent Coaching - Individualized guidance for implementing specific strategies and approaches based on your family's unique needs
  • Respite Referrals - Information about respite care options to provide families with needed breaks during intensive caregiving periods

After the Crisis: Recovery and Growth

Crisis events, while challenging, can become opportunities for family growth and positive change. We support families in:

  • Processing and making meaning of the crisis experience
  • Identifying lessons learned and strengths discovered
  • Rebuilding trust and repairing relationships that may have been strained
  • Developing new patterns of interaction that support mental health
  • Creating proactive plans to prevent or minimize future crises
  • Finding hope and a positive vision for the future

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about crisis management

A mental health crisis occurs when a young person's emotional or behavioral state escalates to a point where there is risk of harm to themselves or others, or when their functioning is so impaired that immediate intervention is needed. Crises can take different forms, including suicidal thoughts or behaviors, aggressive outbursts, severe panic attacks, psychotic symptoms, or extreme withdrawal. What defines a crisis is not just the specific symptoms but their severity, the level of distress they cause, and their impact on safety and functioning. It's important to note that what constitutes a crisis may vary based on the individual's baseline functioning and available support systems. Some situations that might be manageable for one young person could represent a crisis for another with different vulnerabilities or fewer resources. When in doubt about whether a situation constitutes a crisis, it's always better to err on the side of caution and seek professional guidance.

For enrolled clients, our 24/7 crisis hotline is available by calling our main number (800-555-1234) and selecting the crisis option from the menu. After business hours, this line is answered by our on-call clinicians who can provide immediate support, assessment, and guidance. In life-threatening emergencies, always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room first, then contact our crisis line. For non-enrolled individuals experiencing a crisis, we recommend contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988), your local community mental health center's crisis line, or going to the nearest emergency department. During the intake process, all families receive detailed information about accessing crisis services, including a wallet card with relevant phone numbers and a step-by-step guide for different types of crisis situations. We also work with families to develop personalized crisis plans that specify exactly what steps to take when concerns arise outside of regular hours.

The decision to recommend psychiatric hospitalization is based on a thorough clinical assessment of several factors, with safety being the primary consideration. We typically recommend hospitalization when: there is imminent risk of suicide or serious self-harm that cannot be managed safely in a less restrictive setting; the young person is experiencing severe symptoms (such as psychosis or extreme mood disturbance) that significantly impair functioning and require intensive treatment; they pose a serious risk of harm to others; or they require medication adjustments or stabilization that necessitates 24-hour medical monitoring. We also consider the availability and adequacy of support systems, the young person's history of response to previous interventions, and their ability to contract for safety and follow through with safety plans. Hospitalization is generally viewed as appropriate when it is the least restrictive level of care that can ensure safety and provide necessary treatment. The decision is made collaboratively whenever possible, involving the young person, family, and treatment team, though in emergency situations, safety considerations may take precedence over preferences.

Resistance to crisis intervention is not uncommon, particularly among adolescents. How to respond depends on the severity of the situation and the age of the young person. If there is imminent danger (active suicidal behavior, psychosis with safety risks, etc.), emergency services may need to be accessed regardless of the young person's willingness to participate. In less acute situations where safety is not immediately threatened, we recommend: approaching the conversation with empathy rather than confrontation; focusing on specific concerns rather than labels or diagnoses; offering choices within the framework of getting help; involving trusted adults the young person respects; and considering starting with less intensive options like phone consultation or brief assessment. Our crisis clinicians are experienced in engaging reluctant young people and can provide guidance specific to your situation. For adolescents approaching or at the age of consent (varies by state), there may be legal limitations on requiring treatment without their agreement unless specific risk criteria are met. In these cases, we work to build alliance and motivation while ensuring safety through family support and monitoring.

For young people already receiving services at our center, crisis intervention is integrated with their ongoing treatment. The regular therapist is notified of the crisis contact and involved in planning whenever possible, though immediate crisis response may be provided by the on-call clinician depending on timing and availability. Following crisis stabilization, the regular therapist incorporates the crisis experience into ongoing treatment, addressing contributing factors and strengthening coping strategies to prevent recurrence. The treatment plan is typically reviewed and updated to reflect insights gained during the crisis and any new needs identified. For young people not previously in treatment with us who access crisis services, we facilitate connection to appropriate ongoing care, either within our center or with other providers based on clinical needs and preferences. This includes warm handoffs with thorough information sharing (with appropriate consent) to ensure continuity of care. Our electronic health record system supports this coordination by making crisis documentation available to all providers involved in the young person's care, creating a seamless integration of crisis and ongoing treatment services.

Crisis resolution is not the end of the process but a transition point in care. Following crisis stabilization, we implement several important steps: a rapid follow-up appointment (typically within 24-48 hours) to assess continued stability and address any emerging concerns; review and refinement of safety plans based on what was learned during the crisis; connection to appropriate ongoing treatment to address underlying issues that contributed to the crisis; coordination with other systems involved in the young person's life (school, primary care, etc.) with appropriate consent; and education for the young person and family about crisis prevention, early warning signs, and effective responses to prevent future escalation. We view each crisis as an opportunity for learning and growth, helping young people and families identify triggers, early intervention points, and effective coping strategies. For those already in treatment, the post-crisis period often involves adjusting the treatment plan to incorporate these insights and address any newly identified needs. Our goal is not just to resolve the immediate crisis but to strengthen resilience and develop more effective management strategies for the future.

Confidentiality remains important during crisis situations, but safety considerations may necessitate certain disclosures. Our approach balances respect for privacy with the need to ensure appropriate care and protection. In general, information shared during crisis intervention is protected by the same confidentiality standards that apply to all mental health services. However, there are important exceptions: when there is imminent risk of harm to self or others, confidentiality may be breached to the extent necessary to ensure safety; parents/legal guardians of minors typically have rights to information necessary for providing appropriate care and making treatment decisions; and when multiple providers or systems are involved in crisis response, relevant information may be shared among the treatment team with appropriate consent. We strive for transparency about these limits of confidentiality, discussing them clearly with young people and families at the outset of services and again during crisis situations. We always aim to involve the young person in decisions about information sharing when possible, encouraging their participation in determining what information is shared and with whom, while being clear about situations where safety concerns may override confidentiality preferences.

Crisis services are typically covered by most insurance plans, though coverage details vary. For enrolled clients, our 24/7 crisis hotline is provided at no additional charge as part of our standard care package. Crisis assessments, stabilization services, and follow-up appointments are generally billed to insurance like other clinical services, though they may be coded differently to reflect their urgent nature. Many insurance plans waive prior authorization requirements for crisis services or provide expedited approval processes. For families with financial concerns, we offer several options: our sliding fee scale for those who qualify based on income; assistance with insurance navigation and advocacy; information about community resources that provide free or low-cost crisis services; and in some cases, limited grant-funded services for those experiencing financial hardship. We believe that financial constraints should never be a barrier to accessing needed crisis care, and our financial counselors work with families to identify the most appropriate options for their situation. For services that require hospitalization or higher levels of care, we help families understand insurance benefits and out-of-pocket costs before admission whenever possible.

Need Crisis Support?

Our crisis management team is available 24/7 to provide immediate support, assessment, and intervention for young people experiencing mental health emergencies.

For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.