CRISIS INTERVENTION & MANAGEMENT
OF INDIVIDUALS AND
Psychology 513-110, Fall 2013
FAMILIES
Instructor: Sam Fiala, Ph.D., L.P.
Office: North Campus Rm 303
Email: sam.fiala@ct.tamus.edu
Office phone: 254-519-5759
Class Meetings: Thur 6pm-9pm; Fairway Bldg. 110 (North Campus)
Course Web Page: https://tamuct.blackboard.com/webapps/login/
Office hours: Face to face—Tue 9-2; Every other Thursday 9-2; and by appointment
Teaching hours: Mon/Wed 5:30-7:00pm; Thu 6-9pm
Course Overview
This course is an examination of the dynamics, intervention strategies and treatment of a variety of crisis situations with individuals,
couples, families, and communities including, but not limited to, suicide intervention, sexual assault, domestic violence, substance
dependency, PTSD, grief, and natural and man-made disasters including a review of theories and approaches to crisis intervention
and management.
Course Objectives
a)
Gain an understanding of theories regarding the way stressful events are perceived, defined, and their influence on
individuals, families and communities.
b) Gain an appreciation for the meanings attributed to family crises and the process of attributing meaning to these events.
c) Learn the characteristics of functional and dysfunctional coping strategies.
d) Learn to assess both developmental and situational crises and the ways in which they impact the family and how families
respond to such events in healthy and unhealthy ways.
e) Learn intervention strategies for crises and the application skills necessary for these interventions
Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to…
a)
b)
c)
d)
Demonstrate their understanding of theories relevant to crisis intervention.
Identify dysfunctional coping strategies and recommend adaptive coping strategies.
Assess the functioning of individuals and families who are experiencing crises.
Implement intervention strategies and apply therapeutic skills in the context of crises.
Required Reading
• James, R. K. (2007). Crisis Intervention Strategies (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole. ISBN: 0-8151-2604-2
**A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a university-affiliated bookstore.**
Mode of Instruction & Course Access
This is a hybrid course; approximately half of course instruction and student interaction will occur face-to-face, and the other half of
instruction/interaction will occur online. We will meet face-to-face (f2f) on Thursday evenings (approximately every other week; see
calendar below). Our first meeting will involve lecture and class discussion. The subsequent f2f meetings will begin with a brief
discussion period where we will address any questions anyone had over the assigned reading. Then we will move on to role plays
where you will practice crisis intervention skills.
During the weeks that we do not meet in person, you will be provided with online instruction via video lectures and online
assessment activities. These online interactions will rely on TAMUCT’s Blackboard system (http://tamuct.blackboard.com). See the
Technological Requirements section of the syllabus for more information on accessing/using Blackboard. You will also engage in
some online discussions with each other related to the assigned reading (see “Discussion Postings” in the Assignments section
below).
Student-instructor Interactions
Learning is best fostered when open lines of communication are maintained among students and between students and the
instructor. During our face-to-face interactions I hope you will feel comfortable asking questions and offering your own courserelevant insights. Some students are so excited about the material that they share too often and dominate class discussions; when
this happens it can detract from the learning experiences of other students. For this reason, I suggest that if you find yourself making
disproportionately more comments during a single class discussion than your colleagues, consider whether or not your comments
are enhancing or diminishing the learning environment.
The best way to ask me a question or make a comment outside of the classroom is via my university email
<sam.fiala@ct.tamus.edu>. I will check this email account daily M-F and once on Sa-Su. I will strive to respond to you within 48
hours. I will also create a space in the discussion boards for you to pose general class questions to your colleagues. This is often a
good place for students to help each other find the answers to course-relevant questions.
Attendance and Participation
One of my primary reasons for using the hybrid design for this course is my understanding that many of you have a limited amount
of time that you are able to be away from home/work because of your many responsibilities. Because we won’t be meeting face-toface for the same amount of time spent in a traditional course, we must be very efficient in our use of class time. A related
consequence of the hybrid design is that missing even a single class can significantly hinder your learning process. Life does happen,
and if you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed by communicating with your classmates. If you miss a
class with role plays, you will need to submit an alternate assignment to earn those points. This can be done only once during the
semester.
Technological Requirements
This course will use the new TAMU-CT Blackboard Learn learning management system for class communications, content
distribution, and assessments.
Logon to https://tamuct.blackboard.com/webapps/login/to access the course.
Username: Your Tarleton email address (the complete email address, e.g. john.doe@go.tarleton.edu)
Initial password: Your DuckTrax ID (UID)
For this course, you will need reliable and frequent access to a computer and to the Internet. When you are engaging in online
assessment activities (i.e., quizzes and exams), I strongly recommend that you use a computer that is hardwired to the internet
rather than a wireless device (e.g., laptop using a router, smartphone). Following this recommendation will decrease the likelihood
that you will be kicked off the system while in the midst of a quiz/exam. You will also need a headset or speakers to be able to listen
to online resources and conduct other activities in the course. If you do not have frequent and reliable access to a computer with
Internet connection, you might want to consider dropping this course.
Blackboard supports the most common operating systems:
PC: Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2000,
Mac: Mac OS 10.6 “Snow Leopard®”, Mac OS 10.5 “Leopard®”, Mac OS 10.4 “Tiger®”
Check browser and computer compatibility by following the “Browser Check” link on the TAMU-CTBlackboard logon page.
(http://tamuct.blackboard.com) This is a CRITICAL step as these settings are important for when you take an exam or submit an
assignment.
Upon logging on to Blackboard Learn, you will see a link to Blackboard Student Orientation under My Courses tab. Click on that link
and study the materials in this orientation course. The new Blackboard is a brand-new interface and you will have to come up to
speed with it really quickly. This orientation course will help you get there. There is also a link to Blackboard Help from inside the
course on the left-hand menubar. Your ability to function within the Blackboard system will facilitate your success in this course.
Technology issues are not an excuse for missing a course requirement – make sure your computer is configured correctly and address
issues well in advance of deadlines.
Technology Support
For technological or computer issues, students should contact the TAMU-CT Blackboard Support Services 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week:
Support Portal: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/bbsupport
Online chat (through the support portal at: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/bbsupport)
Phone: (855)-661-7965
For issues related to course content and requirements (or if BB kicks you out of quiz before you finish), contact me.
Academic Honesty Policy
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of
academic dishonestly are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other
academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each case of
academic dishonestly. More information can be found at www.ct.tamus.edu/StudentConduct.
My interactions with you are based on an expectation of mutual trust and honor. You are required to do your own work on exams
and assignments (unless I explicitly say otherwise). Violation of this trust will result in an F in this course in addition to whatever
consequences the administration deems appropriate. Plagiarism (primarily of the unintentional variety) has been an ongoing
problem for many students. I will post a video lecture talking about how to avoid plagiarism, and you will take a Plagiarism Quiz to
document your understanding of what constitutes plagiarism (see Assessments section below).
Disability Support
Texas A&M University – Central Texas complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. TAMUCT promotes the use of the Principles of Universal Design to ensure that course design and activities
are accessible to the greatest extent possible. Students who require reasonable accommodations based on the impact of a disability
should contact Gail Johnson, Disability Support Coordinator at (254) 501-5831 in Student Affairs, Office 114E. The Disability Support
Coordinator is responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting accommodations, determining eligibility
for accommodations, helping students request and use accommodations, and coordinating accommodations.
Library Services
Library distance education services aims to make available quality assistance to A&M-Central Texas students seeking information
sources remotely by providing digital reference, online information literacy tutorials, and digital research materials. Much of the
A&M-CT collection is available instantly from home. This includes over half of the library's book collection, as well as approximately
25,000 electronic journals and 200 online databases. Library Distance Education Services are outlined and accessed at:
http://www.ct.tamus.edu/departments/library/deservices.php
Information literacy focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and work in an information-centered society.
Librarians will work with students in the development of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of
secondary research techniques. Help may include, but is not limited to: the exploration of information resources such as library
collections, the identification of appropriate materials, and the execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are
outlined and accessed at: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/departments/library/index.php
A video lecture will be posted offering advice on how to make use of library resources when conducting research.
UNILERT: Emergency Warning System for Texas A&M University – Central Texas
UNILERT is an emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University-Central Texas the ability to communicate health and
safety emergency information quickly via email and text message. By enrolling in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on
safety-related information, regardless of your location. Please enroll today at http://TAMUCT.org/UNILERT
Tutoring
TAMUCT offers its students tutoring, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include: Accounting, Finance, Statistics,
Mathematics, and Writing (MLA and APA). For hours, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support
Programs at 254-519-5496 or by emailing gnichols@ct.tamus.edu.
Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and writing
support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and
Statistics. Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for any subject on your computer at www.tutor.com/tamuct, or use the Tutor.com To Go App
on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. Visit www.tutor.com/togo to download the app for free. If you have any questions about
Tutor.com, please contact Ryan Thompson at 254-519-5796, or by emailing rthomp8@ct.tamus.edu.
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors
cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The record’s office will give a deadline for which the form
must be returned, completed, and signed. Once you return the signed form to the records office and wait 24 hours, you must go
into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled, FOLLOW UP with the records office
immediately. You are to attend class until the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or
fail to follow the procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
ASSIGNMENTS
Discussion Postings (2 pts each X 8 = 16 pts): This assignment is designed to provide you with an opportunity to
demonstrate your understanding of the material presented in the text, encourage critical thinking about this material, and allow you
an additional opportunity to interact with your classmates. In each lecture video I will pose discussion questions. You may choose
one discussion question to respond to for each week that there is a discussion posting assignment. Even if there are two lectures
videos (over two different chapters) you only need to pick one question total per assignment to respond to. However, to earn full
credit you must also respond to one of your classmate’s postings. In the weeks that there are two videos with discussion questions,
your reply to a classmate’s posting should always address a different video/chapter than your own original answer addressed. Your
initial posting for a chapter should be submitted by the date indicated on the calendar below. Your reply to someone else’s posting
should be made within 1 week of this date.
Role Plays (5 pts each X 6 = 30 pts): This assignment is designed to provide you with an opportunity to practice the
assessment/intervention skills you will be learning in this course. During six (6) of our face-to-face class meetings we will stage
multiple role plays of client/therapist crisis situations. You will be graded based on your participation (as client, therapist, and/or
audience member). If you do not take on the role of therapist at least once during the semester, you will be penalized 20% of the
points for these assignments (i.e., 6 points off of your final grade in the class). Note: it is much more difficult to earn 5 points when
your participation is limited to being an audience member. Also, asking questions during class discussion prior to the beginning of
role plays does not count toward this assignment.
Resource list (12 pts): To further increase your exposure to real-world knowledge related to crisis intervention, you will be
asked to compile a list of twelve (12) local resources for individuals in crisis (e.g., shelters, food banks, youth services). The list should
include contact information, what services they provide, what consumers they serve, and what cost (if any) is associated with the
services.
Research Paper (15 pts)
Each student will individually compose a 7-9 page (not counting title page, abstract, reference page) APA-style paper summarizing
the latest research (minimum of 15 sources) on the optimal intervention for a particular crisis event (e.g., natural disaster,
suicidality, school shooting…) or for working with a population who is at high risk for crises (e.g., targets of domestic violence,
survivors of trauma, first responders…). Your paper may address long-term care, but the focus should be on what needs to be done
in the early stages of a crisis. In addition to reporting the latest research findings, you should also critically evaluate the evidence
presented in the research and make an argument regarding the validity of this evidence.
Alternate Assignment for Research Paper
For those students who have the inclination, time, and opportunity to pursue more hands-on experiences related to crisis
intervention, I offer an assignment that may be completed in lieu of the Research Paper described above. For this
assignment you will need to complete twenty (20) hours of volunteer work experience with a community agency whose
purpose is to respond in crisis situations (e.g., Red Cross, suicide hotline, homeless shelter, etc.) and then write a three to
five (3-5) page paper reflecting on your experience. Experiences that are completed for pay, for course credit (e.g.,
internship/practicum), or any other compensation are not acceptable for the completion of this assignment. Course
instructor (i.e., me) must approve of volunteer experience prior to its inception and you must provide appropriate
documentation of your experiences.
*grading rubrics will be provided for each assignment *
ASSESSMENTS
Quizzes (12 pts): To give you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of course material, we will have quizzes
over the assigned reading. There will also be one quiz about plagiarism that you should be able to complete after watching the video
lecture on plagiarism. Note: There are 13 quizzes, but you will drop your lowest quiz grade (this will make your “Total Points” in
Blackboard somewhat misleading)..
Final Exam (15 pts)
To give you the opportunity to provide some quantitative evidence of how much you know about crisis intervention at the
end of the course, there will be a comprehensive final exam. The comprehensive final exam will cover all the material
presented during the semester and will be given online in BB. It will be available by 6pm on 12/12. You will have three hours
to complete it once it begins, and you must complete it by 11:59pm on 12/12. Exams should be completed independently,
but you may use your texts and notes.
Grading
Discussion Postings
16
Role Plays
30
Resource List
12
Research Paper (or alternate assignment)
15
Quizzes
12
Cumulative Final Exam
15
TOTAL
100
Course grades will be based on the percentage of total points earned by each student and will be assigned as follows:
A
90-100 %
B
80-89 %
C
70-79 %
D
60-69 %
F (<60 %)
Mastery of content
Late Work Policy
Above average
understanding of content
Average understanding
of content
Below average
Failure to
understanding of content understand content
If you turn in an assignment after the due date, you will receive a grade reduction of 10% for each day it’s late (with a maximum
reduction of 30%). No late work will be accepted if turned in more than 7 days past its due date. No late work will be accepted
after December 6th. Online quizzes cannot be completed after the deadline posted on the calendar.
Some Thoughts About Coursework Online
Making this course hybrid allows for great flexibility in what we are able to do. I believe that this flexibility supports learning
(especially for students with significant obligations outside of school). However, the increased reliance on imperfect technology
comes at a price. Sometimes Blackboard won’t work the way it should or when it should. This can be frustrating and discouraging.
Rather than view these frustrations as negatives, I choose to view them as opportunities to increase one’s skills in overcoming
technology-related obstacles. This skill set will become increasingly valuable as our society’s reliance on technology continues to
grow at a seemingly exponential rate. The best advice I can give you is to “play around” with the technology and figure out if you
know how to use it before you need to use it. Good luck. If you get kicked out of a quiz, just email me, and I can reset it for you
(note: this often happens if you try to open another browser window while taking a quiz).
Some Thoughts About This Course
As a mental health professional you will be uniquely positioned to intervene in people’s lives during times of crisis. Although these
instances can be fraught with anxiety and even danger, they also offer an opportunity for growth that might not occur in the
absence of crisis. I do not expect this course to prepare you to deal with all future crises “perfectly”. However, it is my hope that the
readings, assignments, and assessments you encounter here will challenge you to think more deeply and systematically about the
impact of intervention during crises. Via this process I further hope you will sharpen your intervention skills, broaden your
knowledge, and develop new questions about crisis intervention.
COURSE CALENDAR
Date
Reading
Topic/Activity
Complete/Turn In (11:59pm)
1
8/29
James Ch. 1-2
Discussion postings Ch. 2
2
9/5
3
9/12
James Ch. 3 & 4
Course Overview;
Introduction to Crisis Intervention;
Cultural Considerations
Video lectures: Ch. 3 & 4
4
9/19
5
9/26
James Ch. 5 & 6
Basic Skills;
Crisis Intervention vs. Therapy;
Role plays
Video lectures: Ch. 5 & 6
Ch. 3 Quiz
Ch. 4 Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 3 & 4
---
6
10/3
James Ch. 7
Ch. 5 Quiz
Ch. 6 Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 5 & 6
---
7
10/10
James Ch. 7
Distance Crisis Intervention;
PTSD;
Role plays
Video lecture Ch. 7;
Video lecture on plagiarism
Suicide Intervention;
Role plays
8
10/17
9
10/24
James Ch. 8 & 9
Video lectures: Ch. 8 & 9
Resource List
James Ch. 8 & 9
10
10/31
11
11/7
James Ch. 10 & 11
Sexual Assault;
Partner Violence;
Role plays
Video lectures: Ch. 10 & 11
Ch. 8 Quiz
Ch. 9 Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 8 & 9
---
12
11/14
13
11/21
James Ch. 12 & 15
Addiction;
Grief;
Role plays
Video lectures: Ch. 12 & 15
Ch. 10 Quiz
Ch. 11 Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 10 & 11
---
The School Setting;
Burnout;
Role plays
Ch. 12 Quiz
Ch. 15 Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 12 & 15;
James Ch. 3 & 4
James Ch. 5 & 6
James Ch. 10 & 11
James Ch. 12 & 15
---
Ch. 7 Quiz
Plagiarism Quiz
Discussion postings Ch. 7
Research Paper (or Alternate)
14
11/28
15
12/5
16
12/12
James Ch. 16
Video lecture Ch. 16
Happy Thanksgiving
---
---
Ch. 16 Quiz
Discussion posting Ch. 16
Comprehensive Final
exam
NOTE: We do not meet face-to-face on the nights highlighted in red.
***large portions of this syllabus were blatantly pirated from a wide variety of sources
**Professor reserves the right to amend the syllabus at any time