ERIC ED406615: Making Psychology in the Schools Indispensable: Crisis Intervention for Fun and Profit.

6 Pages·1996·0.14 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CG 027 488
ED 406 615
AUTHOR
Aronin, Loeb
Making Psychology in the Schools Indispensable: Crisis
TITLE
Intervention for Fun and Profit.
PUB DATE
96
5p.; In: Making Psychologists in Schools Indispensable:
NOTE
Critical Questions and Emerging Perspectives. Greensboro,
NC. ERIC Counseling and Student Services Clearinghouse,
1996. p143-46.
-- Opinion Papers (120)
Information Analyses (070)
PUB TYPE
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
*Crisis Intervention; *Educational Planning; Elementary
DESCRIPTORS
Secondary Education; Health Promotion; *Policy Formation;
Pupil Personnel Services; Pupil Personnel Workers; School
Counseling; *School Psychologists; *Strategic Planning
ABSTRACT
One of the first steps psychologists can take toward making
themselves indispensable in the schools is to actively participate in the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of crisis intervention teams. Unless
effective crisis intervention strategies are instituted, the educational
process comes to a standstill. School psychologists need to play a key role
at the district level in developing the very important policies and
procedures that will assist schools with restoring equilibrium following a
traumatic event and by being involved with the development and operation of
district/school site crisis teams. Preparation for crises is a process, not
an event. Information needs to be gathered from many sources, and then
tailored to fit a particular community, district or school. However, there
are a number of basics that need to be considered when developing crisis
intervention or emergency plans. In districts that have inadequate or
nonexistent plans, school psychologists can provide an invaluable service by
proposing the establishment of a District Crisis Committee to develop a
district plan for crisis intervention. Four functions and five considerations
of a District Crisis Committee are examined. Eleven principles of
psychological first aid and 10 suggestions for how parents can help their
children following a crisis are provided. (JBJ)
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Chapter Twenty-Four
Making Psychology in Schools Indispensable:
Crisis Intervention for Fun and Profit
Loeb Aronin
consultation, triage, crisis counseling, training of
One of the first steps in crisis intervention is
to get everyone's attention, which is the reason
school staffs, referrals to community agencies, and
the implementation of a crisis intervention plan.
for the title of this article. One of the first steps
School psychologists need to play a key role
psychologists can take toward making themselves
at the district level in developing the very
indispensable in the schools is to actively
important policies and procedures that will assist
participate in the planning, implementation, and
schools with restoring equilibrium following a
evaluation of crisis intervention teams.
traumatic event and by being involved with the
Children and adults are increasingly being
development and operation of district/school site
stressed by traumatic events that are so powerful
crisis teams. Board of education members,
that they disrupt the coping ability of individuals,
administrators, and the community readily
.and/or the community as a whole. The impact of
recognize that psychologists are an invaluable
an act of violence, drive-by shooting, civil unrest,
resource. They assist students, teachers,
fire, earthquake or other natural disasters, disrupts
administrators, and parents with meeting the
the emotional equilibrium of children and adults.
challenges of the multitude of crises that disrupt
Unless effective crisis intervention strategies are
For example, when a
instituted, the educational process comes to a
the educational process.
serious crisis occurs at a school within the Los
standstill.
District,
School
the
Characteristically, these crisis situations
Angeles Unified
superintendent can assure the media and the
temporarily. disrupt the normal functioning of a
community that a district crisis team of
school, significantly interfere with the ability of
psychologists, counselors, and nurses will be at
staff members and students to focus on learning,
have the potential for physical and/or psycho-
the school to deal with the tragedy.
Preparation for crises is a process, not an
logical injury to students and staff, and receive
Information needs to be gathered from
considerable attention from the community and
event.
many sources, and then tailored to fit a particular
media. The services needed to ameliorate these
community, district, or school. However, in our
situations are not mandated, but are crucial to the
experience, there are a number of basics that need
continuance of the instructional program because
to be considered when developing crisis
they help to restore the equilibrium of a school or
classroom. These critical services include
intervention or emergency plans. It is hoped that
143
2
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
based on the magnitude of the
crisis.
the following information will provide food for
Psychological services personnel developed a
thought, discussion, and action.
Handbook for Crisis Intervention (1994) to
provide support services and school staffs with
Background
School psychologists in the Los Angeles
valuable information about crisis intervention.
Unified School District have been formally
How Can School Psychologists Help?
involved in crisis intervention since 1984 when a
The training, skills, and experiences of school
sniper crouched on a roof top and opened fired on
psychologists prepare them to assist school
an elementary school yard, killing one child and
injuring twelve others. After that crisis, District
districts with the development and implementation
of district-wide crisis intervention plans.
personnel realized that staff were ill-equipped to
Responsibilities of school psychologists should
deal with the psychological problems of students,
include the establishment and training of school
staff and parents that accompany such an incident.
Although school personnel have had to deal
site crisis teams, and the coordination of assistance
from non-school site.support services personnel
with many crisis situations in the past, it became
when school site teams are overwhelmed by the
evident that specific plans needed to be in place at
magnitude of the crisis. School psychologists also
each school so that personnel involved with crises
need to take the lead in establishing broad based
are prepared to deal with a variety of crisis related
issues. These include actions during the acute
teams of nurses, school counselors, social workers,
phase of the crisis, such as quickly moving
child welfare, and attendance workers.
students into a safe environment, communicating
In districts that have inadequate or nonexistent
plans, school psychologists can provide an
with bilingual students and their parents, releasing
students to their parents, and helping teachers
invaluable service by proposing the establishment
assist students at the onset of an incident.
of a District Crisis Committee to develop a district
In fact, they should
plan for crisis intervention.
Additional interventions are called for in following
days, including identification of resources
volunteer to chair the committee.
administrators can tap to obtain the assistance of
District Crisis Committee
additional reliable personnel, identification of
students who will need additional assistance,
This district level committee would provide
the following functions: (a) serve as the link
debriefing, and additional staff training.
As a result of the sniper incident, a District
between the district's senior staff support service
Crisis Committee, comprised of the directors of
units on matters pertaining to crisis intervention;
each of the support services, was formed and a
(b) assess district needs and establish annual goals
plan emerged to train regional teams to respond
and objectives in crisis intervention; (c) plan and
organize district wide meetings to provide
when schools need additional support during a
direction and training for central office and
crisis. The regional teams were trained in the
various aspects of crisis intervention, and in turn
itinerant personnel; and (d) oversee development
were charged with training school site teams.
and preparation of appropriate crisis intervention
Psychological services personnel took the lead in
publications and materials.
Responsibilities of this committee should also
these endeavors. Principals were advised to contact
the Coordinator of Psychological Services for
include the establishment of district policies and
consultation regarding a crisis, or to request
procedures and the development a crisis handbook
additional support personnel when warranted
that would provide information regarding the
144
3
formation of school site crisis teams and strategies
knowledge and skills on crisis intervention
techniques, materials, and procedures
that staff should use to assist students and adults
following a traumatic event. Sample lesson plans
(Handbook for Crisis Intervention, 1994).
and parent information, should also be included
Psychological First Aid in Schools
in the handbook.
This term was adopted by the district to draw
School psychologists should ensure that each
a parallel between the physical interventions
school has an established crisis team by requesting
the names of each school team member.
provided by lay people when there is a medical
emergency and the psychological interventions
Psychologists need to include in the district plan
that administrators, teachers, staff, and students
a schedule for training all of the school site crisis
can provide following an emotionally traumatic
teams and participate as a member of the training
event. In both situations, appropriate planning and
team.
The following should be considered when
training is necessary to be successful.
General principles of psychological first aid
establishing school site teams:
include:
A school crisis team should be established
1.
1. Provide immediate, direct,
active,
under the direction of the principal in each
authoritative intervention.
school.
Recognize people in crisis as in a
Membership on the team includes on-site
2.
2.
temporary state of disturbance, not
staff as well as support services personnel
assigned to the school. A typical team
mentally ill.
3. Communicate a sense of self-confidence.
might be formed from staff members such
4. Communicate in a calm organized way;
as an administrator, counselor(s), nurse,
psychologist, physician, attendance
help limit disorganization and confusion.
5. Provide accurate information about the
counselor, teacher(s) and classified staff.
The number of members assigned to the
situation.
team may vary from school to school.
6. Accept every person's right to his/her own
The school team is a team for all reasons
feelings.
3.
that is, for all types of crises. There is not
7. Attempt to calm the victim and relieve the
anxiety and stress, but do not make
a separate team for mental health crisis
intervention, suicide prevention, etc.
unrealistic promises.
8. Accept a person's limitations as real.
The function of the school site crisis team
4.
9. Do not impose your methods of problem-
is to assist the principal in: (a) assessment
solving upon the disaster victim; the
of the need for crisis intervention services
person's own solutions will be most
as a result of a particular crisis situation;
(b) initiating the school's action plan; (c)
successful.
providing appropriate intervention
10. Listen actively.
services; (d) determining the need for
11. Accept your own limitations in a relief
assistance from the district support
role; do not attempt to be all things to all
services crisis team; and (e) evaluation of
people (Handbook for Crisis Intervention,
outcome.
1994).
Members of the school site crisis team
5.
should meet periodically to update their
4
145
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
district-wide crisis intervention plans, and, for no
Assistance Parents Can Provide
11 important principles of
extra charge,
There are many activities or strategies school
psychological first aid were provided so that the
psychologists can suggest to parents to assist their
training of staff can begin. Finally, specific
child to deal with traumatic events such as the
suggestions for parents were included so that the
death of a playmate, fire, earthquake or acts of
next time the media calls and asks how parents
violence. The following are among the most
(or teachers, for that matter) can help their children
effective techniques:
following a crisis, you have an answer.
Talk with children and provide simple,
1.
accurate information to questions. Allow
them to tell their stories about what
Reference
Los Angeles Unified School District. (1994). A
happened.
Handbook for Crisis Intervention (rev.). Los
Tell them about your feelings.
2.
Listen to your children for signs of fear,
Angeles: Author.
3.
anxiety, or insecurity.
4. Be aware of any changes in behavior such
as sleep patterns, eating, physical
complaints.
Reassure your child by telling him/her,
5.
"we are together" or "we will take care of
you."
Respond to repeated questions. You may
6.
need to repeat information and reassurance
many times.
Hold and comfort the child.
7.
Spend extra time putting children to bed,
8.
talking to them and reassuring them.
Observe your child at play.
Frequently
9.
children express feelings of fear or anger
while playing with dolls, trucks, or friends.
10. Provide play experiences to relieve tension.
Summary
By increasing involvement in crisis inter-
vention teams, psychology increasingly will be
viewed as indispensable in the schools. In brief,
you now have a strategy that can guide you and
your district in establishing and training regional
and school site crisis intervention teams that
include psychologists in substantive roles. A brief
model for developing a district-wide plan was
presented with a rationale for why psychologists
need to play a critical role in the development of
146
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