SW 531 Crisis Interventions

3 credits

In this advanced interventions course, students will gain an understanding of the variety of crisis situations across several domains (family, health, mental health, violence and disaster) and the impact these situations have on individuals at different stages in the life course. Students will acquire an understanding of the complex bio-psycho-social factors that exacerbate crisis as well as those that contribute to resolution and adaptation. Crisis intervention is viewed as an essential skill that promotes healthy resolution of traumatic life events and is supportive of basic human rights. Differential skill development will be integrated within each domain, providing participants with a broad understanding of intervention techniques. This course will begin with a theoretical overview of crisis intervention and then involve consideration of specific crises in each domain. Crisis situations will be considered from the perspective of target systems at intersecting social locations. Agency collaboration will be integrated throughout the course, offering students opportunities to understand crisis intervention from individual, family, organizational and community perspectives. Students will be provided with current empirical support for intervention strategies with specific at-risk populations.