Crisis Services
What is a Crisis?
A crisis is when the safety of an individual or others is at imminent risk.
- Crises situations are those that the individual or person(s) providing care cannot resolve without the help of trained professionals
- Mental health crises do not always mean that an individual is a danger to themselves or others
What Can Lead to a Crisis?
External Factors
- Periods of increased stress
- A time of grieving or loss
- Traumatic events
- Major life changes
Internal Factors
- Periods of intense depression
- A feeling of hopelessness
- Anxiety or panic
- Anger
When Must Action be Taken?
Some indications that action must be taken during a crisis situation are as follows:
- Attempts to harm or kill oneself or indicates a plan to do so
- Threatens to harm oneself or others
- Abuses others physically
- Isolates or withdraws from others more than usual
- Eats or sleeps too much or too little for extended periods of time
- Experiences abrupt onset of psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations
- Exhibiting any other concerning atypical behaviors
Crisis Development Stages
Below are the four basic stages of crisis: pre-escalation, escalation, crisis, and recovery. It is important to understand that adult behaviors can influence the course of a crisis to de-escalate or completely avoid crisis situations. Read one to learn about some strategies that can be used during the escalation and crisis phases.
Escalation Strategies
- Your response will dictate the outcome. Use empathy. Speak calmly and respectfully. Give them time and space. Try humor.
- Assume there is an unmet need. Identify any problems that exist. Offer words that comfort and affirm their feelings.
- Be responsive, not reactive. Offer help, preset options, and reframe the problem and get them to the solution. Set limits in a non-confrontational way and follow through.
Establish a Plan
- Have you been in this situation before? Where does this instance compare and what has worked best in the past? If an Crisis Action Plan already exists, refer to it to see what works for them. If they are already involved with healthcare providers, contact the provider for advice.
- Establish preference. Is the person willing to seek care? Do you or the individual prefer medical or non-medical support? What hospitals or clinics are preferred?
Crisis Strategies
- Unless your words are calming, stop talking. Be quite until it’s uncomfortable then be quiet some more. Do not try to rationalize or reason with them.
- Use protective strategies. Calmly remove any items that can be projectiles. Move slowly and deliberately. Keep a reasonable distance.
- DO NOT restrain the individual. This is unlikely to improve the situation or change future behaviors.
Take Action
- Is the person in immediate physical danger? Call 911 and request an officer with mental health crisis training.
- If the person is willing to seek care, help them get to the facility. Ask them what they would like to bring and if they would like you to stay with them.
- Are they unwilling to seek professional care? Will they call a crisis line to speak with someone or allow you to call a crisis line?
Mental Health Services and Providers in Wisconsin
We understand that finding the right programs for your family is tiresome and complicated. We want to reduce that stress for you. Below we have compiled a list of the state-sponsored and private treatment options in the state of Wisconsin.
Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP)
Children’s Long Term Support Program (CLTS)
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS)
Community Recovery Services (CRS)
Coordinated Services Team (CST)
WI Fair Housing Law & Complaint Process
Find out who the Wisconsin Fair Housing Law protects, what constitutes housing discrimination, and how to file a complaint if you are being discriminated against.
Wisconsin Fair Housing Councils
Are you being discriminated against or at risk of losing your housing? Visit the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website to find your local Fair Housing Council.
Visit this site to find subsidized apartments across the State of Wisconsin, to receive help with Housing Vouchers, or help with utilities and bills.
Childcare
General Wisconsin Childcare Information
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has many resources for child care including a list of providers, regulations, and other childcare-related resources.
Wisconsin Shares Subsidy
Wisconsin Shares helps low-income working families by subsidizing a portion of quality childcare during the workday or participating in another approved activity.
Centers for Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs
Five Regional Centers dedicated to providing free and private services to support families with children and youth with special health care needs.
Crisis Support and Intervention
2-1-1 connects callers to a specialist who can assess the caller’s needs and link the caller to the right solution using a comprehensive database of services. This service can be accessed by phone, chat, or web.
This is a resource that contains crisis and suicide prevention lines listed by county across the state. (Link needs to be updated to https://www.preventsuicidewi.org/)
HOPELINE is the Emotional Support Text Line in the State of Wisconsin and provides service throughout the entire state. (Link needs to be updated to https://centerforsuicideawareness.org/hopeline)
Volunteer, donate, or advocate to help families that include children living with social, emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.
Transportation
Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Transportation
If a students’ IEP defines it as necessary, the DPI permits schools outside of school district in which the student resides to provide transportation of the student to a non-resident school district. Transportation reimbursement is also available to low-income families.
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
If you are unable to get to a scheduled medical appointment the Wisconsin Department of Health has a program for obtaining a ride, bus ticket, or gas for you vehicle as long as you are enrolled in a form of state of government sponsored health care assistance.
WI Employment Transportation Assistance Program (WETAP)
WETAP is a program that connects low-income workers with jobs by removing transportation as a barrier to employment. Low income is defined by those individuals who earn less than 200% of what is defined as the federal poverty level. Enrollment information is available on the site.
Food Pantries
Find food pantries, soup kitchens, food shelves, and other food help nearest you.
Food Banks located across the state: Feeding America, Second Harvest, Feed My People, and Channel One.
Crisis Support and Intervention
2-1-1 connects callers to a specialist who can assess the caller’s needs and link the caller to the right solution using a comprehensive database of services. This service can be accessed by phone, chat, or web.
This is a resource that contains crisis and suicide prevention lines listed by county across the state. (Link needs to be updated to https://www.preventsuicidewi.org/)
HOPELINE is the Emotional Support Text Line in the State of Wisconsin and provides service throughout the entire state. (Link needs to be updated to https://centerforsuicideawareness.org/hopeline)
Volunteer, donate, or advocate to help families that include children living with social, emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.
Address
Wisconsin Family Ties
16 N. Carroll St., Ste. 230
Madison, WI 53703
Phone & Fax
Supporting families & changing lives by improving children's mental health.
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Supporting families & changing lives by improving children's mental health.
Address
Wisconsin Family Ties
16 N. Carroll St., Ste. 230
Madison, WI 53703
Phone & Fax
Support Our Work
Affliations