1) Provide both an objective (from a source e.g. dictionary, textbook) and subjective definition (in your own words) for the following terms: “crisis” and “precipitating event.” (minimum 50 words each, excluding the objective definitions)

 Crisis:

cri·sis noun \ˈkrī-səs\

• : a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention
• : the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever
• : a paroxysmal attack of pain, distress, or disordered function
• : an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person’s life
• : an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially :  one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome
• : a situation that has reached a critical phase

“Crisis situations…are ordinarily initiated by a blow from the outside or from internal pressures that can no longer be sustained.  These may result in one catastrophic event or in a series of mishaps whose effect is cumulative… The crisis situation is not essentially a sickness or a pathological experience.  It is a realistic struggle in the true circumstances of the lives of the affected persons” (Kennedy 389).

A crisis is a situation that an individual experiences that most often arises from a precipitating event.  This situation is one that causes the individual undue stress and can result in them acting and feeling particularly out of character.  It often comes out of some external stimuli that then culminates in a combination of internal and external manifestations of the crisis.

Precipitating Event:

pre·cip·i·tate verb \pri-ˈsi-pə-ˌtāt\

• : to cause (something) to happen quickly or suddenly
• : to bring about especially abruptly
• : to fall or come suddenly into some condition

“If there is no resolution [to the crisis situation] and the tension builds to a peak, then a precipitating factor may touch off the crisis so that, in an instant…balance collapses and disorganization takes place.  This is the state of active crisis” (Kennedy 389).  “Understanding what is termed the “precipitation event” governs an intervention that is ordered… Identifying the precipitating stress follows the burned powder trail back from the explosion to that place where the match was struck and touched to it.  There we find the circumstances that unbalanced the person and gave rise to the symptoms now displayed” (388).

A precipitating event is the thing that happens to trigger a crisis situation.  This can be a “last straw” type of scenario, where the person finally breaks from a long line of stressors, or it can be a sudden event that tips the scales.  This precipitating event will most likely relate back to the individual on a mental, emotional, and/or physical level.  It can be anything from a loss to a threat to a challenge.

2) Describe at least three different categories of emergency situations and provide a clear example of each. Please ensure you include a source citation. (minimum 50 words each).

Three categories that emergencies can fall into are Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Intertemporal, among others.

Intrapersonal:  An interpersonal emergency is one that arises from an individual dealing and coping with their own internal processes, such as depression, anxiety, and/or confusion.  These emergencies may not have a clear precipitating event, or at the very least, a clear event that the individual can pinpoint as the root cause of their emotions.  For example, an individual could be experiencing anxiety or depression as they anticipate responses to their actions and their internal sense of balance is thrown off.  This internal processing and experience of emotions can be a precipitating event that leads to a crisis situation (Kennedy 387-93).

Interpersonal: An interpersonal emergency is one that arises between individuals.  This may be in a romantic relationship, a friendship relationship, a professional relationship, or a familial relationship.  In all of these there is a person other than the individual involved who’s actions and reactions can influence the development and/or resolution of a crisis situation.  For example, an individual could be experiencing a breakdown in communication between themselves and their significant other.  This breakdown in communication can be a precipitating event that leads to a crisis situation (Kennedy 387-93).

Intertemporal: An intertemporal emergency is one that happens during times of transition, and is not necessarily tied to a particular time frame or age grouping of people.  This transition often occurs between life stages or life events.  For example, as a teenager graduates from high school and anticipates moving out of their childhood home either to join the workforce or begin college they may experience difficulties navigating the new experiences and responsibilities that come with that new territory.  They will be managing their own time, will be expected to pay for their own expenses, and oftentimes will suddenly be seen as “more responsible,” causing anxiety about these new expectations.  This time of transition can be a precipitating event that leads to a crisis situation (Kennedy 387-88).

3) Describe at least five possible events or situations that may cause an individual to experience a crisis in his or her life. (minimum 100 words)

There are many reasons why a person may experience crisis in their life.  All of these reasons are a real struggle for the individual and should not be trivialized.  A person may experience a loss, whether through death, the ending of a relationship, or the loss of a job, position, or material good.  This can cause depression and mourning.  A person may be experiencing or anticipating a big life event, such as marriage, a new job, the birth of a child, or moving.  This can cause anxiety.  A person may be the victim of a traumatic event, such as theft, assault, or rape. This can cause guilt, fear, depression, and anxiety, among many other emotions.  A person may be suffering from, or caring for someone suffering from, an illness, whether one that suddenly came on or a prolonged illness.  This can cause guilt, depression, and exhaustion.  A person may experience triggers that remind them of previous traumatic events, which can bring back the same emotions experienced during the initial event.  For example, a victim or rape or assault may be introduced to someone who looks similar to his or her attacker, or may hear a sound that was happening at the time of the attack.  That facial structure, or that sound, became linked with the initial event and acts as a trigger back to the original space and time (Kennedy 391).

4) Discuss how an individual’s ability to appropriately cope and/or problem solve may be affected by crisis and explain the process you would use to assist this individual. (100 words).

When a person is in crisis they may become anxious, confused, or overwhelmed by the situation they find themselves in.  These feelings can interfere with a person’s ability to make even small decisions, which can lead to them losing the stable footing that they need to maintain their own psychological defenses.  We can help be a stabilizing force and “allow others to depend on us during the intense interval of crisis, letting them “lean” on us and telling them what to do” (Kennedy 390).  We act as a steady pretense and help the individual with some immediate day-to-day decisions and tasks that will allow them the time and space needed to replenish their own defense so that they can take over that role again.  We can help by identifying where the person is strong – “what we understand as their healthiest defenses – and encourage their use in their struggle to recapture their equilibrium” (390).

5) List and discuss at least five suicide warning signs. Explain how you would respond if you were assisting an individual exhibiting one or more of these signs. (minimum 50 words each warning sign and minimum 100 words for response). 

“Most experts believe that determination to commit suicide is the clearest signal that we can receive and that three facets may be identified in every suicide: specificity of the means, lethality of the means, and availability of the means.  When these conditions are realized we may conclude that the likelihood of suicide is very high” (Kennedy 352).

Warning Signs: (“Suicide Warning Signs”)

1 – Talking/Writing about suicide: 

This is probably the number one warning sign of suicide.  It can take the form of an individual meeting with people they haven’t seen in a while to say goodbye, getting their affairs in order, writing a will, or giving away treasured possessions.  When an individual is talking or writing about suicide they may reveal the specificity of the three facets mentioned above.  This warning sign should always be taken seriously and appropriate action taken.

2 – Feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, or being trapped by a situation: 

When a person feels like there is no way out of situation or there is nothing that can be done to ever make it any better, suicide can become a risk.  When a person makes statements such as “it won’t change anything, so why bother,” this should be recognized a contributing factor to the determination to commit suicide.

3 – Change in Personality/Behavior

This can include anger/rage, sadness, excessive guilt/shame, mood swings, out of the ordinary emotions for the individual, and/or a change in eat/sleeping habits.  The important thing to consider here is the shift from normal behavior to something out of the ordinary.  This means that this warning sign is harder to recognize unless you know the individual well or spend a decent amount of time around them in order to determine what is typical behavior.

4 – Reckless Behavior

This is best used as a warning sign when taken in conjunction with the other signs.  It is more likely to be a warning sign when it is a sudden change in behavior and/or out of the norm for the individual, or when it is couple with the individual setting their affairs in order.  It is still important to be aware of a person who always seems to volunteer for the most dangerous jobs, is consistently taking unnecessary risks, or seems to getting hurt all the time.

5 – Withdrawing from friends/family

This includes not showing interest in doing things with those people, as well as no longer taking part in most parts of life they used to enjoy.  When a person withdraws from their support network, especially if their behavior changes before doing so, it can be a fairly clear warning sign.  A similar risk factor is for individuals who appear to be loners or social outcasts and have a weak support network.

My Response:

My response would depend on how immediate or intense these warning signs presented themselves in an individual.  It is a careful balance to neither underreact nor overreact (Kennedy 355-6).  If an individual were talking about committing suicide, I would probably ask them if they had a plan for how and/or when they were going to.  This would determine the immediacy need of my response.  In either case I would probably give them a suicide hotline number and ask them to call in that moment.  Additionally, if I knew they were already receiving professional help, I would ask them to call and schedule an appointment with their therapist, begin sure that they told their therapist they were considering suicide, then, as the therapist would most likely suggest in that moment, I would do my best to make sure they went to an emergency room.  If the individual was adamantly opposed to this and I felt they were in immediate danger, I would call 911.  For individuals who were not currently receiving professional help I would refer them to a counselor.

For individuals who were not displaying immediate warning signs, I would still either ask that they contact their therapist if they had one, or refer them to one if they didn’t.  I would give them the suicide hotline number and ask them to program it into their phone so they’d have easy access to it if needed.  I would check in with them and continue to act as an active, empathetic listener, being sure to let them know that I would be a support person, available to listen and be there in the ways I am able, but that they should also use the other resources that are available (like the referral to a counselor and the suicide hotline number) and should contact those resources first if they continued to feel they way they are or if they felt like they were getting worse.

6) Choose four of the seven common misconceptions about suicide from the list below and discuss why each is a misconception. (minimum 50 words each)

People who talk about suicide won’t really do it.

Individuals who have committed suicide nearly always have talked about it first.  An individual who talks about suicide is oftentimes in pain and reaching out for help in one of the few ways they can think how.  They have lost hope and can think of few or no other options.  Talk about suicide should always be taken seriously.

If a person is determined to kill himself/herself, nothing is going to stop him/her.

An individual who is determined to commit suicide has often made that choice because they are in pain and can see no other way out.  They are looking for a way to end the pain, not necessarily end their life.  Suicide is an escape plan to stop the pain.  Prevention can be addressed through therapy to help them find other ways to stop the pain they are trying to end.  Talking about suicide with these individuals and referring them for help needs to happen.

Talking about suicide may give someone the idea.

This is untrue, and may be counter-productive to aiding someone who is considering suicide.  It is prudent to bring up the possibly of suicide with individuals who we think are suicide risk so we can assess how immediate their need for professional help may be.  Bringing up suicide to these individuals does not put a new idea in their head but rather may “diminish the symbolic power of actual suicide by showing that the thought can be accepted and understood by others” (Kennedy 357).

After a person has attempted suicide, it is unlikely he/she will try again.

The opposite of this is actually true.  One of the risk factors for suicide is whether or not a person has any previous attempts at suicide.  The potential for a person to complete suicide is quicker if they have a history of suicide attempts.  This is particularly noted in adolescents, because while many will never make another attempt, there are some who previously engaged in some for of self-destructive behavior or a mild attempt at suicide who may eventually commit suicide (Kennedy 353-4).

7) Discuss why an individual in crisis might seek an ADF clergy person for help and explain whether or not you feel this is an appropriate function for ADF clergy, why or why not? (minimum 200 words)

A person in crisis may come to an ADF clergy person because they are seeking support from someone they view as a helper and a leader, who theoretically appears calm and grounded in most situations, as well as someone who is an important figure in their religious practice.  People turn “to those nearby who seem capable of offering some understanding and good sense” (Kennedy viii-ix). I think this is both an expected response from people, as well as one that is appropriate for the clergy to be ready and able to handle.  Our culture, in the United States at least, is familiar with the idea of pastoral counseling.  For ADF clergy, this may look different, but it nevertheless remains one of their many appropriate functions.  The structure of our church is such that we build close-knit communities, and those communities have leaders.  An ADF clergy person is seen as a leader, making them one who will be turned to in times of crisis.  “Faith and Spirituality are now recognized as potent sources of personal integration and emotional well-being.  In crisis, we may wisely call on the religious faith of those involved to support them during the time of stress” (390-1).

I think it is an important distinction however, that when a person in crisis comes to an ADF clergy person, that we are there to provide emergency level support and resources should they need more advanced care.  As a support person, the skill set is focused on our natural human traits and empathy.  The tactics that can be used to be a successful support person include ventilation, exploration of problems, clarification, suggestion, reassurance, education, empathy, and support of defenses (Kennedy 7-10).  In these situations, it is also imperative to recognize our own limits, including when we need to step back for our own well-being as well as when an individual needs to be referred for professional help.  When considering the line between what is an appropriate function for clergy and what is not, it’s important to remember that we are who the folk have chosen to come to in this instance, and it would be a great disservice, and perhaps even unethical, to not honor the role that they have set us in and turn them away without providing the support and resources we are able.  “We are not out to convince people that they are in trouble but to respond to them when they really are” (398).

8) Discuss an example of a crisis situation to which you have responded (this may be a crisis you have personally experienced or an experience in which you tried to help someone else in crisis). Reflect upon your response to the crisis in your example, and explain what you found effective, as well as how you could have improved your response to this situation. (minimum 200 words)

I have a friend who recently came to me regarding her marriage.  She’s been married for about 3 years and suffers from anxiety and possibly depression (both untreated at the time of this conversation).  She felt like her marriage was falling apart and was debating moving out.  She contacted me initially via instant message, and after asking her directly if she felt physically safe, I scheduled a time to go over and talk with her a couple of days later.

Going to talk to her mostly involved me practicing a lot of active listening.  I let her talk about how she was feeling and describe to me what she felt was happening and her grievances in the relationship.  It sounded like she was trying to sort through her feelings and talking about them out loud to another person was helpful for her to process them and define them.  One of the things I think I did well was actively listening with a minimal amount of self-sharing on my part.  There was no need for me to discuss or reveal any similar situations: she already seemed comfortable enough to share with me, and didn’t appear to be seeking validation for her feelings in a way that me sharing would have helped.

One of the things she had told me was that she felt nervous thinking about her husband coming home from work, and how she was tired of feeling scared, and how she was tired of walking on eggshells around him all the time.  I had brought a couple of phone numbers with me for domestic violence services.  I gave them to her, and asked her to please call them if at any point she felt like she was in physical danger or needed to get out.  Thinking about it now, if I had to do this again, I would probably have had her program the numbers into her phone so she could get to them immediately.

I felt like, during the course of our conversation, that she was pressuring me to make a decision for her.  It’s one of the things I think I did well in: I kept reiterating that it was a personal decision on her part, and one that she, and only she, could make.  We did talk about if she would have a place to go if she decided to leave him, and I helped her brainstorm where those places could be, and how she would need to go about applying for jobs to be able to support herself if it came to that.

I also asked her if her and her husband would be willing to go to marriage counseling.  She said they had made an appointment, but that it was still several weeks out for their first appointment.  She also told me how she had started seeing a therapist for herself, who had brought up her possibly getting on antidepressants.  She was resistant and really scared to try that because she was afraid she would start them, and then lose her support network of her husband, and all her friends would turn out to actually be her husband’s friends and wouldn’t be supportive of her either.  I talked to her about trying to trust her therapist, and making sure to reach out to her support network.

One of the things I could have done to improve this interaction would have been to have a better sense of when to end the conversation.  I didn’t go in with a time frame, and I think it would have made it easier to leave without angst-ridden feelings of whether or not the conversation was at a good stopping point and whether or not it was okay to actually them.  I also could have done better by having a better firm time or time frame to check in again with her.

9) Discuss how the skills required of ADF clergy in ritual, especially those which involve mitigating chaos and generating order, might relate to those necessary for appropriately responding to an emergency situation (minimum 100 words).

One of the things that ADF clergy do is ritual is bring order out of chaos.  In ADF ritual we are taking actions to maintain the order in the chaos when we (Re)Create the Cosmos and Establish the Sacred Center.  When an individual is in crisis, they are experiencing chaos.  When a precipitating event occurs that touches off a crisis situation, it is touching off an effect that causes balance within the individual to collapse and disorganization of their world to occur (Kennedy 398).   “Bringing order reduces the anxiety that, as in all stressful encounters, can so easily paralyze or lessen the constructive potential of persons standing at the center or the edges of an emergency.  Persons who remain calm and maintain self-control in a disaster become its natural leaders and can save many lives… Our ability to master ourselves and to telegraph confidence to others in an emergency calms the tempest, grounding the electric anxiety that crackles in the air, thereby decreasing the intensity of the emergency itself” (386-7).  When we take our skills required in ritual, mitigating chaos and generating order, and apply them to respond to those in crisis, we are allowing ourselves to become, in that moment, the axis mundi that the individual needs in order to reorient themselves within their world, and the mountain that they need as a steadying, grounding force.

10) Compile and submit a list of mainstream resources providing crisis services available in your locality. Additionally, explore your locality for a hotline number to access emergency services and discuss the results of your search. (Please provide the following information for each resource listed a) name of resource b) contact information c) how to make a referral d) hours of operation e) specific service[s] provided by the resource). (no minimum word count)

“Hands on Central Ohio 2-1-1.” Hands on Central Ohio 2-1-1. Web. 24 Sept. 2014. <http://www.211centralohio.org>.

suicidal thoughts

Type of Resource: Suicide Prevention

• Name of Resource: North Central Mental Health Services
• Contact Information:
• 1301 North High Street
• Main Building
• Columbus, OH 43201
• http://www.suicidepreventionservices.org
• (614) 221-5445 24-hour hotline
• How to Make a Referral: 24/7 by phone
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 by phone
• Services Provided: Trained volunteers assist callers through empathetic listening, assessing suicide risk, identifying problems and connecting callers with appropriate resources and referrals. Also presents educational programs about the warning sides of suicide and what to do when those signs are observed.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services:
• (614) 221-5445 24-hour hotline – Franklin County Suicide Hotline
• (614) 294-3300 24-hour hotline – Franklin County Teen Suicide Hotline
• (614) 294-3309 24-hour hotline – Franklin County Senior Suicide Hotline
• (800) 273-8255 24-hour hotline – National Suicide Prevention Hotline

mental illness

Type of Resource: Depression Support Group

• Name of Resource: North Central Mental Health Services
• Contact Information:
• 1301 North High Street
• Main Building
• Columbus, OH 43201
• (614) 299-6600 Administrative
• (614) 299-6600 ext. 2073 Program Number
• inquiries@ncmhs.org
• www.ncmhs.org
• How to Make a Referral: by phone
• Hours of Operation: Second and fourth Thursday of each month 7 pm-8:30 pm.
• Services Provided: Peer support for those experiencing depressive disorders (no fees and no documents needed)
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: (614) 221-5445 24-hour hotline – Franklin County Suicide Hotline

Type of Resource: General Counseling

• Name of Resource: North Central Counseling
• Contact Information:
• 338 Granville Street
• Columbus, OH 43230
• (614) 475-7090 Administrative
• www.ncmhs.org
• How to Make a Referral: by phone (Accepts Medicaid, most insurance providers, ADAMH funds and private pay.)
• Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 8:30 am-8 pm. Friday 8:30 am-5 pm.
• Services Provided: General Counseling Services, Substance Abuse Counseling. Offers mental health and substance abuse treatment services to children, adolescents, families and adults. The Family Focus team offers individual, family, parent, couples and group counseling with an emphasis on a solution-focused approach.

substance abuse (addiction)

Type of Resource: Substance Abuse Counseling

• Name of Resource: North Community Counseling Centers
• Contact Information:
• 1495 Morse Road Suite B3
• Columbus, OH 43229
• (614) 267-7003 Administrative
• (614) 846-2588 ext. 2223 Program Number
• How to Make a Referral:
• Hours of Operation: by appt only. hours vary.
• Services Provided: Offers substance abuse counseling on an individual or group basis. Offers an informational and educational group on substance abuse or addiction.

Type of Resource: Substance Abuse Counseling

• Name of Resource: North Central Counseling
• Contact Information:
• 338 Granville Street
• Columbus, OH 43230
• (614) 475-7090 Administrative
• www.ncmhs.org
• How to Make a Referral: by phone (Accepts Medicaid, most insurance providers, ADAMH funds and private pay.)
• Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 8:30 am-8 pm. Friday 8:30 am-5 pm.
• Services Provided: General Counseling Services, Substance Abuse Counseling. Offers mental health and substance abuse treatment services to children, adolescents, families and adults. The Family Focus team offers individual, family, parent, couples and group counseling with an emphasis on a solution-focused approach.

Type of Resource: Substance Abuse

• Name of Resource: Directions Counseling Group
• Contact Information:
• 6797 N. High St.
• Worthington, Ohio 43085
• 614-888-9200
• http://www.directionscounseling.com/substance-abuse-addiction/substance-abuse-counseling
• http://www.directionscounseling.com/child-teen/substance-abuse-counseling
• How to Make a Referral: by appt. Call 614-888-9200
• Hours of Operation: by appt. Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Services Provided: teen and adult substance abuse counseling services, both individual and family sessions

financial issues

Type of Resource: Utility & Rent Assistance

• Name of Resource: IMPACT Community Action (HEAP)
• Contact Information:
• 700 Bryden Road
• Columbus, OH 43215
• 614.252.2799
• How to Make a Referral: Call 866.747.1038 to schedule an appointment for HEAP assistance or for Central Intake for other IMPACT programs and services. Call 866.747.1040 to schedule an appointment for rental assistance, material assistance through the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, or for water utility assistance (offered seasonally: April-June and September-November). Must bring to intake: valid Drivers License/Photo ID, Social Security Cards for all household members, proof of household income for the past 90 days for everyone 18yr and older, current gas/electric bills, copy of your lease if your service are off or being transferred
• Hours of Operation: Mondays through Fridays  8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  call to schedule appt.
• Services Provided: The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps households prevent energy service disruptions, restore disconnected services, and/or secure seasonal heating and cooling energy needs.  Emergency Assistance provides financial and material support on behalf of customers in crisis situations, including homelessness prevention, home furnishings, and other critical transportation needs.

homelessness (lack of shelter, food, clothing, other basic needs)

Type of Resource: Homeless Financial Assistance (Families with Children)

• Name of Resource: Homeless Families Foundation
• Contact Information:
• 33 North Grubb Street
• Columbus, OH 43215
• http://www.homelessfamiliesfoundation.com
• (614) 461-9247 Administrative
• (614) 253-3910 Intake   YWCA Family Center
• How to Make a Referral: by telephone (614-253-3910) to schedule intake. To qualify for services YWCA Family Shelter must complete referral.
• Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 8:30 am-5 pm. Fri 8:30 am-3 pm.
• Services Provided: Provides assistance in finding permanent housing and extensive holistic case management for homeless children and their families. Assistance for deposits, rent and sometimes utilities are subsidized for a short time to help stabilize the families in their new homes. When needed, Homeless Families Foundation also provides necessary furniture, dishes, pots and pans, towels and toiletries, cleaning supplies and a starter food basket.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services:
• The “Front Door” to the family shelter system in Columbus is the YWCA’s “Family Center”
• 900 Harvey Court
• Columbus, OH  43219
• Phone:  614.253.3910

Type of Resource: Individual Homeless Shelters (Men & Women)

• Name of Resource: Friends of the Homeless (Southeast, Inc.)
• Contact Information:
• Administrative Address:
• 924 East Main Street
• Columbus, OH 43205-2338
• 614.360.0251(v) 614.253.7341(f)
• Men’s Shelter Address:
• 924 East Main Street
• Columbus, OH 43205
• Women’s Shelter Address:
• 595 Van Buren Drive
• Columbus, OH 43223
• How to Make a Referral: intake process by phone or in person
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 for shelter; Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 8 am-5 pm. Tuesday 8 am-7 pm. for Admin offices
• Services Provided: Provides emergency shelter for adult single men and adult single women. Additional services include meals and referrals to medical, legal, and supportive services.  18 years and older. Individuals must be sober, ambulatory and not dangerous.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: (888) 474-3587 24 shelter hour hotline

Type of Resource: Teen Emergency Shelter

• Name of Resource: Huckleberry House
• Contact Information:
• 1421 Hamlet Street
• Columbus, OH 43201
• http://www.huckhouse.org
• (614) 294-8097 Administrative
• (614) 298-4135 (for family counseling)
• How to Make a Referral: 24/7 phone (614) 294-8097) and walk-in
• Teens unable to get to Huckleberry House on their can go to a White Castle Restaurant, a Columbus Fire Station or a 24-hour Kroger store.  They can walk into the site and tell an employee that they need Safe Place Help. The employee/store will contact Huckleberry House, and they will arrange transport. (If you are unsure where the closest Safe Place site is, you can text to 69866 and enter SAFE into your phone and your current location (street address, city, state) they will text you back within seconds the closest safe place location for you. You can also call The National Safe Place hotline at 1-888-290-7233)
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 phone and walk-in
• Services Provided: Offers 24-hour crisis intervention services for teens (12-17yrs). Provides a 24-hour crisis shelter and crisis hotline. Offers counseling services for youth who have run away from home, or are thinking of running. Counselors work with teens and their families to provide crisis intervention and to develop communication and understanding. Average length of stay is 3-5 days with a plan of reconciliation in place.  Transitional housing is available for stays as long as 12-18 months.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: (614) 294-5553 24-hour hotline

suspected abuse of the individual’s child(ren)

Type of Resource: Child Abuse & Domestic Violence for Children with Families

• Name of Resource: Franklin County Children’s Services
• Contact Information:
• 4071 East Main Street
• Whitehall, OH 43213
• http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/children_services
• (614) 229-7100 24-hour Intake hotline
• How to Make a Referral: Reports are made to the 24 Abuse Hotline (614-229-7000)
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 by phone. Intake process: phone and walk-in (no documents required, and no fees)
• Services Provided: Investigation of alleged child abuse, neglect or exploitation within families or childcare facilities, schools, group homes, etc. Alternative intake can also do assessments for cases of domestic violence if children are in the home and affected. Note a case must be opened in order to receive additional services.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: (614) 229-7000 24-hour Child Abuse hotline

criminal victimization (victims of theft, sexual assault, domestic violence)

Type of Resource: LGBTQ Domestic & Hate Violence

• Name of Resource: Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization
• Contact Information:
• 870 North Pearl Street
• Columbus, OH 43215
• http://www.bravo-ohio.org
• (614) 294-7867 (Administrative/Program Number 9am-5pm)
• How to Make a Referral:
• Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 10 am-4 pm. Sun-Thu 6 pm-10 pm.  Intake process: Telephone. E-mail. Walk-in. (no documents required, and no fees)
• Services Provided: Provides confidential crisis intervention services and legal advocacy/attorney referrals to victims of anti-gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, same sex domestic violence and anti-LGBT Hate violence.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services:  (866) 862-7286

Type of Resource: General Domestic Violence

• Name of Resource: CHOICES – for victims of domestic violence
• Contact Information:
• 500 W. Wilson Bridge Rd. Suite 245
• Worthington, OH 43085
• http://choicescolumbus.org/
• (614) 224-7200
• How to Make a Referral: call 24hr hotline
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 by phone
• Services Provided: 24-hour Crisis & Information Line; Temporary Shelter; Counseling & Support Groups; Legal & Community Advocacy; Education & Training Programs
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: 614-224-HOME (4663)

Type of Resource: Child Abuse & Domestic Violence for Children with Families

• Name of Resource: Franklin County Children’s Services
• Contact Information:
• 4071 East Main Street
• Whitehall, OH 43213
• http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/children_services
• (614) 229-7100 24-hour Intake hotline
• How to Make a Referral: Reports are made to the 24 Abuse Hotline (614-229-7000)
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 by phone. Intake process: phone and walk-in (no documents required, and no fees)
• Services Provided: Investigation of alleged child abuse, neglect or exploitation within families or childcare facilities, schools, group homes, etc. Alternative intake can also do assessments for cases of domestic violence if children are in the home and affected. Note a case must be opened in order to receive additional services.
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services:
• (614) 229-7000 24-hour Child Abuse hotline

Type of Resource: Sexual Assault

• Name of Resource: Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO)
• Contact Information:
• 1299 Olentangy River Road
• Columbus, OH 43212
• https://www.ohiohealth.com/sexualassaultresponsenetwork/
• (614) 566-4770 General Information
• How to Make a Referral: by phone only
• Hours of Operation: 24/7 by phone
• Services Provided: Trained volunteers provide emotional support, crisis intervention and referral information over the telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to survivors of sexual violence, co-survivors and the community. Also offer long-term advocacy and support to survivors and co-survivors who need assistance working with law enforcement and navigating the criminal justice system.  Individual Advocacy for Adult Sexual Assault Survivors, Individual Advocacy for Families/Friends of Sexual Assault/Abuse Survivors, Sexual Assault Hotlines
• Hotline Number for Emergency Services: (614) 267-7020 24 hour Rape hotline;  Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN):  1-(800) 656-HOPE

grief (resulting from death, terminal illness, divorce or other loss)

Type of Resource: Grief/Loss

• Name of Resource: Directions Counseling Group
• Contact Information:
• 6797 N. High St.
• Worthington, Ohio 43085
• 614-888-9200
• http://www.directionscounseling.com/adult/grief-loss
• How to Make a Referral: by appt. Call 614-888-9200
• Hours of Operation: by appt. Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Services Provided: Therapy for grief or loss from: Loss of a loved one, End of a relationship, Retirement, Major life transition, Empty nest, Death of a pet, Past trauma, Loss of job, Health issues

Type of Resource: Grief Support Groups

• Name of Resource: Mount Carmel Hospice and Palliative Care
• Contact Information:
• 1144 Dublin Road
• Columbus, OH 43215
• http://www.mountcarmelhealth.com/grief–loss
• 614-234-0200
• How to Make a Referral: Call 614-234-0200 to schedule an Intake for each particular program
• Hours of Operation: varies by program.  Most are evenings.
• Services Provided: Free Grief and Loss support groups.  Schedule varies.  PDF of current groups located on website.

Works Cited:

“Hands on Central Ohio 2-1-1.” Hands on Central Ohio 2-1-1. Web. 24 Sept. 2014. <http://www.211centralohio.org>.

Kennedy, Eugene and Charles, Sara. On Becoming a Counselor: A Basic Guide for Nonprofessional Counselors and Other Helpers. New York: Crossroad Publishing. 2001. Print.

“Suicide Myths.” Suicide.org. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <http://www.suicide.org/suicide-myths.html>.

“Suicide Warning Signs.” Suicide.org. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. <http://www.suicide.org/suicide-warning-signs.html>.

References for Resources:

http://www.211centralohio.org

http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/children_services/education/community-resources.cfm