Recognising and responding to a mental health crisis is one of the most important practical skills for anyone working in homelessness services. Crises will happen. They may happen on a quiet Tuesday afternoon or at three in the morning. They may be dramatic or quiet. They may involve someone you know well or someone you have never met.
Knowing what a crisis can look like — and what to do — does not make you a clinician. It makes you a person who can be present when someone needs help, who can keep them safe in the short term, and who knows when and how to get additional support.
This module describes what a mental health crisis can look like, provides a framework for response, and explains how to keep yourself as well as the person safe during a difficult situation. It builds on Crisis Services: What's Available and How They Work.
This is a Developing-level module within Subject 5: Mental Health and Wellbeing.