How to Write a Crisis on Call Plan for Families Receiving Mental Health Services

A mental health crisis is a scary and difficult time for families. It often involves an emergency situation or culmination of events in which a patient's symptoms temporarily leave him with a reduced ability to make decisions and care for himself. A crisis plan helps ensure that a patient's wishes are respected. Many mental health facilities help individuals and families develop a crisis plan--a type of advanced directive that outlines a patient's wishes in case of emergency.

Instructions

• 1

  Involve the patient. Crisis planning is driven by the consumer, according to the Community Mental Health Partnership of Southeastern Michigan. Crisis plans revolve around the needs, concerns and wishes of the patient. Without patient input, the plan could make a crisis more difficult for a patient and his family. Some states list patient involvement as a patient right under their mental health laws.

• 2

  Collect information. Talk with the patient and his family to find out about his plans and goals. Ask him to describe what it is like when he is feeling well and when he is feeling out of control. Ask about preferred medications, allergies, unacceptable medications, treatments, unacceptable treatments and other health conditions. Make sure you ask why the patient feels the way he does. Inquire about what treatment options and facilities he has used and if he would use them again. Find out if the patient has children or pets that other family members may need to take care of during a mental health crisis. Also, collect contact information for relatives and friends who need to be notified in an emergency. Ask about other medical professionals who work with the patient. Finally, be sure to ask the patient for any other input he would like to include in the crisis plan.

• 3

  Record the plan. Use the information you gathered to put the patient's crisis plan in writing. Many mental health facilities offer templates for this purpose. While a template is helpful, ensure the plan is tailored to the patient's needs. Include the patient's name, phone number and birth date. Use headings such as Emergency Contacts, Health Needs, Allergies, Preferences, Children, Medications and Special Considerations.

• 4

  Confirm with the patient. Let the patient review the crisis plan and confirm that it reflects her wishes. If it does not accurately reflect the wishes of the patient, then make changes as necessary. Have the patient sign the crisis plan to show she is in agreement.

• 5

  Make the plan available. The patient should receive a copy of the crisis plan and the plan should be placed in the patient's medical records. On call doctors who treat the patient should have access to the crisis plan in case an emergency occurs when the regular physician is off duty.