After reading the case examples in the Myer and Conte (2006) article, you will have a better understanding of how to use one type of assessment tool. In the article's appendix is a copy of the Triage Assessment Form. Use the form to analyze one of the cases, either Ariadne or Jordan, described below.

Describe in detail the rationale for your ratings and include a copy of the form as you have completed it. You can scan or save it as a .pdf document and attach the form to your written post as an appendix.

-Summarize diagnostic skills and techniques used to screen for addiction, aggression, and danger to self and others, as well as co-occurring mental disorders during a crisis, disaster, or other trauma-causing events.

Evaluate key elements of the crisis, disaster, or trauma-causing event including the nature of the crisis and associated risks, including client and counselor safety.

-Differentiate characteristics of crisis states versus developmentally appropriate reactions to life obstacles.

-Apply situationally appropriate, evidence-based crisis intervention skills and strategies, by prioritizing crisis response to specific crisis situations.

-Differentiate crisis intervention strategies for diverse populations.

-Exhibit proficiency in effective, credible academic writing, and critical thinking skills.

Cases

Ariadne

Ariadne, a 17-year-old Hispanic female, ran away from home. The police returned her to her home, but within a week Ariadne had attempted suicide by taking her father's prescription medication for high blood pressure. Ariadne had been showing signs of depression and was seen for mental health counseling a year previously for eight sessions. After receiving counseling, Ariadne stated that she did not feel useful at home and unwelcome at school. Feelings of worthlessness and anger arose periodically when her parents tried to engage her about school events. Ariadne had several close friends and one young man she called her "beau", though she claimed there was no serious intimacy between them. She refused to return to counseling sessions, saying that the tine was better spent talking to her friends. She complained that her parents were too strict with curfew times and asked too many questions. In the past week, Ariadne was discovered to skip school two days and refused to tell her parents where she had been. Ariadne's mother found a bottle of pills and a bottle of vodka in her room.

Jordan

Jordan called her friend with concerns about her husband and wanted to know what to do. Jordan's husband had just left the house with his rifle. While usually this is not out of the ordinary due to his love for hunting, Jordan was unaware of any plans that he had made to go hunting on this day. Her concerns were about a fight they had the night before over his drinking. Jordan asked her husband to stop drinking so much and he had used threatening language. It was not all that unusual for her husband to put his rifle into his truck, but when he had done so today he was still quite angry about Jordan's comments that he was drinking too much. Jordan felt fear for her own safety, but was unwilling to call the police. When her husband returned home from work, the rifle was put away in a safe place and nothing else was said between them about the previous night. He was calm and pleasant to Jordan and asked about her day.