Positive Steps for Families in Crisis and Those Heading That Way
Developing several different contingency plans in the event of a crisis
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After Diego destroyed the coffee table, his therapist sat down with Joan and developed two crisis plans, Plan A and Plan B.
- With Plan A, Joan was to immediately call the therapist if Diego became highly agitated again. Joan was supplied with an emergency 24 hour cell phone number that she taped underneath every phone in the house. If Diego did not calm himself after the phone call or if his rage escalated too quickly to make the call, Joan was to put Plan B into operation.
- If Joan felt that Diego was capable of hurting himself or others or causing serious damage to property, she was to immediately go to her bedroom, lock the door and call a local hospital that has a ward for teens who need emergency mental health services. The hospital would decide if an ambulance should be sent, or if Joan could transport Diego. They would also assess the need for a call to the police. Joan was to follow their instructions exactly and call them back if she felt that the situation was becoming more dangerous.
Joan now had a crisis plan and was prepared for any emergency. This helped her feel more secure and confident in her mothering role. In Diego's case, Plan A was used twice but Plan B never proved necessary. A special therapeutic summer camp program turned out to be the only out of home care he needed. Slowly, Diego began to cooperate with therapy again, and after age 17, rapidly matured and gained self-control. Today, he is a 20 year old part-time student at a Vocational-Technical College and is living in an apartment with two friends. Diego wants to be a carpenter. He will be making coffee tables instead of destroying them.
Joan was wise to have two plans in place in event of a "worst-case-scenario." All parents of troubled, violent or high-risk children and teens should have a plan or plans custom-tailored to their situation and their child's needs.
The good news is that many troubled kids who have received treatment and who have loving supportive families do eventually overcome their difficulties. Many are well on their way to productive adulthood roles by their mid-twenties. Some take a little longer. Without this help and planning, the outlook for high-risk kids is bleak. Some commit suicide, other may end up in prison for criminal acts, and others may struggle with psychosis and need long-term psychiatric hospitalization.
Next Page: Resources for Parents & Teens
© Rita Laws and Nancy Ashe. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
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