Specialized Crisis FAQs
How does Youth Villages staff provide crisis services statewide?
Youth Villages has offices throughout Tennessee in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson, Paris, Dyersburg, Columbia, Cookeville, Clarksville, Dickson, Johnson City and Morristown. Crisis counselors also work from strategically placed satellite locations in each region.
What types of situations/problems are addressed by Specialized Crisis Services?
Specialized Crisis Services is designed to respond to psychiatric emergencies where they occur: in the home or in out-of-home placements such as foster homes, residential treatment centers, juvenile justice facilities, etc.
What initial activities are conducted by crisis counselors?
The counselor gathers information from multiple perspectives, de-escalates the crisis and discusses the case with referral sources and services providers. Counselors will also assist families in safety planning based on individual needs.
How do crisis counselors address safety issues in the home?
Establishing the child’s safety is our most important task. Counselors interview parents or caregivers to assess safety concerns. If necessary, the child will be moved to the home of an approved family member or a crisis respite home referral for an out-of-home placement may be considered.
After the crisis has been evaluated, what happens next?
Crisis counselors stay with the family for the duration of the crisis, focusing on de-escalating the situation and thoroughly assessing the child’s history, factors that may have influenced the crisis and how future crises can be avoided. If the counselor determines that psychiatric hospitalization is most appropriate, the counselor will assist the parents in making a hospitalization referral and coordinating transportation to the hospital. If psychiatric hospitalization is not recommended, crisis counselors will assist the family in arranging for appropriate services, which may include Continuous Treatment Team (CTT), Comprehensive Child and Family Treatment (CCFT), case management, outpatient therapy, group counseling, alcohol and drug counseling or psychiatric services. When services are not immediately available, the crisis counselors will continue to provide therapeutic intervention to the family until the follow-up services begin.
Does Specialized Crisis Services respond to crises when the child is in an out-of-home placement?
Yes. Specialized Crisis Services counselors respond to any psychiatric emergency involving children 17 and under in Tennessee in any setting. This includes foster homes, residential treatment centers, juvenile justice facilities, etc.
How does Youth Villages Specialized Crisis Services staff interface with other mental health professionals?
Counselors consult other service providers currently involved with the child and family to gain insight into the family history, including successful interventions implemented in the past. Counselors serve as liaisons and share all records and assessments with individuals or organizations providing follow-up services to ensure continuity of care. Services are identified with the goal of empowering families to resolve conflicts independently.
How do I refer a child or adolescent to Specialized Crisis Services?
To make a referral, simply call the toll-free number for your region.
