Ghelani Amar
Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University, Kitchener, ON Canada.
Health and Counselling Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Clin Soc Work J. 2022;50(4):414-425. doi: 10.1007/s10615-021-00823-x. Epub 2021 Nov 15.
Public outrage over police-involved deaths of people in mental health crisis has prompted governments to expand access to crisis services that partner police with social workers. Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams (MCIT) offer assessment and support for people in distress while averting escalation. Little attention has been given to the requisite competencies for social workers on MCITs. This narrative review, informed by crisis theory and the author's experience as an MCIT social worker, provides a roadmap of knowledge and skills to familiarize practitioners, educators, and students with this growing intervention model. Social workers on MCITs should have the capacity to engage complex clients, de-escalate tension, assess for risk, plan for safety, provide brief addiction counselling, diffuse interpersonal conflict, link clients with community resources, advocate for change, challenge systemic racism, build constructive relationships, and document services with awareness of relevant legislation. The role of social workers on MCITs is multifaceted and requires attention to balancing client well-being, client safety, and community safety. The practice insights discussed in this article are relevant to preventing harm and loss of life while facilitating engagement between clients and mental health services.
公众对警察参与导致处于心理健康危机中的人死亡事件的愤怒，促使政府扩大危机服务的可及性，这些服务让警察与社会工作者合作。流动危机干预小组（MCIT）为处于困境中的人提供评估和支持，同时避免情况升级。对于MCIT上的社会工作者所需的能力关注甚少。这篇叙述性综述以危机理论和作者作为MCIT社会工作者的经验为依据，提供了一份知识和技能路线图，以使从业者、教育工作者和学生熟悉这种不断发展的干预模式。MCIT上的社会工作者应具备与复杂客户建立联系、缓和紧张局势、评估风险、制定安全计划、提供简短成瘾咨询、化解人际冲突、将客户与社区资源联系起来、倡导变革、挑战系统性种族主义、建立建设性关系以及在了解相关立法的情况下记录服务的能力。MCIT上的社会工作者角色是多方面的，需要关注平衡客户福祉、客户安全和社区安全。本文讨论的实践见解对于预防伤害和生命损失，同时促进客户与心理健康服务之间的接触具有重要意义。
