Create A 10-12 Slide PowerPoint Presentation ✓ Solved

Create one 10-12-slide PowerPoint presentation (in addition

Cleaned assignment instructions: Create one 10-12-slide PowerPoint presentation (in addition to a title slide and references slide) outlining an intervention for each case study: Case Study: Joshua and Case Study: Desert Viejo Elementary School. One of the interventions must include critical incident stress debriefing (CISD). It is up to you to decide which type of intervention is best suited for each scenario. Include in your interventions: step-by-step description of each intervention plan; rationale for choosing each intervention; community resources that are available in your local community that you would include as part of an intervention for each scenario. Include a minimum of three scholarly references in addition to the textbook. While APA style is not required for the body, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. This assignment is informed by the following CACREP Standards: 2.F.5.l. Suicide prevention models and strategies. 2.F.5.m. Crisis intervention, trauma-informed, and community-based strategies, such as Psychological First Aid.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction. The two case studies—Joshua and Desert Viejo Elementary School—present scenarios in which timely and appropriate interventions can mitigate distress, support affected individuals, and strengthen the school’s crisis response framework. The interventions below are designed for a higher-education-adjacent audience of counselors and school-based mental health professionals and align with best practices in crisis response, trauma-informed care, and community collaboration.

Case Study 1: Joshua — Intervention plan

Intervention type: Psychological First Aid (PFA) adapted for a school setting, with an emphasis on immediate stabilization, supportive listening, and connection to ongoing resources. This choice is grounded in guidelines for post-trauma response and school-based implementation to reduce distress and promote adaptive coping (SAMHSA, 2016; NCTSN & SAMHSA, 2012).

  1. Step 1: Rapid needs assessment and safety check. The school counselor and administrator conduct a brief, in-person assessment to identify safety concerns, typical distress signals, and urgent support needs. This step focuses on physical safety, emotional safety, and basic needs (food, sleep, shelter) and is documented in PFA frameworks (SAMHSA, 2016).
  2. Step 2: Establish a supportive, nonjudgmental presence. Staff provide empathetic listening, normalize reactions, and acknowledge what happened without pressuring the student to share more than they can handle. This builds trust and reduces avoidance or retraumatization (NCTSN & SAMHSA, 2012).
  3. Step 3: Stabilization and coping strategies. Implement age-appropriate grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and short, structured activities to reduce acute arousal. Provide clear information about what happened and what will happen next, while offering choices to regain a sense of control (SAMHSA, 2016).
  4. Step 4: Connection to ongoing supports. Link Joshua to school-based mental health services, a case manager, and, if needed, community-based mental health providers for short-term counseling. Develop a safety plan if risk indicators emerge, and schedule follow-up contacts (Weist et al., 2014).
  5. Step 5: Family involvement and stakeholder coordination. With consent, communicate with guardians about available supports, school-based accommodations, and any required referrals to community resources. Emphasize collaborative decision-making (NASP guidelines; CACREP standards) to ensure consistent care across settings (CACREP, 2015; NASP, 2019).
  6. Step 6: Documentation and continuity of care. Document observations, interventions, referrals, and follow-up plans in a centralized system accessible to authorized staff. Coordinate with teachers to monitor Joshua’s classroom functioning and adapt supports as needed (Weist et al., 2014).

Rationale. PFA is appropriate for immediate post-trauma response and can be conducted by trained school personnel. It prioritizes safety, stabilization, connectedness, and links to care, which reduces the likelihood of long-term impairment and supports resilience (SAMHSA, 2016; NCTSN & SAMHSA, 2012). Integrating school-based mental health professionals with family engagement and community resources increases access to care and reduces barriers to support (Souers & Hall, 2016).

Community resources for Joshua.

- School-based mental health services (counselor, psychologist, social worker).

- Local community mental health center for outpatient services.

- Pediatrician or child psychiatrist for assessment and medication management if needed.

- Crisis hotlines and mobile crisis teams (e.g., local 24/7 crisis line and national helplines).

- Family supports through community agencies offering parent education and family therapy.

- University training clinics or internship sites for additional support and consultation.

References to support Joshua’s intervention include SAMHSA (2016), NCTSN & SAMHSA (2012), Souers & Hall (2016), CACREP (2015), NASP (2019), Weist et al. (2014), and CDC (2020) among others cited in-text throughout the full paper.

Case Study 2: Desert Viejo Elementary School — Intervention plan

Intervention type: Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) for staff and related stakeholders, complemented by a trauma-informed school response. CISD is a structured group discussion process originally developed to address post-incident distress, followed by broader trauma-informed supports in the school (Mitchell, 1983; Everly & Lating, 2002; NASP, 2019).

  1. Step 1: Activate a CISD team and plan. Assemble a CISD team including school administrators, a licensed mental health professional, and designated CISD facilitators. Schedule sessions within 24–72 hours post-incident, and define scope, confidentiality, and opt-out options for participants (Mitchell, 1983; Everly & Lating, 2002).
  2. Step 2: Conduct the CISD session(s). Facilitate a structured group debriefing focusing on three phases: facts, thoughts/emotions, and lessons learned. The session is voluntary, non-punitive, and designed to normalize stress reactions while avoiding re-traumatization (Everly & Lating, 2002; NASP, 2019).
  3. Step 3: Immediate post-CISD support and stabilization. Provide on-site debriefing opportunities, quiet spaces, and access to individual counseling for staff who request it. Clarify follow-up supports and reduce unreasonable expectations for staff performance during recovery (Mitchell, 1983).
  4. Step 4: Trauma-informed aftercare and monitoring. Following CISD, implement ongoing school-wide trauma-informed practices, including teacher training on recognizing distress signals, creating safe classroom environments, and providing predictable routines (Souers & Hall, 2016; Weist et al., 2014).
  5. Step 5: Family and community outreach. Communicate with families about available supports, resilience-building activities, and resources for mental health services. Coordinate with community partners for referrals and supports if needed (CDC, 2020; SAMHSA, 2016).
  6. Step 6: Evaluation and follow-up. Assess staff well-being, student behavior/attendance changes, and overall school climate; adjust interventions and supports based on feedback and data (CACREP, 2015; NASP, 2019).

Rationale. CISD remains a debated approach; while it can provide immediate psychoeducation and peer support after a critical incident, evidence on its long-term efficacy is mixed. For Desert Viejo, combining CISD with trauma-informed school practices and ongoing supports aligns with current recommendations and best practices (Mitchell, 1983; Everly & Lating, 2002; Souers & Hall, 2016; NASP, 2019).

Community resources for Desert Viejo.

- Local mental health clinics offering staff counseling services.

- Employee assistance programs (EAPs) through district partners or regional providers.

- Hospital-based behavioral health units or urgent care centers for acute needs.

- Community crisis lines and mobile crisis teams.

- University-affiliated psychology clinics or internship-based supervision for school staff supports.

- Community faith-based organizations or youth-serving organizations that provide after-school programming and mentorship.

References to support Desert Viejo’s CISD-based approach include Mitchell (1983), Everly & Lating (2002), Souers & Hall (2016), CACREP (2015), NASP (2019), SAMHSA (2016), NCTSN & SAMHSA (2012), Weist et al. (2014), CDC (2020), and APA/CDC guidance on suicide prevention and trauma-informed practice.

Rationale for the overall approach

The recommended plan integrates evidence-based, trauma-informed practices at the school level with connections to community resources. It addresses immediate needs and provides a continuum of care across the school and community, in line with CACREP standards and widely-accepted crisis response guidelines (CACREP, 2015; NASP, 2019; SAMHSA, 2016; NCTSN & SAMHSA, 2012; Souers & Hall, 2016).

References

  • American Red Cross. (2012). Psychological First Aid Field Guide for Disaster Responders. American Red Cross.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Suicide Prevention: A Technical Package of Strategies for Communities. https://www.cdc.gov
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2016). Psychological First Aid for Providers. https://store.samhsa.gov
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) & SAMHSA. (2012). Trauma-Informed Care in Schools: A National Plan of Action. https://www.nctsn.org
  • Souers, K., & Hall, P. (2016). The Compassionate Classroom: Trauma-Informed Practices for a Positive Climate. ASCD.
  • Weist, M. D., Evans, S. W., & Lever, N. A. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of School Mental Health: Advancing Practice, Research, and Policy. Springer.
  • National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). (2019). Crisis Response Planning in Schools: A Practical Guide. NASP.
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2015). 2016 Standards for Accreditation. CACREP.
  • Mitchell, J. T. (1983). The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD): A Critical Review. In C. I. Emanuel (Ed.), Crisis intervention and emergency mental health care (pp. 1-22). American Psychiatric Press.
  • Everly, G. S., Jr., & Lating, L. (2002). The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: A Manual for Crisis Counselors. Charles C. Thomas Publisher.

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