What is a crisis? 

Children with mental health needs may struggle to regulate their emotions and behavior when they are distressed. A crisis may occur when they are unable to cope with a situation. They may feel panic, hopelessness, and confusion. Those feelings can lead to a dramatic change in their mood or behavior. This can impact their safety or the safety of others. Crisis-level behaviors should be individually determined by those who know your child well. 

What is a crisis management plan? 

A written crisis management plan helps to prevent the escalation of your child’s behaviors, de-escalate the situation when your child is dysregulated, and identify what steps to take next. You can write the plan with your child and include information from other helpful sources, like a family therapist or mental health provider. Schools and families should work together to create and implement the plan. It should also be reviewed regularly by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. An effective crisis plan includes elements like: 

• A statement about how your child looks and acts when they are feeling calm and happy 

• A list of triggers such as words, gestures, or situations 

• Information about how your child looks and acts when they are becoming dysregulated 

• A list of what has helped calm emotional responses in the past 

• A list of strategies to help prevent a crisis and a plan of when and how to use them
• A list of ways others can help and when they should be asked 

What is a discharge plan?  

A discharge plan is a document that is created after your child’s participation in a care and treatment program. A discharge plan for home may include a medication schedule, recommended programs to continue treatment, and living arrangement details. A plan for school may include special education accommodations and how to transfer their academic records.