You have been hired as a Crisis Intervention Specialist for your local Suicide Hotline. You have received a call from Marie,a 32 year old married mother of two- a son, age 5 and a daughter, age 3. Marie has a history of depression and is on disability due to chronic pain. Marie has felt suicidal in the past and has spent time in an in-patient psychiatric facility. Marie stopped seeing her counselor and also stopped taking her anti-depressant medication when her insurance ran out after her husband lost his job one year ago. Marie was a full-time art teacher and has not worked since injuring her back. Marie and her husband, John, moved to Buffalo last year after John lost his job, along with their insurance benefits, as they both have family here. John has been working several low-paying part-time jobs in order to make ends meet. Marie and John have been fighting a lot over the past six months and the fights, which were usually verbal, have now escalated to becoming physical. John has also been spending more and more time at the local bar-spending what little money he has made during the day.

Marie has called expressing thoughts of suicide with a specific plan of carrying it out (i.e. overdosing). Marie mentions several times about being in extreme physical pain. She disclosed her husband is currently in jail and is fearful he will soon be released. You also learn her children were placed in a temporary foster home by Child Protective Services. Based on the provided information, you feel a home visit is in order to further investigate the situation.

Formulate a response to these essential questions:

• What constitutes a crisis?
• What characteristics should an effective crisis intervention worker possess?

Now you are to create two Essentials Questions you think will help you focus the writing of your Portfolio Project.

• Briefly discuss how your questions will guide the development of your Portfolio Project.