Mental Health Checklists

Transcription

1 Mental Health Checklists Clinical and sub-clinical changes in md and mental states can impact the ability f student-athletes t functin effectively n the field f play, in the classrm, and ver their lifecurse. Many mental health disrders are at least partially rted in genetics. Hwever envirnmental stressrs including stressrs assciated with being a studentathlete can play a critical rle in whether these vulnerabilities turn int burdensme health cnditins. One f the best ways t limit the negative cnsequences f mst mental health cnditins is early detectin and treatment. This is where athletic departments and sprts medicine departments can play a critical rle: establishing preventin prgramming and reducing stigma arund care seeking, setting a plan t encurage effective early detectin, and cmmunicating t all stakehlders abut hw t manage emergency and nn-emergency mental health issues. Fur checklists have been develped t assist athletic departments and sprts medicine departments in self-assessment and planning related t managing mental health issues amng student-athletes. Mre infrmatin and resurces are available n the NCAA Sprt Science Institute website: ( Checklist #1: Preventin and preparatin Checklist #2: Managing a nn-emergency mental health issue Checklist #3: Managing an emergency mental health issue Checklist #4: After managing a mental health issue Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

2 CHECKLIST 1: Preventin and preparatin 1. Cnduct a needs assessment 2. Build relatinships 3. Make a plan 1. Cnduct a needs assessment Get input frm all relevant stakehlder grups. Learn abut perceptins f student-athlete mental health/perfrmance needs, ideas fr enhancing mental health perfrmance services fr student-athletes, and barriers t change. These stakehlders grups will vary by campus but shuld include: Athletes (talking t yur Student-Athlete Advisry Cmmittee is a gd place t start) Sprts medicine and athletic training staff members Athletic administratrs Caches ther staff wh have direct cntact with student-athletes Faculty athletics representatives If yu are cncerned abut getting hnest feedback frm these stakehlder grups, cnsider using an annymus survey mechanism. Make sure t have a discussin with yur Directr f Cmpliance abut cncerns she/he may have abut pursuing enhanced mental health/perfrmance services fr yur student-athletes r t review rules assciated with these types f services. 2. Build relatinships Cntact yur state psychlgy licensing bard ( fr help in identifying individuals wh culd serve as cmpetent referral surces fr yur student-athletes n yur campus and in yur cmmunity. If yur campus has a cunseling center r ther mental health service fr students, arrange t meet with the Directr. Cnsider asking sme f the fllwing questins t get the cnversatin started: Hw ften d student-athletes use the campus cunseling center? Given identified student-athlete needs related t mental health, what d yu recmmend fr hw t better meet these needs? What is the average wait fr a student t get services? Have yu had specific cunselrs identified as liaisns t certain areas f campus? Is there anyne in the center wh has a backgrund in athletics, r wh wuld be interested t learn abut the unique culture f athletics? If a particularly high-prfile student-athlete needed t receive cunseling services, is there any prvisin yu culd ffer t prtect his/her privacy? Wuld smene n yur staff be willing t prvide sme utreach prgrams t ur student-athletes, r at least cme and intrduce yurselves t ur student-athletes each year? Hw d yu handle psychtrpic medicatin referrals? What kind f psych-educatinal assessment services d yu ffer? Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

3 Whether wrking with an n-campus resurce (such as the cunseling center r psychlgy department) r an ffcampus prvider (such as a private practitiner), make sure the prvider has the fllwing traits: They are a licensed mental health prfessinal They have expertise and/r credentialing in clinical AND perfrmance services They have an understanding and appreciatin fr the unique needs f student-athletes Initiate interactins with the mental health prvider and yur student-athletes when there is nt a need fr service. These nn-clinical interactins will establish a rapprt between the prvider and yur student-athletes which will make it easier when the prvider s services are needed. Sme nn-clinical interactins include: 3. Make a plan Presentatins abut sprt psychlgy t teams Attending staff meetings with caches, academic cunselrs, and sprt medicine clinicians Prir t an incident, develp a general plan t address mental health issues and make sure yur staff is aware f it. Yur plan shuld be written int yur plicy and prcedures. The plan shuld include: Flexibility Hw t refer and triage Hw t educate staff What t d after-hurs Knw yur schl s plicies and prcedures fr n-campus mental health issues. Ensure that yur plan and prgram are cnsistent with the campuses general student ppulatin. Knw yur schl s duty t reprt plicy n mental health issues Knw hw yur schl manages cnflict f laws. Fr example, d licensed mental health prviders n yur campus fllw HIPAA r FERPA? Establish wh is the liaisn between the mental health care prvider and the athletic department. Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

4 CHECKLIST 2: Managing a nn-emergency mental health issue 1. Demnstrate cmpassin 2. Gather infrmatin 3. Make a referral 4. Respect bundaries and abilities When a student-athlete cmes t yu in emtinal distress and they d nt present an immediate threat t the safety f themselves r thers: 1. Demnstrate cmpassin Sme helpful tips fr calming the student-athlete and demnstrating cmpassin are: Remaining calm yurself maintain calm bdy language and tne f vice. Listen t the student-athlete. Allw them t express their thughts. Prvide them a frum t be heard. It is kay if there is a mment f silence between yu and the student-athlete. Avid judging the student-athlete. Prvide uncnditinal supprt. Yu d nt have t slve their prblem. Nrmalize the student-athlete s experience and ffer hpe. 2. Gather infrmatin Ask questins including questins f safety ( are yu thinking f hurting yurself? and are yu thinking f suicide? ) Please nte, asking the imprtant questins will NOT plant the idea in their head. By asking questins abut suicide, yu will receive valuable infrmatin. If they hesitate r cnfirm, yu knw t elevate the interventin (see Hw t Triage and Manage a Mental Health Issue Emergent Checklist) Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

5 3. Make a referral Generate with the student-athlete treatment ptins. When yu identify a student-athlete wh wuld benefit frm mental health services but they d nt pssess the awareness f this need: Infrm the student in a matter f fact manner that yu believe they wuld benefit frm cunseling. Base yur recmmendatin n their behavirs r, identify specific behavirs that yu have nticed and are cncerned abut. Ask the student athlete hw they are feeling, hw their actins are impacting their life, and if they have dne anything abut it s far. Leave pen the ptin fr the student t accept r refuse the recmmendatin. Encurage time t think it ver. But, remember t fllw-up. If the student-athlete refuses t attend cunseling, leave the issue pen fr pssible recnsideratin. Ntify the athlete s team athletic trainer, the directr f sprts medicine, as well as the mental health prvider affiliated with yur department. If the recmmendatin is accepted, assist in creating a plan t schedule an appintment, and fllw up with the student in a timely manner. Yu may call the mental health prvider with the student-athlete. If yu call with them, yu will knw that an attempt t schedule has been made as well as when the student-athlete s appintment is which can assist yu in fllw-up Infrm yur mental health prvider that a referral had been made. 4. Respect bundaries and abilities Knw what yu are cmfrtable f ding as well as what yu are nt cmfrtable ding Dn t prmise secrecy. If necessary, yu can infrm the student-athlete: It tk curage fr yu t disclse this infrmatin t me. And, by telling me, it says yu want t d smething abut what is ging n. The best thing we can d is t infrm smene else such as a mental health prvider wh can prvide yu the care yu need. Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

6 CHECKLIST 3: Managing an emergency mental health issue 1. Identify if there is an immediate threat t safety 2. Manage immediate risks 3. Cntact a mental health care prvider 1. Identify if there is an immediate threat t safety In rder t identify if the situatin is an immediate threat t safety, ask the fllwing questins: Am I cncerned the student-athlete may harm themselves? Am I cncerned the student-athlete may harm thers? Did the student-athlete make verbal r physical threats? D I feel threatened r uncmfrtable? Is the student-athlete exhibiting unusual ideatin r thught disturbance that may r may nt be due t substance use? Des the student-athlete have access t a weapn? Is there ptential fr danger r harm in the future? 2. Manage immediate risks In the case f an immediate risk t safety: Keep yurself safe d nt attempt t intervene. Keep thers safe keep a safe distance between the student-athlete in distress and thers in the area. Get help frm clleagues. If the student-athlete seems vlatile, r disruptive, alert a c-wrker fr assistance. D nt leave the student-athlete alne. Hwever, d nt put yurself in harm s way if they try t leave. Call 911, campus security, r have the persn taken directly t the emergency department at the nearest hspital. When yu call, be prepared t prvide the fllwing infrmatin: Student-Athlete s name and cntact infrmatin. Physical Descriptin f the student-athlete (height, weight, hair and eye clr, clthing). Descriptin f the situatin and assistance needed. Exact lcatin f the student-athlete. If the student-athlete leaves the area r refuses assistance, nte the directin by which the student leaves. Fllw campus and department prtcls and plicies If pssible, ffer a quiet and secure place t talk. Listen t the student-athlete; maintain a cnsistent, straightfrward, and helpful attitude. If the student-athlete is expressing suicidal ideatin: Listen Shw yur genuine cncern Emphasize risk t safety D NOT leave the persn alne Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

7 Hw t ask abut suicide: Are yu/have yu been thinking abut suicide? Are yu/have yu been thinking abut killing yurself? Smetimes when peple are (yur bservatins), they are thinking abut suicide. Is that what yu re thinking abut? Hw NOT t ask abut suicide: Yu re nt thinking abut suicide, are yu? 3. Cntact mental health care prvider Make arrangements fr apprpriate university interventin and aid. Call the mental health prvider t initiate next steps f care If medical care seems apprpriate, head t the nearest hspital r call 911. If the student-athlete is expressing suicidal ideatin make a referral fr a suicide risk assessment On-site mental health prfessinal Lcal hspital Lcal crisis line/mbile assessment team Suicide htline: r Talk Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr

8 CHECKLIST 4: After managing a mental health issue 1. Initiate fllw-up care 2. Debrief and plan fr the future 1. Initiate fllw-up care Identify what is needed fr fllw-up care Identify available resurces Initiate cntinuity f care: Hw is the mental health issue ging t be managed within the athletic department? If the issue is nt t be managed within the athletic department, hw d yu make apprpriate referrals and transitinal steps t ensure the safety and well-being f thse invlved? 2. Debrief and plan fr the future Schedule a meeting with athletic department staff invlved with the interventin as well as athletic department staff wh will be invlved mving frward. While maintaining apprpriate cnfidentiality: Identify the strengths f the interventin apprach. Identify what did nt wrk with the interventin apprach. Identify what imprvements culd be made t the departmental prtcl fr preventin, early detectin and management f mental health issues. Dcument adapted frm University f Arizna Department f Intercllegiate Athletics C.A.T.S Medical Services Mental Health Infrmatin: A Guide fr