Risk Assessment in Clinical Work
Effectively assessing the risk level of a clinical situation is essential for mental health professionals. Learn what you need to know to be safe on the job.
Description
Effectively assessing the risk level of clinical situation is an essential task for mental health professionals. Situations involving risk such as homicide, suicide, psychosis, abuse, and neglect (among others) are rarely clear-cut and often fraught with tense emotions and strong opinions. This workshop will help professionals tackle such challenges, and identify and understand various risks commonly present in school environments and/or clinical settings. Participants will learn strategies for creating safety plans that utilize a relationship-centered approach, reflecting the needs, trauma history, and developmental stages of individual clients.
About the Instructor
Michele Lansing Palter, AM, MS Ed, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with master’s degrees in education and social work. She has worked in schools for over 10 years, specializing in child and adolescent mental health and its intersection in education, as well as relationship-centered treatment for trauma. Michele has served as a child, adult, and family therapist, as well as a consultant for schools, seeking to support students, their families, and teachers in cultivating stronger and healthier relationships. Currently, she directs Connect, JPA’s consultation and training program for teachers, administrators, and social workers, oversees JPA’s internship program, and maintains a clinical practice at JPA.
Objectives
This workshop will help participants:
- explore and understand various forms of risk
- identify what information is necessary to ascertain in context of risk, and how to discover it
- practice application of this knowledge in context of their work