During a behavioral health crisis, what should the Peer Support Specialist do to assist the consumer?

• A. Call the crisis line in the presence of the consumer.
• B. Tell the consumer to calm down and things may not be that bad.
• C. Schedule an appointment to discuss their mental health challenges.
• D. Ignore the crisis and monitor from a distance.

Answer: (A)

In a behavioral health crisis, the priority is immediate safety and connecting the consumer with professional support. Calling the crisis line in the consumer’s presence does this by providing real-time access to trained responders who can assess risk, de-escalate the situation, and initiate appropriate interventions right away. Involving the consumer helps keep them informed, builds trust, and shows that help is being coordinated rather than left to guesswork. This also allows the crisis responder to guide the next steps with the consumer, increasing the likelihood of a safe outcome.

Telling the consumer to calm down can feel dismissive and often doesn’t address the immediate danger or distress. Scheduling an appointment to discuss mental health challenges is important, but it doesn’t resolve the urgent crisis at hand. Ignoring the crisis and monitoring from a distance is unsafe and fails to provide necessary support when risk is present.