Solo practitioners like myself typically do not have the same resources available to respond
to emergency situations on a 24/7 basis. When clients have reason to anticipate needing crisis intervention coverage of this
nature, they are advised to seek treatment at a community mental health center or other agency that provides a more extended
range of services for responding to emergencies.
My own system includes a technology that relays messages from my office machine to another number that will tell
me I've received a message at my office. When messages left on my office machine indicate that there is a need for
emergency contact, I will respond as soon as I am able to. However, there is also an option on my answering machine
(pressing the # key followed by the number 1) to receive further instructions for how to receive help in case of an emergency
or when I am unable to respond quickly enough to the call myself.
The basic procedures to follow in the event of a life/health threatening emergency include the following:
- Call 911
- Proceed to your local hospital
emergency room.
- Call the crisis hotline number of your community mental health center (Strafford - 742-0630, Rockingham
- 431-6703).
- Call your psychiatrist if you have a medication emergency.
When I am on vacation, there will
be specific information available on my answering machine for how to access services in my absence.
