another crisis quickly becomes dangerous. At some point, one can trace the cause to one or more factors. Identifying these factors can help characterize the evolution of the crisis, the appropriate response and the duration of intervention that may be necessary.Drugs Alcohol Peer and social pressure Traumatic experience "Brittle" or fragile emotional temperament Parental divorce or separation Untreated parental alcoholism, drug abuse or mental disorder Failure to provide rules, discipline and a bonded relationship with a child Family conflict and discord How do we assess and intervene? Understanding the potential cause of a crisis is only useful if there are potential interventions that are comprehensive and have sufficient duration and intensity to contain and redirect the situation. There exist a range of potential interventions. The following is a comprehensive list of interventions.Self-help Education and training for parents and teenagers Individual counseling and therapy Group counseling and therapy Family counseling and therapy Increased parental involvement and supervision Change schools Outdoor adventure programs Wilderness therapy programs Move to a new area Parenting by other family members Foster care Private school Day treatment program Boarding school Therapeutic Boarding School Residential treatment program Psychiatric hospitalization Police or law enforcement response The choice of intervention, the duration and the competence of those involved are critical factors to insure success. More than anything, the intervention must be appropriate to the level of risk and responsive to the underlying problem or potential cause. The key is to determine the level of risk and likelihood that problems will continue or escalate. The most reliable and systematic methods are the first and best approach in assessing risk. The "Youth At Risk Screening Questionnaire" is a method to obtain an overall measure of risk (Sandoval, 19...
