How can you develop a crisis intervention and referral program for your community?

1 Identify the needs

The first step in developing a crisis intervention and referral program is to identify the needs of your community. What are the common sources of stress, trauma, and crisis in your area? How do they affect people's mental health, well-being, and functioning? What are the gaps and barriers in accessing existing services and support? You can use various methods to gather this information, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, community forums, or data analysis.

2 Define the goals

The next step is to define the goals and objectives of your program. What are the specific outcomes you want to achieve? How will you measure your progress and impact? How will you align your program with the best practices and standards of crisis intervention and referral? You can use a logic model or a theory of change to guide your planning and evaluation process.

3 Design the program

The third step is to design the program activities and components. How will you deliver the crisis intervention and referral services? What are the core elements and principles of your approach? Who will be your target audience and how will you reach them? What are the roles and responsibilities of your staff and volunteers? How will you train and supervise them? What are the ethical and legal issues you need to consider?

4 Mobilize the resources

The fourth step is to mobilize the resources and support for your program. How will you fund and sustain your program? What are the potential sources of income and donations? How will you manage your budget and expenses? How will you collaborate and coordinate with other organizations and agencies in your community? How will you build trust and rapport with them? How will you promote and market your program to raise awareness and engagement?

5 Implement the program

The fifth step is to implement the program and monitor its quality and effectiveness. How will you recruit and enroll participants for your program? How will you deliver the services and follow up with them? How will you collect and analyze data and feedback from your participants, staff, volunteers, and partners? How will you use the data and feedback to improve your program and address any challenges or issues?

6 Evaluate the program

The final step is to evaluate the program and report its results and impact. How will you measure the outcomes and outputs of your program? How will you compare them with your goals and objectives? How will you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your program? How will you communicate and disseminate your findings and recommendations to your stakeholders and community? How will you celebrate and acknowledge your achievements and learnings?

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?