Following Up Distressed Personnel
The purpose of this section is to orient leaders and other
members to the importance of following up after an individual has received
assistance with a difficult
life event or distress. This is particularly important following an
inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment
Program .
For many problems, such as
depression, support needs to occur throughout the course of treatment.
Some episodes of mental health problems can return after previous improvement.
Effective follow-up by leadership can help prevent relapse and ensure that
further assistance is given if problems do reoccur. Leaders and members
see affected individuals more often than counselors and usually know more about
their life circumstances. As such, they are in a better position to give
preventive messages, spot indications of relapse, and support individuals during
their recovery.
The most powerful and helpful message leadership can
send to a distressed individual is to say, "We care about you and will assist
you in any way we can." That message continues to be powerful and helpful
throughout an individual’s recovery.
As the member’s level of distress diminishes, it is important
to reevaluate the plans and supportive measures that have been put in place by
peers, leaders and helping agencies. Leaders should contact helping
agencies and relate any concerns about risk for
self-harm or other
job related safety issues, including managing potentially dangerous tasks
such as operating heavy machinery or weapons bearing duties. If an
individual is hospitalized, periodic visits by members of the unit are usually
very helpful, if the person consents to these visits, as they show that people
care.
- Be aware:
- The person may feel ashamed or embarrassed that he/she is in
treatment.
- The person may feel overwhelmed by their current
responsibilities.
- Person may experience loss of self confidence stemming from
current difficulties.
- Communicate your support by emphasizing that:
- It is a sign of strength to seek treatment.
- You are committed to assisting them.
- You value their contributions to the unit and want them to
return to full functioning.
- Provide frequent inquiries about the member's well-being.
- Ensure time is provided for appointments with helping
agencies.
- Support their participation in self-care activities, even if
it means some reasonable lost time at work.
- Consult with mental health providers if appropriate.
Supportive measures also differ depending upon the
individual’s circumstances. For instance, the type and intensity of
support should differ for a person just released from a psychiatric unit
following a serious
suicide attempt versus a person who is seeking counseling for an ongoing
marital problem. Because of those differences, specific suggestions are
given below for common follow-up scenarios.
If the member is hospitalized:
- Visit (if they consent to having visitors).
- Contact family to offer support.
- Express caring/concern and encourage member to cooperate
with caregivers (providers).
When the member is released from psychiatric
hospitalization:
- Consult with provider about aftercare plan.
- Identify key personnel to check in with member.
- Report concerning behaviors to provider.
- Continue support to individual’s family.
If the member is being seen for psychological treatment but
difficulties or distress is not apparent in the workplace:
- Respect member’s privacy.
- Support their choice to get help.
If the member is being seen and difficulties and distress are
apparent in the workplace:
- Consult with mental health providers (providers will be
limited in details they can reveal but may be able to offer suggestions for
enhancing support in the unit).
- Discuss with provider ways in which you might collaborate
in treatment.
- Encourage ongoing use of services.
- Inquire as to how work demands may be contributing to
difficulties.
- Provide concrete feedback about work tasks.
- Arrange for extra supervision, if needed.
Coworkers may notice
job performance problems before such problems become evident to supervisors.
Encourage select coworkers to proactively reach out to support the unit member
during their period of recovery.
- Follow-up with helping agency personnel and relay any
observations that may be helpful for continued support or treatment.
- Keep in mind that individuals who have a history of
significant behavioral health history including depression and suicide attempts
may be at risk for problems down the road. It is crucial to emphasize
compliance if they are in treatment.
- For helping with continued problems, including dealing with
personnel life stressors, follow-up by asking if further support is needed,
since this provides an opportunity to assess if the member's situation has
improved or has deteriorated.
- Given that
suicidal states vary over time, it is essential for the leaders to
continually monitor, and assess the general status of the unit member.
Providers can stay involved in the member’s management and
provide ongoing support to the unit in an appropriate way even when formal
treatment is not desired.
National Institute of Mental Health website:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
- Lukens, E. P. (2002). Promoting community awareness to enhance mental
health. Health and Social Work, 27, 83-88.
- Mead S. (2001). Peer support; a theoretical perspective, Psychiatric
Rehabilitation Journal, 25:134-141.
- Mechanic, D., Bilder, S., & McAlpine, D. (2002). Employing person with
serious mental illness. Health Affairs, 21, 242-53.
- Riffer, N. W. (2000). Working responsibly with employees with a psychiatric
disability. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 23, 281-284.
- Roman, P. M.,& Blum, T. C. (2002). The workplace and alcohol problem
prevention. Alcohol Research and Health, 26, 49-57.
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selections. See our Resilience checklist as an
example.
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