kriisityö

Kriisityö refers to professional activities aimed at providing immediate, short-term support to individuals experiencing acute psychological distress or crises. It encompasses assessment, stabilization, and linkage to ongoing care, with the aim of reducing risk and facilitating safety and coping in the short term. In Finland, the term is used to describe a field within municipal social services and health care that coordinates crisis intervention across hospitals, crisis centers, crisis hotlines, schools, and community organizations.

Practitioners in kriisityö may include social workers, nurses, psychologists, counselors, and trained crisis workers. Settings for crisis work include hospital emergency departments, municipal crisis centers, crisis helplines, and educational or workplace support services. The work is often organized as part of broader mental health or social services systems and may involve collaboration with police, health care professionals, and community organizations.

Core approaches in kriisityö include psychological first aid, empathic listening, de-escalation, psychoeducation, safety planning, and rapid risk assessment for self-harm or violence. A central goal is to stabilize the immediate situation, reduce danger, and connect individuals to appropriate ongoing care or support services. Ethical considerations emphasize confidentiality, informed consent, cultural sensitivity, and safety, along with professional supervision and adherence to legal requirements.

Outcomes of kriisityö focus on reducing immediate distress and preventing deterioration, improving safety, and facilitating access to longer-term mental health or social services. Challenges can include resource limitations, fragmentation between services, and ensuring continuity of care, with ongoing development to meet evolving needs, including digital and phone-based crisis support.