When Tragedy Calls: Best Practices for Training Staff on Handling Trauma Calls
Presentation
3:15 PM - 4:00 PMWed
Duke
Security Virtual Presenter
Presenters
Marina Hand
co-presenter with Lacey Rogers
University of Nebraska- Omaha
Lacey Rogers
Access Services Librarian
University of Nebraska- Omaha
Social workers in libraries are becoming more common, and as the world battles through a pandemic mental health concerns make this trend an important safety tool. Academic libraries often face the same challenges from the same patrons as public libraries, but are without the resources to hire a social worker. Hiring regular staff is an uphill battle, no less specialized staff that may or may not be geared toward the student patron. What should we do? The most realistic option is to train current staff to be better equipped to handle sensitive situations. Training needs to be all-encompassing, from leadership to student workers. A talented staff member with a medical background suggested our university library create and implement a training program to prepare our staff to respond to a mental health crisis. This presentation details the research, policy crafting, and implementation of our Suicidal Ideation response training.