Introduction Following up on my article about how to use the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), this article reviews how to use a tool that is bundled with that tool, the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG). Like the VRAG, this is an actuarial tool that can be used to predict the risk of re-offending among…
Tag: safety planning
Using the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)
Introduction The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG; Quinsey, Harris, Rice, & Cormier, 2006) is a tool that can be used to estimate statistically the risk of recidivism. It is comprised of 12 items that are associated with a risk of re-offending and is completed with all available information. You can download the full VRAG in…
Referrals in Counselling
Introduction When confronted with a crisis situation it’s important to be have the knowledge to tackle a crisis but also to have appropriate referrals for the client. In some roles, like that of 911 Operator, dispatching of police, fire and ambulance will be the sole “referral”, and while police or Victims Services may provide some…
LAPC Model of Crisis Intervention
The LAPC model was created by Cavaiola and Colford (2006) in their textbook Crisis Intervention Case Book. The advantage of the LAPC process is that it is easy to remember and apply, whether you are a degreed professional or a layman who has received a short amount of training. One of the difficulties of other crisis intervention…
Basic Homicide Risk Assessment
Introduction to Homicide Risk Assessment All mental health professionals in the US and Canada have an ethical duty to warn, the requirement to warn someone who is at risk of harm of that harm. This leads clinicians to conduct homicide risk assessments to determine the level of danger to others. In therapy or crisis intervention, the clinician is…