Why would T want a Crisis Plan??

My T is going to be gone for a week and will miss the DBT group on the 5th. She asked me to complete a "crisis plan" that she could leave with the primary faciliator. It included questions like who to contact in case of emergency, list of meds, how to support me, etc., etc. Target behavior, blah, blah, blah.

Why in the world would I need to complete something like this?

I asked her if she thought I couldn't survive one week without her?! She said no, that wasn't it. She just needed to have a backup plan for the other T. She told me that he doesn't know my history or much about me at all as he isn't my regular T. She said it was required of all the other group members too. The other 6 members have different T's outside of the group. So, apparently, he doesn't know crap about any of us! And yet, I guess, if I or anyone else gives him reason for concern for our safety, he is going to whip out these forms and go to town.

I told my T that I'm a very private person, wouldn't want anyone called on my behalf, don't want to share my med list with him or anyone else for that matter. I refused to do it. She was a little pissed and said she would have to complete it then to the best of her ability and give him that.

I did not sign any release of information when I joined this group/class. Is my being a part of this group implied consent?? I think not. My HIPAA red flags are waving high right about now.

Your thoughts?
Thanks,
Okie

I think it is a fairly standard part of DBT for them to try and get you to do a crisis plan. For while you are working with your individual therapist yeah, and then to do another version for when your therapist goes away.

How come?

Because if something happens then the idea is that you know who you can contact and stuff like that. A crisis plan usually makes some mention of the coping skills you find most useful and stuff like that so the person is better able to help you if you do require some help.

I don't think they can make you do it, but I guess the idea is that it may be helpful to you to do it. Just incase something happens...

For the same reason you "want" to be in this group.

It is just like if you had a heart condition and your doc was going out of town some other doctor would be covering for him/her and would have full access to your med records. Your T is just leaving someone to cover incase any of T's patients need something. The more info the fill in T has the better they can help the patients.

I don't really see it as an invasion of privacy or anything. It seems a caring thing to do to me. It shows T cares and doesn't just say "i'm gonna be gone, take care of yourself".

If you have a problem with it you should talk to your T about it. If you have someone to go to while T is away and don't need the 'fill in' then tell T not to worry. But if someone needs the fill in T then that T will need all that info to be of any help at all.

IMO, she is doing it because she cares about you and wants to make absolutely sure you will have the support you might need "just in case" something comes up while she's gone. The info isn't going to just anyone- it's another T. And he probably won't look at your info unless there is an emergency and he needs to step in to support you. It isn't like he just wants a lot of dirt on you, and wants to be in your business. He's just there so you have someone to look out for you if you need it while T's gone.

Most T's do try to have a back-up system of colleagues to help their clients when they go out of town.

Hi Perna,
Please expand on your comment, if you will.
Thanks,
Okie

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
okiedokie said:
I told my T that I'm a very private person, wouldn't want anyone called on my behalf, don't want to share my med list with him or anyone else for that matter. I refused to do it. She was a little pissed and said she would have to complete it then to the best of her ability and give him that.

I did not sign any release of information when I joined this group/class. Is my being a part of this group implied consent?? I think not. My HIPAA red flags are waving high right about now.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">She cannot share your information with anyone else unless you sign a release that gives your permission and specifically names the person she will share with. Talk to her supervisor if she doesn't understand that you need to sign a release. If she tells you that your signing a release is a condition of your participating in the DBT group, then you can choose to sign the release or quit the group. There is always a choice.

To me it sounds like this crisis form may be useful to the other T, "just in case", and is perhaps standard operating procedure, but this doesn't mean she can trample on your privacy rights. She needs to ask your permission and get your signature before sharing your information. Perhaps she could agree to place the information in a sealed envelope that the other T would not open unless you had an emergency.