Arizona Crisis Team volunteers provide emotional and practical support to those in crisis
By Katie Chatham
When emergency services are dispatched to a scene, a group of volunteers—heroes of a different degree—are dispatched as well. They’re the members of Arizona Crisis Team, specially trained volunteers who provide emotional and practical support to individuals in crisis—and therefore relieve emergency personnel so they can serve in a more focused manner.
Sue Rutherford, a retired nurse, has been involved with Arizona Crisis Team since its beginning in 2000. She has contributed her skills to more than 1,000 calls.
“Our volunteers are with these people on their worst day,” she noted, explaining how important it is for the volunteers to understand that they’re not counselors. “It’s important that they understand their level of involvement.”
Volunteers undergo an extensive screening process to assess capability both practically and emotionally. Each volunteer completes 50 hours of training and attends monthly continuing education meetings. Volunteers work three 12-hour shifts per month and are on call for the duration of each shift.
“We want to protect the volunteers, so they don’t become the lifeline the persons in crisis reach for,” Sue said, “and we want them to uphold their own mental health, so they are able to provide temporary and effective help.”
Sue said that the team averages about 600 calls per year. When a call comes through the local 911 dispatch center, a crisis volunteer is dispatched at the same time as first responders. The Arizona Crisis Team member will spend, on average, about two hours with the individual involved in the call. Client follow-up involves one phone call, but most of the emphasis in follow-up will be to connect clients with professional counseling and other services.
“I always say the volunteers need to know a little bit about a lot,” Sue said.
The Arizona Crisis Team has been refining its process since it launched in 2000. The organization was previously called Trauma Intervention Programs of Arizona until 2017 when Chief NAME Curtis of the Central Yavapai Fire District formed the new nonprofit (ACT). His original vision was to provide relief to first responders. The team has always been comprised of individuals such as counselors, teachers, firefighters, police officers, and nurses, and Sue mentioned that they are always looking to grow their family of volunteers.
For more information, visit www.azcrisisteam.org or call 928.713.6625.