What is a danger assessment in crisis intervention?

• A. A plan for medication dosing
• B. A therapist's personal risk tolerance
• C. An evaluation of risk to self/others to decide safety actions
• D. A plan for staff safety only

Answer: (C)

In crisis intervention, a danger assessment is the structured process of determining whether someone poses risk of harm to themselves or others and using that information to decide what safety actions are needed. It looks for signs of intent, a specific plan, access to means, and the timing of any potential harm, while also considering protective factors and available supports. Based on this assessment, responders choose appropriate safety actions such as safety planning, increased supervision, removing dangerous means, involving family or supports, or, in the strongest cases, hospitalizing to prevent imminent harm. This focus is on the client’s risk and safety needs, not on medication dosing, personal risk tolerance, or staff safety planning alone.