About ACT
Arizona Crisis Team (ACT) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization of trained volunteer advocates coordinated through a single system that provides 24-hour, on-scene, crisis intervention services in Yavapai County. ACT volunteers provide immediate crisis intervention support to individuals who have been faced with trauma.
Why ACT?
ACT provides intervention to individuals (children, adolescents, and adults), families, groups, schools, hospitals, and businesses that have been exposed to a traumatic event. These events include, but are not limited to: death, domestic violence, medical emergency, structure fire and auto accident.
Services are available immediately following a traumatic event. The response is not psychotherapy, but instead a process aimed at reducing the effects of the traumatic event and helping the individual or group return to their previous level of functioning. The goal of the services is to prevent the long-term effects of trauma, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or anxiety disorders, that can sometimes be the result of trauma.
Through the intervention, victims of trauma process the event, the circumstances, and their thoughts and feelings associated with it, all of which assists in leading them toward recovery. Individuals in need of ongoing, longer term care are referred out to appropriate services in the community, such as grief counseling, mental health counseling, or support groups.
When Is ACT Called?
ACT volunteer advocates are always available. They are called at any time of the day or night 365 days per year by authorized police officers, firefighters and hospital personnel to assist:
- Family members and friends following a natural or unexpected death.
- Victims of a crime: including rape, assault, robbery and burglary.
- Victims of fire.
- Disoriented or lonely elder persons.
- People involved in vehicle accidents.
- People who are distraught and seeking immediate support.
- Family members of a person who has attempted or died by suicide.
