Procedures
All workers who staff the mobile unit must follow the procedures listed below. Staff safety guidelines for safety during outreach is essential to provide services effectively.
Training All workers who staff the mobile unit work must complete a safety training determined by the operating agency. The training should include personal safety techniques, de-escalation techniques, risk assessment, non-violent crisis intervention and any other appropriate safety topics. Staff should renew their training at least every other year.
• Track whereabouts: The mobile team should always report an outreach plan before they leave the mobile
unit to all staff on the van. A designated staff member not onsite should also be informed of planned outreach
routes and estimated return times.
• Pair up: No one shall conduct outreach or remain on the mobile unit alone. Be sure to conduct all mobile
outreach activities in groups no smaller than two people. If the clinician is seeing a patient on the mobile
unit, another staff member should also be present on the mobile unit.
• Any deviation from the planned clinical locations or outreach routes must be reported to all mobile team
members and the offsite designee immediately by the method pre-determined by the team. Acceptable
methods of notification include phone call, text and email. If a worker does not return to the mobile unit at
the planned time and cannot be reached, the mobile team should notify the worker’s emergency contact.
• In order to ensure the safety of staff, supervisors are responsible for the following tasks.
– Keep a list of emergency contacts for every worker of their parent organization who staffs the mobile
unit and/or does outreach.
• Ensure that all workers have either a cell phone issued by the parent organization or a personal cell phone. If
safety apps are being utilized, workers must be trained in their use and the cell phone being used must have
the app(s) installed.
• Develop a safety plan with staff. The plan should be re-evaluated as factors change.
• Should a threat or event of violence occur, supervisors should:
– Present an open environment for discussion to anyone affected.
– Attend to the needs of the worker, co-workers, and affected patients.
– Provide ample opportunity for debriefing of the event and offer trauma counseling to those involved.
– Document the details of any incident in a written report.
– Immediately communicate with the appropriate agency staff to report any serious incident and consider if and when, legal action should be taken.
• Instances of work-related threats and incidents of violence should be communicated to other staff members.
Risk Assessment
• Team members should share risk assessments of program participants at regular team meetings to prepare for upcoming clinics. Potential safety issues with particular expected participants and safety issues ascribed to the setting of the encounter should be considered. Assess the potential for violence with any particular patients and the clinic environment?
Teams of two18: All mobile team members should operate exclusively in teams of two or more.
• Teamwork requires trust and cooperation. All staff members must leave when the any staff person indicates the need to leave a potentially unsafe situation. Because a worker may perceive a threat that the others is entirely unaware of, it is important that all agree to leave at any sign someone is ready.
Safety During the Visit
• Do not address a person who is visibly disturbed, yelling or screaming.
• Be conscious of your surroundings and make sure there is access to an escape route constantly.
• Be cautious of personal space—always keep arms length distance between you and participant of
the program.
• Use “universal precautions.” This means to consider every person and every environment to be potentially dangerous.
• Be friendly and kind during outreach and clinic, but stay focused on the working relationship and helping the participant reach their goals.
• Trust your instincts. Leave when you sense potential danger.
• Know what behaviors provoke you and ways to respond to those behaviors without placing yourself in danger.
• Keep your hands free.
• Keep car keys in your pocket or easily accessible.
• When indicated, consider developing a contract with program participants to outline appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, establishing clear boundaries.
• It is important that participants either manage their own money or work with another payee service. Staff may not ever borrow, save, give, use or exchange money or other valuables, including ATM and EBT cards, with participants.
Dress and Valuables
• Avoid wearing items around the neck, for example scarves and jewelry, as these can be a choking hazard.
• Avoid wearing headphones or earbuds as these diminish awareness of surroundings and may increase vulnerability.
• Do not bring valuable bags or jewelry to work.
• When the mobile unit is unstaffed or unattended, all valuable items must be stored out of sight and the unit must be locked.
• Organization IDs must be worn at all times.
Safety Equipment
• Breakaway ID lanyards
• Cell phone with safety apps (if utilized). Staff member must be trained in its use and a toggle can be added as an option.
• (optional) Personal safety alarms