When a Patron is in Crisis
Mental Health Response Training
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Course Details Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | 2:00-3:30 pm ET
 Live Online Session + 3-Module Self-Paced Workshop
 16 Credit Hours
 Recommended for all public-facing library staff.
 $303 (Save more with early bird and group rate discounts!)
THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU IF...
This course helps you understand what you’re seeing, respond in the moment, and support patrons without taking on more than you should. ABOUT THIS COURSELearn how to recognize mental health and trauma-related behaviors and respond with confidence in real library situations. Live Online Session + Self-Paced Course Materials Library staff regularly interact with patrons experiencing mental health challenges, trauma, or substance use issues, but most have never been trained for how those experiences show up in behavior. Instead, staff are left to interpret situations in real time, often without clear guidance on what is happening or how to respond. This course gives you a practical, trauma-informed approach to recognizing what may be driving a patron’s behavior and responding in ways that reduce harm and build trust. You will learn how to identify early signs of distress, understand the stages of escalation, communicate more effectively in difficult moments, set appropriate boundaries, and connect patrons to support when needed. This course includes a live online session and a 3-module self-paced workshop. For more details, check out the What to Expect tab. Early bird rate is $256 through August 22, 2026. Standard rate is $303 through September 22, 2026. Need an invoice or PO? Orders of $600 or greater can choose invoice at checkout. For orders under $600, submit this form, and we will process your order manually. Need approval? Email this course to your supervisor. TRAINING A TEAM?When staff are trained together in mental health response and trauma-informed approaches, situations are less likely to escalate and staff respond more consistently and confidently. Multi-seat discounts are automatically calculated in the cart. Return to Full Course Catalog AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:
You will leave with a clearer understanding of what you are seeing and how to respond in a way that supports both the patron and yourself. This course is especially helpful for:
If that sounds like your role, you will probably see yourself in this course.
If you are someone who:
This course was built for that kind of real-world pressure.
Live Opening SessionTuesday, September 22, 2026 Course & Workshop Introduction | 2:00–2:15 pm ET An introduction to the course structure and weekly assignments, an overview of what to expect from the online workshop, and time to complete the course pre-assessment. Understanding Mental Health and Incorporating Trauma-Informed Library Practices | 2:15–3:30 pm ET In this live session, as a kick-off to module one, you will gain a non-clinical understanding of trauma and mental health so you can interpret patron behavior with empathy rather than fear or frustration. You’ll learn what trauma is (and isn’t) and about common mental health conditions that you may encounter in public libraries. During a safe and supportive live session, you’ll discuss how mental health and substance use conditions show up in your library spaces, and consider the value of supportive, non-judgmental responses to patrons in distress. Self-Paced ModulesModule 2: Pre-Escalation Skills In this asynchronous module, you will learn about the cycle of escalation and what to expect with patrons demonstrating stress responses and behavior related to mental health and substance use. This session focuses on how to prevent individuals from reaching a full escalation or crisis. Using a trauma-informed framework, you will discover how to support, rather than control, a situation while maintaining boundaries. Module 3: Deescalation Skills & Debriefing Building upon the skills in the previous section, you will learn response techniques in situations after someone has become escalated. Further, you will also learn how to debrief individually and with co-workers, when to request assistance, and how to utilize available community resources when a situation is beyond the scope of your ability in your role. Module 4: Burnout and How to Combat it In this final asynchronous module, you’ll consider your own well-being and the well-being of your co-workers during and after stressful encounters. You’ll learn how to debrief individually and with co-workers as a method to practice the skills you learned in previous modules. You’ll learn how to identify ways in which to set emotional boundaries for yourself in the workplace, including strategies for preventing burnout. Margaret Ann Paauw, PhD, LCSW, Assistant Professor, Eastern Michigan University
ALL THE DETAILSThis course focuses on real situations where patrons are experiencing mental health challenges, trauma responses, or substance use issues, and staff need to make decisions in the moment without clear guidance. You will learn how to recognize what may be driving behavior, understand patterns of escalation, and respond in ways that reduce harm and support the patron. The course combines a live online session with a 3-module self-paced workshop. Together, these cover trauma-informed approaches, mental health awareness, communication strategies, boundary setting, referrals, and debriefing. You will also explore how repeated exposure to these situations affects staff and learn practical ways to manage stress and avoid burnout.
SESSIONS AND PRICINGThis course begins with a live online session. If you can’t attend in real time, you will receive access to the recording.
COURSE FORMATThis course includes a 1.5-hour live online session plus a 3-module self-paced workshop you can complete on your own schedule.
EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENTPlan 1.5 hours for the live session, plus additional time to complete the self-paced modules and reflection activities. It should take around 16 hours to complete the course, but you are free to work at your own pace.
ON-DEMAND ACCESSYou will have access to the session recording and course materials for six months after the live event.
CREDIT & CERTIFICATEComplete all components to earn 16 professional development credit hours and a Library Journal certificate of completion.
ACCESSIBILITYAll sessions include auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com.
SUPPORTFor technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com. FROM OUR SPRING 2026 PARTICIPANTS
"I learned a lot about the stages of escalation. I also learned more about how to recognize them in individuals in our branches. I feel a lot more confident in my knowledge of how to work on de-escalation." "The main takeaway from this course was understanding the cycle of behavior, including escalation and de-escalation. I especially found the strategies for responding to triggers very helpful."
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Dr. Margaret Ann Paauw is an Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and author. She has practiced social work since 2012, primarily with individuals experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and serious mental illness. Dr. Paauw previously worked as a library social worker with the Chicago Public Library and was an active member of the Public Library Association’s Library Social Work Taskforce. She facilitated the library social work direct service call, co-authored A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons, and authored Navigating Difficult Situations in Public Libraries. Dr. Paauw has consulted on library social work partnerships and provided trauma-informed and de-escalation trainings to libraries across the country. Her research focuses on the efficacy of library social work partnerships and contributing evidence to support this growing practice.
