Crisis intervention requires that the person experiencing crisis receive timely and skillful support to help cope with his/her situation before future physical or emotional deterioration occurs. This Digest provides a brief, conceptual overview of crisis intervention, and summarizes the steps a worker may use to assist an individual experiencing crisis. Crisis intervention involves three components: (1) the crisis, their perception of an unmanageable situation; (2) the individual or group in crisis; (3) the helper, or mental health worker who provides aid. Crisis intervention provides the opportunity and mechanisms for change to those who are experiencing psychological disequilibrium, who are feeling overwhelmed by their current situation, who have exhausted their skills for coping, and who are experiencing personal discomfort. Crisis intervention is a process by which a mental-health worker identifies, assesses, and intervenes with the individual in crisis so as to restore balance and reduce the effects of the crisis in his/her life. The individual is then connected with a resource network to provide ongoing support and reinforce the change. (LSR)