What should you do if you receive threatening phone calls in a client’s home?

• A. Hang up
• B. Record the call
• C. Ignore
• D. Answer and discuss

Answer: (A)

When a threatening phone call occurs during a home visit, safety for you and the client comes first. Hang up right away to end the interaction and reduce the immediate risk. Do not engage, argue, or try to discuss the threat while you’re in the home, as that can escalate the situation.

After you disconnect, ensure the client is in a safe area, stay calm, and report the incident to your supervisor or the agency’s on-call line. If there is ongoing danger, contact emergency services. Document the event later with the date, time, what was said, any threats, who was involved, and the actions you took. Recording the call is not typically appropriate during a home visit due to privacy and legal considerations, so follow agency policy instead. If the caller is someone known to the client, inform your supervisor about the risk and any safety concerns. The main reason hanging up is the best choice is that it immediately removes you from the threat and protects everyone while still allowing you to report and document the incident properly afterward.