For First Responders self-care is a priority and necessity - not a luxury.
For CISM Services Call: 610.631.6500
CISM interventions are:
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Confidential
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Educational
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NOT a Critique
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Evidence Based
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Non-judgmental
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No Cost
When in doubt, PLEASE CALL for a consult.
CRITICAL INCIDENT AND CRISIS EDUCATION
Presentations before and after an incident related to stress reactions and management.
The MontCo CISM Team has an educational component that is available to provide education and training about the full spectrum of acute and chronic stress. Education is a key component of most of the CISM services.
Key benefits include information (knowledge is power), identification (stress reactions), training (self care techniques), contact (when and how to contact us).
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PEER TO PEER SUPPORT
The importance of peer support is often overlooked in the mental health profession. The power of one emergency responder talking to another is invaluable. Peer support involves trained members who listen and provide meaningful feedback. Sometimes, a first responder benefits simply by talking to a peer who can relate and provide understanding and direction. This can be facilitated in-person or over the phone.
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Key benefits include personal knowledge and experience, a trusted ally, teaching skills, and practical assistance.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Assist the spouses and families of those suffering from Critical Incident Stress.
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Family support refers to the family members of individuals involved in a Critical Incident. Here the family members themselves are not exposed to the event. However, they can be traumatized secondarily by the reactions and responses of those involved.
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Key benefits include educating family members of those involved, enhancing natural support group, and decreasing vicarious traumatization.
ON-SCENE SUPPORT
Activities at the scene of major events lasting many hours.
The MontCo CISM Team is available on-scene for major events that last more than a few hours. We will provide services to both the emergency worker and the lay public and victims as follows: basic needs, advice on keeping people functional, decompression, assessment, after event services.
Key benefits include support during major events, advice, stabilization.
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DEFUSING
Limited intervention for small groups soon after an event.
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The goal of a defusing is to reduce intense reactions to the incident, to normalize the experience, to provide practical information, and to assess the need for follow-up with a critical incident stress debriefing. It is less structured and less time consuming than a debriefing. This should not be a substitute for a formal debriefing when one is required.
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Key benefits include decompress acute stress reactions, can be done shortly after and event (minutes to hours), and can be utilized for small groups or individuals.
ASSESSMENT AND CONSULTATION
Advisement, or assessment, of situation when organization leadership is not sure there is an issue.
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Many times, organizational leadership is presented with situational problems that they are unsure how to address. The Montco CISM Team is available to assess these situations either over the phone or in person. We help educate the leaders, and involved person(s), as to their options as we provide other insight. Our role would be more of a sounding board. As needed, referrals to other organizations can be done.
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Key benefits include sources of information, advice and support.
DEMOBILIZATION
For Emergency Services after major events before returning to station.
After a major, protracted time, event, emergency workers are emotionally charged and operationally focused. It is very difficult to go from active operations directly back to the station to either restage or reset the unit for the next call. The demobilization is inserted into a period between the two. Units are rotated as a whole, to eliminate any stigmata, through an identified location where they get the following: basic nutrition, general information, education about stress and its management, and team contact information.
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Key benefits include allowing decompressions before returning to station or staging, disseminate stress management information, and provide MontCo CISM contact information.
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING
Major group intervention usually used for the worst events.
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It is a process in which a debriefing team assists emergency responders to deal with the emotional and physical aftershock of a critical incident. It is confidential, non-evaluative, discussion of the involvement, thoughts, reactions, and feelings resulting from the incident. This concept has been proven as effective for emergency responders to deal with mitigating or resolving the psychological distress associated with critical incidents. This is now standard operating procedure in most agencies in order to prevent repressed feelings, burnout, PTSD, marital and family problems, substance abuse, and mental health issues which may lead to suicide.
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Key benefits include mitigating stress reactions, accelerating recovery, and assessment.
RESOURCE AND REFERRAL NETWORK
CISM is designed for short term assistance. It is not appropriate in all situations. Some individuals need more formal counseling.
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Often times, additional professional services may be required. CISM has a vast network of resources and referrals available to those responders that wish to receive more in-depth treatment.
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Key benefits include identifying those individuals in which longer term professional care is needed, ensuring that the individual is referred to the most appropriate professional for their needs, and helps to preserve the individual's functioning and thus their contributions to their organization and to society.