.center { text-align: center; } .center { text-align: center; } .center { text-align: center; }

Excellence in Training and Experience

Utilization of CISM personnel without approved International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) crisis interventionist training and demonstrated successful experience without oversight from a Licensed Mental Health Professional may be the single greatest risk to the person in crisis and to a successfull intervention outcome.

Training, Supervised Experience and Certification

 Carefully selected and approved crisis intervention training provides insight into “why” we do what we do. CISM training gives background and presents underlying research and rationale. Much like standardized fire and aviation training, CISM training ensures consistency and confidence in peer supporters to operate effectively and seamlessly. Training is not a one-time occurrence. Initial training should focus on skill development in communication, active listening, and problem assessment. 

Continuing training is necessary to enhance problem-solving skills, provide a venue for group sharing of lessons learned, refresh CISM personnel on their skills, and introduce new concepts. Developing specific training needs in association with the defined roles of each Critical Incident Peer Support Group member, Peer Support Group Leader and CISM Coordinator is an essential element of the training program.

canoe

Training and Our Standard of Care

The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) offers a highly specialized training curriculum most useful for organizations with cultures having a history of mistrust in outside sources for crisis intervention. ICISF training courses are the most recognized by the wildland fire community. ICISF training and use of Peer Supporters has been adopted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the official established Standard of Care. The BLM and BIA also have stringent requirements for certification and experience as well as formal ethics, conduct, and confidentiality policies.

Peer Supporters are not to be used as a replacement for a Mental Health Professional and should never function independently. Not following established protocols would put them outside of their scope and boundaries of competence. Trained peer supporters provide short-term, supervised, incident-specific, and strategic crisis intervention services.

Upcoming CISM Training Courses

smokjumper in the door

Certificate of Specialized Training

ICISF offers a “Certificate of Specialized Training” in CISM, designed to document the completion of a standardized curriculum in crisis intervention. This certificate does not indicate competence in the field, but rather the completion of the curriculum. Read More

Additional Information

International Critical Incident Stress Foundation

cism » Read More

National Alliance on Mental Illness

 

» Read More

Telehealth and On-Line Therapy

suicide » Read More

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

» Read More

Other Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

suicide

Call 988 Text or Chat

» Read More

Treatment Referral Service

samsha

Free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service.

» Read More

Veterans Crisis Line

veterans

Dial 988 Then Press 1 Chat or Text Online

Read More

Find an EMDR Clinician

suicide » Read More

Bureau of Indian Affairs
Branch of Wildland Fire Management

3833 South Development Avenue t malesuada Boise, ID 83705

usa gov logo

blm logo