Critical Incident Stress Debriefings
The impact of a critical incident on an individual's life appears to be mitigated, to some degree, by the availability of resources that may intervene at various stages following the incident.
The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) process is a model designed to assist victims of critical incidents with their recovery process.
Formal debriefings are held 24-72 hours after an incident and give participants an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings about a distressing event in a controlled and rational manner. They also help participants know they are not alone in their reactions to the incident.
Debriefing teams represent a partnership between mental health professionals and peer support personnel.
- The mental health professionals serving on the CISD team should possess at least a master's degree in psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing, psychiatry, or mental health counseling.
- Peer support personnel are trained and prepared to work with mental health professionals in preventing and mitigating the negative impact of acute stress on their fellow workers.
- All team members should receive training in crisis intervention, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the debriefing process.
Critical Incident Stress Management(CISM) interventions should not interfere with the priorities of criminal investigations. In those cases where criminal proceedings are likely to result from the critical incident, it is important to coordinate CISM interventions with the appropriate prosecutory authority.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-4. It is recommended that a formal violent incident debriefing should be held _____.
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