10 Steps to Establishing a CISM Programme

The following generic guidelines may be helpful for persons or organizations that are interested in establishing their own CISM team.  

1.   Determine the need for a team.  How many major events have occurred which had a serious emotional impact on personnel over the last 5 years? 

2.   Gain support from your administration. The more managerial support you have, the easier it will be to pull it altogether.  

3.   Assess the interest of persons in your organization as well as mental health professionals in the community. 

4.   Gather information about CISD team development and review what other communities have done. You do not have to reinvent the wheel. Policies have been already been written and cover a variety of settings. Samples can be obtained from local CISM teams or from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (or they can direct you to the appropriate resources based on your needs). 

5.   Develop written policies and operational procedures. This will include your organizational structure and team leadership. You may consider holding CISM information sessions as a means of selling the idea to management as well as recruiting new members.  

6.   Solicit financial support from agencies to cover the costs of training. Arrange and provide training. 

7.   Send out applications for team membership and review, interview and select persons who have the potential to work on the team. 

8.   Establish regular team meeting to help maintain interest and assure proper distribution of information. 

9.   Review process to determine areas for improvement. 

10.  Although not compulsory, it would be prudent to register your team with a recognized body such as ICISF.

Resources

The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation have an abundant of resources and can be contacted directly regarding issues specific to your needs.  

Suggested readings and other pertinent information can be found in the following resources: 

Oates, Martha. (1993). Death in the School Community: A Handbook for Counsellors, Teachers, and Administrators. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. 

Mitchell, J. and Everly, G. (1995). Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: An Operations Manual for the Prevention of Traumatic Stress among Emergency Services and Disaster Workers. Ellicott City, MD: Chevron Publishing Corporation. 

Robinson R. and Murdoch, P. (1998). Guidelines for Establishing and Maintaining Peer Support Program in Emergency Services. Ellicott City, MD: Chevron Publishing Corporation.