About
The Connecticut CISM Team is an
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)
HOTLINE TEAM (#16) listed on the ICISF website.
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Critical Incident Stress is a normal reaction to an abnormal event.
The Connecticut Critical Incident Stress Management (CTCISM)Team is a volunteer,
not-for-profit organization available to provide support following a critical incident event.
The team is also available for Critical Incident Stress Management training
at your Corps or Department before an incident occurs.
Welcome to our website. Feel free to drop us an email for more information or to inquire about
training, membership or other issues. info@ctcism.org will get you a reply as quickly as possible.
If your need is urgent or you need an emergency response from the team, call 1-800-734-2473.
A team member will be contacted for you. Please do not hesitate to call.
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I want to join the Team
Members are the backbone of the organization, for without, there is no team.
To be eligible for membership, candidates must have completed both
ICISF Assisting Individuals in Crisis and ICISF Group Crisis Intervention classes.
Membership Application (.pdf)
All applications must include ICISF class certifications and a passport photo that is suitable for an ID card.
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
The purpose of CISM is to provide a safe opportunity to deal with emotional reactions to a stressful, traumatic event.
There are two types of intervention:
Defusing - a group or individual meeting with those involved, directly after the event.
A process to allow those involved to tell what happened and to talk about their reactions and feelings and allow a CISM Defuser to provide information about normal stress reactions, available support services, and details of a possible follow-up debriefing.
Debriefing - a group meeting with those involved, 24 to 72 hours after the event. This will include a mental health professional from our external CIS provider.
A process designed to mitigate the impact of a critical incident.
A structured intervention by specially trained members of a Critical Incident Stress Team.
An organized group meeting that allows and encourages those involved in a Critical Incident to openly discuss their thoughts and reactions in a safe, non-threatening environment.
Ideally takes place 24 to 72 hours after the Critical Incident.