46443030.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TITLE ACCREDITATION Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) CALEA Team PRIOR REVISIONS 09/19/16 PROPONENT UNIT CISM Team ATTACHMENT: None NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGE 36.1 09/19/2016 01/10/2022 6 I. PURPOSE: Department employees are occasionally involved in traumatic or highly stressful events and may experience some form of post-incident stress-related symptoms. Most suffer no long term ill effects; however, some may experience continuing or delayed stress-related reactions. Without intervention, those employees may continue to experience detrimental effects and may show declining work performance, deterioration of family relationships and/or increased health problems. The Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team was developed to offer employees and their families, when appropriate, emotional and psychological support associated with their involvement in a critical incident. II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department shall strive to provide support to all its members involved in stressful incidents on duty which affect, or may affect, job performance. This program seeks to ensure that any post-incident effects on job performance and quality of personal life are identified and alleviated. III. DEFINITIONS: A. Critical Incident – An incident or traumatic event that causes strong emotional reactions and has the potential to interfere with an individual’s normal ability to cope. B. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) – A comprehensive, integrated, systematic, and multi-component approach to crisis/disaster intervention. Historically, CISM was known for “debriefings;” however, the current CISM approach involves multiple options for interventions to provide support and crisis intervention on individual and group levels. The Gainesville Police Department recognizes the methods of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), and has adopted procedures consistent with ICISF training courses. (NOTE: A CISM intervention is not a critique of police department operations. Performance issues will not be discussed in interventions.) C. Stress Reaction Symptoms – Physical, behavioral, spiritual, psychological, and/or emotional symptoms occurring following a critical incident. Symptoms may include nightmares, flashbacks, fatigue, nausea, concentration and memory problems, anxiety, depression, intestinal problems, and other reactions. D. CISM Team – A team composed of CISM-trained employees, a trained mental health professional, and/or police chaplain(s). P age 1 | 6\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT E. Debriefing – An organized, confidential, small group discussion led by the CISM Team with members who have experienced a critical incident. The discussion of the incident is designed to mitigate the potential for long-term stressful reactions. Participants talk about their experiences, thoughts, and reactions to the stressful incident. No notes will be taken on the content of the discussion, and no recordings will be made of the intervention. A mental health professional may be present for CISM debriefings. F. Defusing – An organized, confidential, structured, individual or small group discussion, which is not as lengthy or structured as a debriefing, most appropriately performed within twenty-four hours after a critical incident is over. No notes will be taken on the content of the discussion, and no recordings will be made of the intervention. A mental health professional may be present for CISM defusing sessions. Defusing allows for support, information, and ventilation of feelings. In many cases, defusing may eliminate the need for a debriefing. G. Demobilization – Large-group information sharing most commonly utilized at the conclusion of large-scale, lengthy and highly intense events, such as airplane crashes, long-term violent riots, natural disasters, etc., and before personnel are released from the event to return to regular duty or to go off duty. H. Crisis Management Briefing (CMB) - An information session provided during continuing large scale events or disasters, or following large scale events or disasters, to reduce potential sense of chaos, control rumors, educate personnel about the symptoms of stress, and identify resources available for continued support. I. CISM Coordinator: An individual selected to coordinate CISM services and related policy for the agency. This person will coordinate service with the Gainesville Police Department Team leaders. J. Mental Health Professional (MHP) – A licensed mental health counselor, licensed clinical social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrists trained in critical incident stress management. IV. PROCEDURE A. Team Composition/Selection/Training: The CISM Team is composed of CISM-trained employees, a trained mental health professional, and/or police chaplain(s). 1. CISM Team Members will be selected by the CISM Coordinator & Team Leaders based on the current department selection procedures. 2. Once selected, CISM team members must complete the following prior to participation in and/or conducting interventions: i. CISM: Group Crisis Intervention” class recognized by ICISF: and ii. “Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support”: class recognized by ICISF. P age 2 | 6\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT 3. In order to maintain active status with the CISM team, members must attend CISM meetings, training, and other required functions, unless excused by the team leader. 4. A CISM mental health professional will be selected based on experience, certification, availability, and ability to work in a contractual capacity. B. Notification: A Shift Commander/ Incident Commander may authorize a CISM callout in the following situations: 1. Death or serious injury to a department employee; (G.O 55.3) 2. Death or serious injury to another as a result of deadly force; i. A Mental Health Professional is the only member that can be called out for a department member who is the subject of an Officer Involved Shooting or a Line of Duty Death incident. 3. Mass casualty cases; 4. Any other incident evoking profound or overwhelming emotions NOTE: It is not necessary to wait for significant signs of distress or dysfunction to contact the CISM Team for assistance. The CISM process is designed to be proactive, supportive, and preventative in the management of stress, as well as utilized in crisis intervention situations. C. Activation: Once the CISM Coordinator is notified, he/she will accomplish the following: 1. Assess the situation and determine whether one team member is needed or whether a team should be activated. (It may be appropriate to have an individual team member respond to events that impact only one person); 2. If immediate response is needed, the CISM Coordinator will arrange for the affected member(s) to meet with the appropriate team members; and 3. If a delayed response is appropriate, the CISM Coordinator, at the direction of the Division Commander, will set up the appropriate intervention for the affected members as soon as practical. The CISM Coordinator will ensure follow-up contact is made with involved members to provide the date, time, and location of the intervention. D. Rules of Conduct: The following rules of conduct apply to CISM Team members: 1. At major scenes, team members will not become directly involved in the investigation/incident in their role with the CISM team. 2. The CISM Coordinator and/or Team leader will be allowed in or near the command post to act as an observer and liaison to the incident P age 3 | 6\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT commander; however, the CISM Coordinator and/or Team leader will not become involved in the operations of the incident; 3. Under some circumstances it may be necessary for CISM Team members to conduct one-on-one interventions at a scene. These interventions will be brief and supportive and will not interfe