🗂️ Format: Virtual 
🕧 Duration: 3 days

• August 5–7 (Virtual) 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• September 10–12 (In-Person) 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Georgetown Township Fire Department – Station 3, 7480 36th Ave, Hudsonville, MI 49426, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Course Description:

This 3-day course combines ALL of the content of ICISF’s Assisting Individuals in Crisis &
Group Crisis Intervention courses. Crisis Intervention is NOT psychotherapy; rather, it is a specialized acute emergency mental health intervention which requires specialized training. As physical first aid is to surgery, crisis intervention is to psychotherapy. Thus, crisis intervention is sometimes called “emotional first aid”. Designed to present the core elements of a comprehensive, systematic and multi-component crisis intervention curriculum, this course will prepare participants to understand a wide range of crisis intervention services for both the individual and for groups. Fundamentals of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) will be outlined, and participants will leave with the knowledge and tools to provide several group crisis interventions, specifically demobilizations, defusing and the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). The need for appropriate follow-up services and referrals, when necessary, will also be discussed.

Details:

Program Highlights:

• Psychological crisis and psychological crisis intervention
• Resistance, resiliency, recovery continuum
• Critical incident stress management
• Evidence-based practice
• Basic crisis communication techniques
• Common psychological and behavioral crisis reactions
• Putative and empirically derived mechanisms
• SAFER-Revised model
• Suicide intervention
• Relevant research findings
• Large group crisis interventions
• Small group crisis interventions
• Adverse outcome associated with crisis intervention
• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)

Objectives:

1. Understand the natures & definitions of a psychological crisis and psychological crisis intervention.
2. Understand key issues and findings of evidence-based, and evidence-informed practice as it relates to psychological crisis intervention.
3. Understand the resistance, resiliency, recovery continuum.
4. Understand the nature and definition of critical incident stress management and its role as a continuum of care.
5. Practice basic crisis communication techniques.
6. Be familiar with common psychological and behavioral crisis reactions, including empirically derived predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder. Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention Training
7. Understand the putative and empirically derived mechanisms of action in psychological crisis intervention.
8. Understand and discuss the risks of iatrogenic “harm” associated with psychological crisis intervention and will further discuss how to reduce those risks.
9. Understand how the SAFER-Revised model may be altered for suicide intervention.
10. Understand and discuss the risks of iatrogenic “harm” associated with psychological crisis intervention and will further discuss how to reduce those risks.
11. Understand and discuss the ethical implications, risks and obligations of providing group and individual crisis response services
12. Define key crisis terms such as “critical incident,” “crisis,” and “crisis intervention.”
13. Define key stress management terms such as “stress,” traumatic stress,” and “Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).”
14. Explain role of the comprehensive, integrated, systematic, and multi-component crisis intervention system, known as “Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).
15. Understand the nature of “resistance,” “resiliency,” and “recovery” in the field of CISM.
16. List components of a CISM program to conduct group crisis intervention sessions.
17. Briefly describe the five elements of CISM’s strategic planning formula.
18. Explain the differences between informational and interactive group crisis intervention procedures.
19. Practice by participation in role-play scenarios, the Informational Group Crisis Interventions such as:
    • Rest, Information, and Transition Services (RITS)
    • Crisis Management Briefing (CMB).
20. Practice by participation in role-play scenarios, the Interactive Group Crisis Intervention such as:
    • Debriefing
    • Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD).

🗂️Format: Video lecture / discussion
🕧Duration: 60 minutes

Course Description:

This course explores how grief impacts first responders after traumatic loss, including suicide. Dr. Ali Amirsadri, Chief Medical Officer at Wayne State University’s Department of Psychiatry, joins FST5 peers to discuss emotional and physiological reactions to grief, how to identify complicated grief, and how to support peers, children, and families through loss.

(Coming Soon)

Course Description:

Developed by experienced first responders and trauma-informed clinicians, this interactive course provides practical strategies for early intervention, peer connection, and handling acute stress reactions in the field. Participants learn to identify crisis warning signs, de-escalate emotional distress, and connect peers to professional support.