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Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention

Crisis intervention is NOT psychotherapy; rather it is a specialized acute emergency mental health intervention which requires specialized training. 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 variety of crisis intervention protocols for both individual and groups. Fundamentals of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) will be outlined and participants will leave with the knowledge and tools to provide both one-on-one crisis intervention and several group interventions, specifically defusing and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). Participants will receive a certificate from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). This course meets the ICISF minimum requirements for participation in a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team.

Course Length: 3-days (27 contact hours)

Intended Audience: This course is designed for first responders, disaster response, emergency services, employee assistance providers, social workers, healthcare providers, licensed mental health providers, individuals in the military, those providing spiritual care and individuals who work in high stress environments involving exposure to trauma.

Basic CISM Refresher

This course is designed as a refresher for already trained peer support personnel who are responsible for providing emotional and psychological support to colleagues following critical incidents, occupational stress exposure, or personal crises. The training focuses on reinforcing and updating the core mechanics of both one-on-one crisis intervention (the SAFER-R model) and group crisis intervention (the Mitchell model) within peer support teams. Participants will review evidence-informed approaches to active listening, psychological stabilization, assessment of risk, and appropriate referral pathways, with an emphasis on maintaining role clarity and ethical boundaries in peer support practice.

A portion of the course is dedicated to applied skill development through structured role play scenarios. Participants will engage in realistic one-on-one crisis intervention exercises as well as facilitated group crisis intervention simulations that mirror operational environments in first responder, healthcare, and allied helping professions. These experiential components are designed to strengthen communication skills, improve confidence in managing emotionally charged situations, and enhance consistency in team-based peer support responses. The course also provides opportunities for feedback, skills refinement, and discussion of common challenges encountered in the field, ensuring participants leave better prepared to deliver effective and compassionate peer support services.

Course Length: (Half-Day or Full-Day Options)

This course can be a full-day course with a focus on one-on-one intervention in the morning and group crisis intervention in the afternoon. Alternatively, it can be delivered as a half-day course focusing on EITHER one-on-one crisis intervention OR group crisis intervention. This course is a great way to keep or peer-support team motivated and fresh in their mission to provide important services to colleagues.

*Prerequisite of Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention

Advanced Assisting Individuals in Crisis*

Most psychological crisis intervention is done one-on-one, rather than in groups. These interactions may be face-to-face (in person or electronically), telephonic, via email, or even via text messaging. The SAFER-R model of individual psychological crisis intervention was developed to serve as a simple protocol or procedural guide to aid in conducting such individual psychological interventions.

This two-day course builds upon, and is the logical continuation of, the basic ASSISTIN INDIVIDUALS IN CRIS course. Using the SAFER-R framework as a platform, participants are introduced to scenario-based variations of the model. Topics such as advanced psychological triage, grief, suicide intervention, challenges in follow up and referral, and self-care are addressed. In addition, participants are asked to evaluate pre-recorded video examples of crisis intervention using the SAFER-R model. Participants will receive a certificate from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF).

*Prerequisite of either Assisting Individuals in Crisis or the combined 3-day Individual and Group Crisis intervention Course (often referred to as GRIN).

Course Length: 2-days (13 contact hours)

Intended Audience: First responders, disaster response, emergency services, employee assistance providers, social workers, healthcare providers, licensed mental health providers, individuals in the military, those providing spiritual care, and individuals who work with individuals who have been exposed to trauma.

Pre-Incident Education

This course provides an introduction to Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and its role in supporting first responders, emergency personnel, healthcare providers, social service professionals, and disaster response workers following stressful or traumatic events. Participants will learn about the effects of stress and trauma, common misconceptions about CISM, and the various intervention tools available, including one-on-one crisis intervention, defusings, and debriefings.

The course also explains when CISM services may be appropriate, how to access them, and what individuals and organizations can expect when services are provided.

Course Length: ½ Day (3 Contact Hours)

Intended Audience
First responders, emergency personnel, healthcare providers, social service professionals, disaster response personnel, and anyone interested in learning more about CISM or developing a CISM program within their organization.

Advanced Group Crisis Intervention*

Designed to provide participants with the latest information on critical incident stress management techniques and post-trauma syndromes, the Advanced Group Crisis Intervention course builds on the knowledge base which was obtained through the Group Crisis Intervention course and/or in publications. At the conclusion of this course, participants will have been exposed to specific, proven strategies to intervene with those suffering the ill effects of their exposure to trauma. Emphasis will be on advanced defusings and debriefings in complex situations, such as Line of Duty Deaths (LODD) and suicide of a colleague. Participants will receive a certificate from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF).

*Prerequisite of either Group Crisis Intervention or the combined 3-day Individual and Group Crisis Intervention Course (GRIN).

Course Length: 2-days (14 contact hours)

Intended Audience: This course is designed for first responders, disaster response, emergency services, employee assistance providers, social workers, healthcare providers, licensed mental health providers, individuals in the military, those providing spiritual care and individuals who work in high stress environments involving exposure to trauma. It is specifically useful for those who are already trained in critical incident stress management and provide peer-support.

Continuing Education Credits

Most of the courses in this section are associated with continuing education credits from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the PA Department of Health (Con-Ed). Additionally, upon request, some courses may receive CEUs for licensed mental health providers (LSW, LCSW, LMFT, MFT, PC) through West Chester University.