Critical Incident Stress Management

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Headquarters Southwest Region Civil Air Patrol/USAF-Auxiliary

CISM PEP Talk Pre-Exposure Preparation Talk A

Objectives of this presentation:
A review of the causes and effects of stress
Some cues to identify stress and tools to manage it
An overview of critical incident stress, crisis management, and critical incident stress management (CISM)
An orientation to CAP’s CISM program
To provide the participants with ...

CISM is a Mandated Operations Program! It is not just a Chaplain’s program!

Just What is Stress? “ A state of physical and emotional arousal .”

Where Does Stress Come From? Stimulus Stressor stimulus/demand Response Stress Response

Some Definitions ...
Stressor -- a stimulus that causes, evokes, or is otherwise strongly associated with the stress response
Stress response -- Nonspecific response of the body to a demand(s)
Target organ(s) -- The part of the body, or mind, that is the recipient of the stress response and which develops the signs & symptoms of over-arousal

For example ...
While flying, the stressors of heat and G-forces affect the body.
Next a stress response occurs in the inner ear leading to a condition known as “vertigo.”
Then the target organ of the stomach is over-aroused and decides to “get rid of food!”
… airsickness

2 “Varieties” of Stress ... “ Eustress” equals Good Stress --- Positive, motivating stress “ Distress” equals Bad Stress --- Negative, excessive, debilitating stress

Some Generic Sources of Stress ...
Biogenic
Environmental
Personality

Some Biogenic Stressors ...
Caffeine
Nicotine
Amphetamines
Cold & allergy medicines
Theophylline
Illness
Lack of sleep

Some Environmental Stressors ...
Rain
Temperature extremes
Sounds --- screams
Mud
Smells
G-forces
Time of day

Personality The way people are “hard-wired.”

Stress is Cumulative It builds up over time ...

Cumulative Stress
Piles up ( snowballs ).
Increases with time.
Deteriorates:
* Performance
* Relationships
* Health
Is stress that ...

We Used to Call it “Burnout”
Increased cynicism.
Increased physical lethargy.
Procrastination.
In the extreme … even … suicidal or homicidal thoughts or ideations.

Some Signs & Symptoms of Cumulative Stress
Tardiness
Fatigue
Detachment
Depression
Medication or drug use.
Irritability
“ Gallows” humor
Paranoia, or irrational fears.
Derogatory speech or labeling of others.
Denial
Increased workplace absences.
Irresponsibility

An Example of Cumulative Stress ... The De Havilland “Comet” -- The World’s First Commercial Jet Airliner

Like With The Airliner ... Stress is the “wear and tear” on our human coping systems. Over time minor stresses can have major and damaging effects. This is the cumulative effect of stress. … and we can crash too!

Critical Incident Stress “Any event in which there is a stressful impact sufficient enough to overwhelm the usually effective coping skills of either an individual or a group.” (Everly & Mitchell, 1999)

Cumulative stress can exacerbate critical incident stress.

Critical Incidents are events that have the potential to create significant human distress and can overwhelm the usual coping mechanisms of individuals and/or groups.

How to Recognize Excessive Stress?

Manifestations of Distress Can Take a Number of Forms...
Physical
Cognitive
Emotional
Behavioral

Physical Manifestations
Excessive sweating
Nausea and/or vomiting
Elevated pulse rate
Elevated blood pressure
Rapid breathing
Dizziness

Cognitive Signs
Confusion. Mumbling of words
Difficulty making decisions
Decreased concentration
Memory dysfunction

Emotional Signs
Emotional Shock
Anger
Grief
Depression
Feeling totally overwhelmed

Behavioral Signs
Changes in ordinary behavior
Changes in eating habits
Decreased personal hygiene
Prolonged silences
Withdrawal

Stress Response Timelines
Immediate -- up to 24 hours post event.
Delayed -- 24 to 72 hours post event.
Cumulative -- buildup of stress over time.

Post-Traumatic Stress is ... “… a normal reaction in a normal person, to an abnormal event .” “… a survival mechanism , whereas (PTSD) is a pathogenic (unhealthy) variation of that normal survival mechanism.” Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Examples of Critical Incidents
Line of duty death or death at workplace
Serious line of duty injury or workplace injury
Suicide of coworker, friend, family member
Multiple casualty incidents (MCI’s), disasters
Significant events involving children
Prolonged events especially with loss
Any powerful event which overwhelms a person’s normal coping mechanisms

A Crisis
One’s normal psychological balance (homeostasis) has been disrupted,
One’s usual coping mechanisms have failed to reestablish the needed homeostasis, or
There is evidence of functional impairment.
A response to an event wherein ...

Crisis Intervention

Crisis Intervention is ...
An exercise in psychological damage control. Stopping the bleeding!
Not a cure
An opportunity for assessment and for follow-up
Guided by a mental health professional (MHP)
The provision of timely “emotional first aid:”

Crisis Intervention Is but one aspect of a continuum of care. It requires specialized and unique training .

Crisis Intervention Principles ...
Spell B - I - S - E - P
Brevity
Immediacy
Simplicity
Expectancy
Proximity
B I S E P

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is one type of crisis intervention. It is a comprehensive, systematic program for the mitigation of critical- incident related stress.

The goals of CISM ...
Prevent traumatic stress
Mitigate traumatic stress
Intervene to assist recovery from traumatic stress
Accelerate recovery
Restore function
Maintain worker health and welfare

By way of analogy ... According to the Wing Aircraft Maintenance Officer, HQ-TX Wing expects to spend approximately $187,000.00 this year to maintain our fleet of airplanes. But … how much are we spending to maintain our most valuable asset… OUR PEOPLE ?

CISM is a comprehensive, systematic maintenance program for the overall well-being of our most valuable assets … our members .

CISM involves many facets ...
Pre-crisis preparation and education
Demobilization (for large groups)
Crisis management briefings (large groups also)
Defusings
Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)

CISM also involves ...
One-on-one, individual crisis intervention
Pastoral crisis intervention
Family CISM
Organizational crisis intervention / consultations
Follow-up and referral mechanisms

CISM deals with the current circumstances, the current event or crisis … NOT … personal histories. It is First Aid, not definitive care.

Some Key Elements of CISM ...

Pre-Incident Education
General information: stress, trauma, etc.
Set expectations for actual experiences
Teach stress management and coping skills

Demobilizations
Decompression
Transition workers from disaster work (large-scale incident) to routine duties or home
Used with large numbers of people
A 10- to 30-minute session
An opportunity for assessment of group needs
Alert workers to possible stress effects
Always followed by a CISD (debriefing, usually within one week

Defusing
A small group intervention conducted within hours of the incident, usually within 12 hours
Shortened version (20-45 mins) of the CIS- Debriefing
May eliminate the need for, or increase effectiveness of, CISD; opportunity to assess the need for CISD
Seeks to reduce intense reactions to a trauma
Seeks to “normalize” the effects of the event

The Defusing 3-Step ...
*Introduction
*Exploration
*Information

The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)
A group discussion of a traumatic event
Peer driven
Clinician (MHP) guided
Lasts 1-3 hours
Closed circle format
Held 1 - 10 days post event
NOT psychotherapy!
C I S D

Objectives of the CISD
Education
Ventilation
Reassurance and forewarning
Positive contact with a MHP
Improvement of interagency cooperation
Increase group cohesiveness
Restore self-confidence
Facilitation of follow-up

CISDs consist of 7 stages ... Mitchell, 1991

Family Support
An essential component of a comprehensive CISM program
Consists of: * Educational programs * CISD for significant others * Bereavement support -- grief and crisis counseling
Provided by peers, MHP, clergy, trained spouses
Includes children and elderly as well

Referral ...
Is made to obtain a more thorough a process of assessment and evaluation,
The mental health provider should understand the “culture” of the agency in which the person is employed, and
should have specialized training/experience in post-traumatic stress.

Follow-up ...
Essential element in all CISM interventions.
Can be made by: * Phone calls * Station / workplace visits * Home visits

All CISM Interventions Are Strictly Confidential!

How well does CISM work? Let’s compare two airliner crashes to see ...

San Diego 1978 v. Cerritos 1986 San Diego , PSA-182: 9/25/1978 Cerritos , Aeromexico: 8/31/1986 San Diego Cerritos Total Killed 125 82 Aircraft Survivors 0 0 Homes Destroyed 16 16 Killed on Ground 15 15 ESP used 300 300 Body Parts Recovered 10,000+ 10,000+

San Diego v. Cerritos cont’d … Types of Critical Incident Interventions Provided San Diego 1978 Cerritos 1986 Sporadic 1 on 1 12 CISDs Crisis Interventions Demobilizations Crisis hotline Follow-ups with MHP’s

San Diego v. Cerritos Personnel losses, among responders, within 1 year of event: Increase in MH utilization within community within 1 year: 31% 1% SD CER Ranking PD 5 0 FD Personnel 7 1 EMS Personnel 17 0

CISM Works!

CISM in the Civil Air Patrol

CAP’s CISM Program
Mandated by CAPR 60-5
Not optional
Specifically an operations program
Implementation is assigned to Region Commanders by CAPR 60-5.

CAP’s CISM Program cont’d
Wings are to “… assess the need for a CIST.”
All personnel are encouraged to receive CIS training.

CAP’s CISM Program ... “ The use of qualified, local, non-CAP teams to respond to incident stress-affected CAP members is highly encouraged … The use of local non-CAP teams will somewhat limit the need to dispatch a trained CAP CIS [Team]” --CAPR 60-5 (2)e

CAP’s CISM Program ... “… Each active duty Air Force base is required to have a CIST, which, with prior coordination, may be able to support CAP” --CAPR 60-5 (2)e

A CAP CIST
Consists of:
Mental Health Professionals (MHP)
Peer Representatives
CAPR 60-5 (3)a 2

Request & Deployment
After a SAR or DR mission “ … a review of the need for CIS intervention should be made for all personnel ...”
The incident commander or unit commander will pass a request to wing commander.
In consultation with staff, the wing CC will coordinate use of a local non-CAP team or request one of the Region teams.

Funding CISM
CISM is not, presently, a specifically USAF funded mission (by itself).
CAP CISM may be funded through an existing mission’s funding.

Funding CISM
The CAP Natl HQ has approved limited funding to support CISM missions nationally.
Housing and feeding of a team will normally NOT be reimbursed.
The “… use of host families…” is encouraged to mitigate housing costs.

For More Information ...
Visit the web site of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) at http://www.icisf.org .
Join the ICISF.
Review CAPR 60-5.

For More Information ...
Call Chaplain Don Brown at (936) 394-3310 or email him at [email_address] .
Sign up for the “Basic Critical Incident Stress Management” and other ICISF CISM courses.

Any Questions?

Credits Lt Col Sherry Jones, RN, CAP Special Advisor to the National Commander for CISM Ch, Lt Col DONALD R. BROWN II, CAP SWR Deputy Chaplain and CISM Director 1st Lt Penny Herndon-Finuf, RN, CAP SWR/TXWNG CISM Educational Officer

Critical Incident Stress Management

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