About CISM

The Utah CISM program is comprised of mental health professionals and peer support personnel trained to help emergency responders in dealing with the stress of their profession.They provide crisis intervention during or after critical incidents to help lessen the impact and accelerate the recovery process from stress-related injuries.

Examples of critical incidents include suicide, death, or serious injury of an emergency service worker; high media interest in an event; a prolonged event; injury or death of a child; a mass casualty incident; threats to an emergency service worker's safety; a natural disaster; or any event that troubles an emergency worker who participated in the event.

What Can CISM do for You?

Debriefing: A debriefing, usually held 24-72 hrs after an event, is intended for the first responders after a horrific event for your and other participating organization members who were on scene to discuss the event and help them deal with the emotions they are feeling including sadness, grief, fear, wanting to quit, etc. Please note: dispatchers are presumed to be on scene.

Defusing: A meeting for first responders immediately following a horrific event and sometimes during a long lasting event to "unload" emotions and or frustrations of what has or is unfolding. (We usually are not, however, able to be at the scene. Events such as the Price, UT, mining accident where first responders were needed for stand-by for several hours turning into days.)

Training: Informative training events to help you deal with stressors, manage your life, and recognize warning signs and symptoms of mental exhaustion.

UNHS Contacts:

Niki Olsen
435-678-0265
Nolsen@unhsinc.org

Rick Hendy
435-651-3731
rhendy@unhsinc.org