Prerequisites
Only those individuals who have completed the following courses, which are offered by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), are qualified to take the CCISM Examination.
Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention
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, defusings and the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). The need for appropriate follow-up services and referrals when necessary will also be discussed.
This course is designed for anyone in the fields of Business & Industry Crisis Intervention, Disaster Response, Education, Emergency Services, Employee Assistance, Healthcare, Homeland Security, Mental Health, Military, Spiritual Care, and Traumatic Stress.
It is suggested that the above mentioned courses have been taken within the last 5 years to ensure greatest relevance, however, that time frame is not mandatory.
Additionally, ICISF offers Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): A Practical Review textbook, which can be purchased thru the ICISF CISM Bookstore. This book is not required to take the CCISM Exam, but is a helpful review.
Remember the exam is open book but resource materials should be reviewed and coordinated for easy access prior to actually accessing the exam.
CISM Training
For detailed information about CISM courses available through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. (ICISF)
Visit ICISF Education & Training
If you have questions about ICISF’s training offerings, please contact Beth Kohr at [email protected].