Volunteer
Join Our CISM Volunteer Team!
Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to Utah's brave first responders? The Utah Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team provides vital emotional and psychological support to emergency service personnel who experience traumatic events in the line of duty. Our dedicated volunteers play a crucial role in 'Keeping Utah Safe' by helping those who keep us safe.
Joining the CISM team offers a unique opportunity to contribute your skills and compassion across a wide spectrum of roles. Whether your expertise lies in direct peer support, clinical guidance, administrative coordination, or communication, there's a place for you. Our volunteer opportunities range from essential organizational roles like the newsletter editor, who helps keep our team informed and connected, to direct intervention positions such as team members and leadership roles like clinical director, guiding our crucial support services. This diversity of roles ensures that various backgrounds and skill sets can find a fulfilling way to serve.
Learn About the History of CISM
The Utah Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team, originally formed in 1987 as the Utah Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) Team, provides crucial mental health support to emergency service workers across Utah. Born out of a growing awareness of traumatic stress in the emergency services, spurred by incidents like the 1987 Kearns mid-air collision, the team offers a systematic approach to mitigating stress. They employ various interventions, including debriefings, to help accelerate recovery and reduce psychological distress. The team, comprising approximately 100 volunteer mental health professionals and emergency service peers, delivers around 100 interventions and training sessions annually, always free of charge, and is funded through the Utah Department of Health, Bureau of EMS.
Expectations for Team Members
We are always looking for dedicated new members to join our vital team. Before you apply, please be aware of the nature of our work:
- Unpredictable Schedule: Debriefings often arise unexpectedly, sometimes even following holidays or during off-hours.
- Timely Response: Our team strives to conduct debriefings within 24-72 hours after an incident. If you undertake the training, a commitment to respond promptly to fellow peer debriefing requests is essential.
- Team-Based Approach: Debriefings typically require a team of three to five members, depending on the specific first responders involved in the event.
- Flexibility is Key: Your willingness to be flexible with your availability significantly increases your opportunities to contribute.
- Commitment: Consistent participation is important. Frequent declines to respond may lead to fewer future callouts and, eventually, removal from the active roster.
Learn More About Our Volunteer Roles
Each role on the CISM team plays a unique and crucial part in providing essential support to our first responders. We invite you to delve into the descriptions below to understand the responsibilities and qualifications for positions ranging from administrative support to clinical leadership, and discover how you can contribute.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you're ready to make a tangible difference in the lives of Utah's emergency service personnel, we encourage you to join us.
Sign Up Now or Contact Us for more information!
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.