Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention
Join the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) for a 27-hour training over a period of three consecutive days, presenting on “Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention”.
All training materials and certificates will be included in this training at no cost for members of the first responder community and those who serve first responders in a critical incident and/or peer support capacity. Please see further training details on this webpage and complete the application below to be considered for a seat in the class. Space is limited. We will do our best to accommodate as many applicants as possible. This course is ILETSB certified.
MULTI-DAY TRAINING | JUNE 3, 4, 5
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
MIDWEST ATHLETIC CENTER
409 Hardin Avenue, Jacksonville IL 62650
Applications submitted by April 19th will be reviewed the following week. Any further applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and approved upon availability.
MULTI-DAY TRAINING | OCTOBER 21, 22, 23
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
MCHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE
8900 US HWY 14, Crystal Lake IL 60012
Applications submitted by July 5th will be reviewed the following week. Any further applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and approved upon availability. Due to the high demand of this course, admission to participate may be limited to 1-2 members per agency.
ABOUT THE TRAINER
Joe LaCognata is the Founder and President of Fire Rescue Support, Inc. Joe started his involvement with emergency services in 1986 as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Since becoming a pastor in 1994, his connection with emergency services has been through the chaplaincy with both police and fire departments. Joe currently serves as Chaplain with Marion County Fire Rescue, Ocala Fire Rescue, The Villages Department of Public Safety, the Florida State Fire College, and the Florida Fire Chiefs Association. Joe is also the Statewide Chaplaincy Coordinator with the Florida Firefighter Health and Safety Collaborative.
Joe has completed Basic Chaplain training through the International Fellowship of Chaplains. He is an Approved Instructor in Individual and Group Crisis Intervention with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and has his Certification in Critical Incident Stress Management from the University of Maryland Baltimore County Department of Emergency Health Services. Joe is an Endorsed Chaplain with the North American Mission Board and a Master Fire Chaplain with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. Joe holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from Illinois State University and is an Instructor III with the Florida Fire Service.
Joe has been married to Kim since 1985 and they are the proud parents of five amazing children and four wonderful sons-in-law.
ABOUT THE TRAINER
Jeremy Sprague is a police lieutenant for the Des Moines Iowa Police Department. He has served as a patrol officer, detective, hostage/crisis negotiator, communications supervisor, sergeant leading patrol officers, traffic crash fatality investigations, sex abuse detectives, and commander. He also retired after 20 years in the fire service as a part-time fire lieutenant supervising an engine company, medic-squad, and directing the fire training academy.
Jeremy designed, created, and managed the first-in-the-state public safety Peer Support Program which is used as a model for other agencies around the country. He specializes in providing training and critical incident response around the state. In 2015 he drafted a peer support privilege communication bill that was signed into law. In 2016, Jeremy managed a comprehensive strategic plan for the loss of three Des Moines Police Officers in 2016 including crisis management, logistics, and department wellness.
Jeremy expanded his innovative peer support model and created the Peer Support Foundation which provides resources to first responders throughout Iowa. He currently serves as the executive director and president of the foundation. At the request of his services around the country, Jeremy created the Frontline Results Group, LLC. This company is designed to provide training to first responders and others in wellness concepts and best practices.
Jeremy has presented nationally to numerous organizations and conferences about peer support, employee wellness, PTSD, suicide awareness, and other topics. Some of these presentations include the at the National Fraternal Order of Police Wellness Summit, National COPS Conference, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Law Enforcement League, Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police, Iowa Teamsters Law Enforcement, Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association, Impact Iowa, Iowa Association of Women Police, Iowa Corrections Association, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, Des Moines Area Community College, and numerous public safety agencies throughout the Midwest.
Jeremy holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management Administration. He is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Jeremy is a certified FBI Law Enforcement Instructor and serves as an adjunct instructor in Criminal Justice at the Des Moines Area Community College. He is also an instructor for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and holds a certificate in Critical Incident Stress Management from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This course will achieve the following learning objectives:
- To increase awareness of key terms and concepts relevant to the practice of crisis intervention and disaster mental health intervention.
- To become familiar with relevant research findings.
- To become familiar with relevant recommendations for practice.
- To understand the nature and importance of incident assessment and strategic intervention planning.
- To understand the nature of the “resistance, resilience, recovery” continuum and the role of the integrated multi-component Critical Incident Stress Management System (CISM).
- To become familiar with large group crisis interventions, demobilizations and crisis management briefings (CMB).
- To become familiar with small group crisis interventions, defusings, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) and Small Group Crisis Management briefing (CMB).
- To become familiar with risks of adverse outcome associated with crisis intervention and how to reduce those risks.
- To practice large and small group crisis intervention and how to reduce those risks.
- To practice specifically the small group Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD).
- Understand the natures & definitions of a psychological crisis and psychological crisis intervention.
- Discuss issues and findings of evidence-based practice as it relates to psychological crisis intervention.
- Practice basic crisis communication techniques.
- Be familiar with common psychological and behavioral crisis reactions, including empirically-derived predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Understand the putative and empirically-derived mechanisms of action in psychological crisis intervention.
- Practice the SAFER-Revised model of individual psychological crisis intervention.
- Understand how the SAFER-Revised model may be altered for suicide intervention.
- Understand and discuss the risks of iatrogenic “harm” associated with psychological crisis intervention and will further discuss how to reduce those risks.