Critical Incident Stress Management Provisions

The Nebraska Statewide Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Program was authorized by the Nebraska Unicameral under provisions of Nebraska Critical Incident Stress Management Act. CISM provides a system of support services for emergency responders, hospital and correctional personnel throughout the state. Specially trained team members assist emergency service personnel with traumatic events and stressful aspects of their occupation.

The CISM team provides stress education and prevention programs before a stressful event occurs, serves as a resource and referral network for emergency personnel, and is incorporated into the Nebraska State Emergency Operations Plan.

The CISM program provides participants with tools to cope with the emotional and physical aftershocks of critical incidents. It isn't the function of the program to replace ongoing professional counseling or psychotherapy. CISM provides immediate crisis intervention.

Types of interventions include:

• Pre-incident education workshops,
• On-scene support,
• Defusing and demobilization (short debriefings for small and large-scale events),
• Critical incident stress debriefings,
• Mental health referrals,
• Informal discussions,
• Specialty debriefings.

Nebraska CISM Program serves:

• Law enforcement,
• Firefighters,
• Emergency medical services,
• Corrections,
• Hospitals,
• Emergency management,
• Dispatchers.

Critical Incident Stress Management Program Page

Emergency Medical Services Page

Mental Health Page