WHAT IS GB CISM?
The Greater Boston CISM Team has been established among police departments in the Greater Boston area for the purpose of supporting the officers within these police departments. The Team is a resource of specially trained officers who respond to incidents where officers may have experienced a traumatic event or may be affected by a loss. The team also has several clinicians/ mental health professionals as members. All team members have been certified in International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Group & Individual Training and receive additional training annually. The group meets monthly to debrief on recent activations and to train via role play scenarios. Additional training annually is also mandated.
The goal of the Team is not a legal inquiry, investigation, or about placing blame in any way. It is about personal emotional responses, not the facts of the incident. During activations of the Team, no notes are taken and recording devices are not allowed. Discussions are private, and members are expected to adhere to a strict confidentiality agreement, with the only allowable exception being if someone presents a danger to themselves or someone else.
List of ten of the top reasons to call in a CISM team that may be helpful to keep in mind: “TERRIBLE TEN”
- LINE OF DUTY DEATHS*
- SUICIDE OF A COLLEAGUE*
- SERIOUS WORK RELATED INJURY
- MULTI-CASUALTY / DISASTER / TERRORISM INCIDENTS
- EVENTS WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF THREAT TO THE PERSONNEL
- SIGNIFICANT EVENTS INVOLVING CHILDREN
- EVENTS IN WHICH THE VICTIM IS KNOWN TO THE PERSONNEL
- EVENTS WITH EXCESSIVE MEDIA INTEREST
- EVENTS THAT ARE PROLONGED AND
- END WITH A NEGATIVE OUTCOME ANY SIGNIFICANTLY POWERFUL, OVERWHELMING DISTRESSING EVENT
GREATER BOSTON CISM PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS
Governing Laws:
ICISF Website: Home – ICISF
MGL Chapter 233 Section200: Crisis Intervention Services for emergency service provider; confidentiality of information. General Law – Part III, Title II, Chapter 233, Section 20O (malegislature.gov)
MGL Chapter 253 Section 118 of 2020 AN ACT RELATIVE TO JUSTICE, EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COMMONWEALTH. Session Law – Acts of 2020 Chapter 253 (malegislature.gov)
The Greater Boston CISM Team
14 jurisdictions, 18 department or agencies, 3 counties (Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk)