Investing in Crisis Response: CISM Training Strengthens UC Davis and UC Davis Health's Commitment to Staff Wellbeing 

Beginning May 20, members of the Workplace Violence Prevention and Academic Staff Assistance Program teams, Nurse Educators, and BEST management, and OSSJA staff participated in an intensive three-day online training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). This training, facilitated by national experts, focused on individual and group crisis intervention strategies, as well as strategic communication and planning during crisis events. As Dr. Alison Ward, Clinical and Training Director and Psychologist at ASAP UC Davis Campus explains, “This comprehensive critical incident stress response training allows Academic Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) clinicians to quickly and effectively respond to crises to protect the UC Davis Health and UC Davis Campus communities. With several clinicians trained in Critical Incident Stress Management at ASAP we can quickly deploy clinicians to provide group crisis intervention when critical incidents occur.”

As workplace violence, natural disasters, and unexpected crises continue to affect healthcare and academic environments, this training came at a critical time. All participating team members serve as first responders for staff and faculty experiencing traumatic events or workplace violence. The CISM course provided both a valuable refresher and practical new tools to enhance their ability to respond with confidence, compassion, and effectiveness. As Michelle Linenenberger, Nurse Educator, pointed out, “This training was a great refresher of theory and best practices that we use in our UC Davis Health Support U Peer Responder Program.”

Participants explored the definition and framework of CISM, practiced communication skills in emotionally charged situations, and engaged in group crisis intervention scenarios using the SAFER-Revised model (Stabilize, Acknowledge, Facilitate, Encourage, Recovery). These sessions offered not only knowledge but a powerful reminder of the shared empathy and dedication that unite professionals across roles. Whether a doctor, therapist, or program staff member, each participant demonstrated a deep commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of the UC Davis and UC Davis Health community.

As a firsthand participant, it was humbling to engage in breakout exercises alongside highly skilled colleagues who showed empathy, active listening, and a genuine desire to help others through difficult times. The shared experience reinforced how critical our roles are in supporting one another and strengthened our collective readiness to respond to crises, both big and small.

This training directly supports UC Davis and UC Davis Health’s mission to cultivate a safe, resilient, and compassionate environment. Glenn Glasgow, Workplace Violence Prevention Consultant, commented, “The Critical Incident Stress Management course provided our multidisciplinary attendees from UCD and UCDH with tools and information to better serve our co-workers who have been affected by a critical incident either as an individual or as a group." By equipping staff with the tools and knowledge to manage crisis events, we are better prepared to protect our people, foster psychological safety, and ensure continuity of care and service in the face of adversity. Dr. Carol Kirshnit, Director of ASAP Health and Campus affirms, “This comprehensive review of CISD principles serves as a great reminder for those of us who do this work routinely about all the many aspects that need to be considered when responding to a traumatic incident in our workplace.”

Investing in this kind of professional development affirms the institution’s commitment not only to safety, but to the mental and emotional wellbeing of every member of our community.

Resources:

Mental Health First Aid class: Sign Up Now!

Workplace Violence Prevention: https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/elr/workplaceviolence/

Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP): https://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/asap

Ombuds: https://ombuds.ucdavis.edu/

Counselor drop-ins: https://ucdavis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_byI2jDrEAPyQzMa?Q_CHL=qr

Support U Peer Responder Program: clinicalwellbeing@ucdavis.edu

Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program: https://hdapp.ucdavis.edu/

Workplace Violence Prevention Program

• Reporting Workplace Violence
• Training & Preventing Workplace Violence
• Resources & Support
• About Workplace Violence & Tools

Contact the Workplace Violence Prevention Unit:

• ViolencePrevention@ucdavis.edu