Critical incident stress management (CISM) is a type of crisis intervention designed to provide support for those who have experienced traumatic events. CISM is comprised of multiple crisis response components that attempt address each phase of a crisis situation. It can be implemented with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Although some research has found CISM to be ineffective and even harmful, defenders of CISM argue that, when implemented properly, this intervention offers powerful crisis support.Critical incident stress management is a system of crisis intervention meant to prevent psychological damage associated with unusual and stressful events, also called critical incidents. CISM is intended to support those who are prone to trauma exposure as well as those who have experienced an intensely traumatic event. According to one of its developers, Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell, CISM is not a type of psychotherapy. It is a system of support that is meant to do the following:

Lessen the impact of the critical incidentco Normalize instinctive reactions to the incident Encourage the natural recovery process Restore the adaptive functioning skills of the person and/or group Determine the need for further supportive services or therapy

Sometimes referred to as psychological first aid, CISM can be used to address a vast array of critical incidents. Critical incidents are defined as events that threaten physical or emotional safety or events that result in physical or psychological harm. Some examples include:

Death, or risk of death, in the line of duty Shootings in the workplace Hostage situations Terrorist attacks Building collapse due to an earthquake or natural disaster Natural disasters