CCISM Certification - Become Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management

CCISM Certification - Become Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management

Dec 27, 2022

As healthcare and safety professionals have become increasingly aware of the need for high-level Critical Incident Stress Management services, UMBC’s Department of Emergency Health Services has stepped up with its groundbreaking CCISM Certification program. Designed to meet a rapidly growing demand for CISM certifications, the CCISM Certification Program is the world’s first university-based certification in this field – and it’s provided through PACE, the Professional and Continuing Education arm of UMBC.

Critical Incident Stress Management Training

Unfortunately, there is an issue with CISM: too many people are claiming to be providing effective critical incident stress management services without proper training or certification. This is why UMBC’s CCISM Certification Program seeks to provide a professionally recognized process that will ensure responders have the enhanced knowledge and tools they need to handle psychological crises. The comprehensive exam focuses on problem-solving, crisis intervention skills, communication techniques, early recognition of signs and symptoms of trauma or distress, traumatic stress, crisis, and much more.


Just like other professions, such as nursing or plumbing, require knowledge-based certifications before professionals can legally render services in those fields, this CCISM Certification program ensures that respondents have been properly trained so they can offer critical assistance when it is most needed.


CCISM Certification

Become professionally recognized as an expert in crisis intervention services.


Whether you are just beginning your crisis intervention career or you've been providing critical incident stress management peer support services for some time, becoming professionally certified in CISM will enhance your crisis intervention services.


What is CCISM Certification?

CCISM Certification in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) through UMBC Emergency Health Services is a great opportunity for those looking to become recognized as experts in peer support crisis response. You will also need this certification if you choose to become an International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) Approved Instructor.


Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is an integrated, multi-component peer support crisis intervention system that helps people deal with the traumatic stress of emergencies and crisis-producing events. Through a variety of strategies, it helps people to cope with the emotional and physical effects of a crisis. The primary intervention models of CISM are individual crisis intervention, critical incident stress debriefing (CISD), defusing, rest information transition services (RITS), and crisis management briefings (CMB).


As stated earlier, UMBC's CCISM Certification is the first university-based certification in Critical Incident Stress Management and psychological crisis intervention. This comprehensive certification is designed to validate enhanced knowledge in the multidisciplinary field of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) – a combination of psychological interventions used in contexts including traumatic events, acute adversity, and disaster scenarios.


Additionally, this unique university-based educational opportunity aims at helping learners develop a professionally recognized expertise in crisis intervention processes along with strategies for promoting successful post-disaster recovery efforts across populations affected by trauma.


This certification documents the achievement of enhanced knowledge and professionalism relevant to CISM and crisis intervention.


The Benefits of Becoming Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management

Becoming certified in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is an invaluable asset for any professional or peer working in the field of crisis intervention.


With the growing demand for specialized Critical Incident Stress Management services, becoming CCISM certified is an excellent way to ensure you have the necessary qualifications and training in order to provide quality care. This certification ensures that you have the appropriate knowledge and experience to handle psychological crises in a professional manner.


Furthermore, with CCISM certification, you can be confident that you are fully prepared and qualified to respond to others during times of crisis. Additionally, by obtaining this advanced certification, you will be able to stand out from other CISM professionals and increase your credibility within the field. Ultimately, becoming CCISM certified is an invaluable opportunity that can open up new opportunities in the emergency services industry and give you peace of mind knowing that you are providing top-level services.


Who is CCISM Certification for?

There are many professions that can benefit from seeking certification.


  • Emergency responders
  • Mental health professionals
  • Public health personnel
  • Disaster responders
  • Educators
  • Clergy
  • Employee assistance professionals
  • Homeland security
  • CERT team members and others who are interested in demonstrating knowledge in CISM.
  • Organizations that desire to promote and ensure a fundamental and standardized knowledge base among its personnel who respond to crisis and trauma.


What are the Prerequisites for CCISM Certification?

The following two ICISF core courses are required before sitting for the exam.



To find out when our next training classes are scheduled, go to https://stresscaredoc.com/coming-soon.


The Certification is Examination-Based

Before you get too worried, the exam is delivered online and is in an open-book format.


That means the person taking the exam can use whatever published CISM resources that are available. This means books, journal articles, study guides, and audio and video publications can all be used as resources to assist the person in answering the EXAM questions.


Successful completion of this certification confirms that you have demonstrated a basic understanding of the nature and principles of CISM.


Obtaining the UMBC Certification in CISM is more than just attendance at a training course - it's a sign that an individual has grasped and comprehended the fundamentals of CISM, as outlined in the requirements. The certification reaffirms this knowledge but does not imply any practical or applied competence.


The UMBC Certification in CISM is more than just a recognition of current knowledge - it's an effort to establish a consensus within the industry by collecting and disseminating essential knowledge pertaining to CISM. With this certification, you can be sure that you have the requisite information and understanding to provide quality care during times of distress.


The UMBC CCISM Examination consists of 150 multiple-choice and true/false questions randomly selected from a large item pool. To allow for more comprehensive knowledge acquisition, the exam utilizes an “open book” format similar to that of online exams provided by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and FEMA. This way, participants can trust they are being tested on their understanding of concepts rather than just memorization.


Cost

The fee for the CCISM Examination is $295.00, which covers the initial test and two retakes.


You will be prompted to pay with a credit card during registration. If you have ten or more people taking the exam and would like to pay by check, you can reach out to UMBC about using a Purchase Order.


Study Guide

A great book to study is available from International Critical Incident Stress Foundation here. This book represents the latest available review of the core concepts, intervention tactics, and research on Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).


It includes sample questions to enhance your knowledge of CISM, which will help to prepare you for Certification in Critical Incident Stress Management (CCISM) through the University of Maryland Baltimore County's certification examination.


How Long Does the Certification Last?

CCISM Certification is good for five years. At the end of that period, you would take a small re-certification exam based on current CISM topics and resources. This way, those who are certified are encouraged to stay current with the field.


Ready to Take the Test?

If you meet the prerequisites and are ready to take the CCISM examination, click here to register to get started.