Help When it Hurts


A Critical Incident Response Task Force was formed by the Network in 2002. It included three NNYM staff members (Doug Tegner, Doug Clark and David Overstreet) and four youth leaders with broad experience and training in Critical Incident Response:

Rob Mitchell
(Farmington, NM): former youth pastor, police chaplain, local Network coordinator; on national board of International Conference of Police Chaplains.
Rich Van Pelt
(Denver, CO): speaker, author, authority on at-risk teenagers; offered key leadership in Littleton following Columbine attack.
Jerry Major
(Scranton, PA): Youth for Christ Executive Director; started and leads a CIR team in his local network.

Tom Bowen
(Huntington, WV): Youth for Christ Executive Director, fire dept. chaplain; assisted at Ground Zero following 9/11.

 

HWIH Quick Reference Guide
(142k PDF format)
Helping Youth Respond to Crisis
The tragic school shooting in Red Lake, Minnesota on March 21 reminds us that part of our role with teenagers is the “ministry of presence.” Help When It Hurts has a downloadable Quick Reference Guide prepared by our task force, with some helpful reminders about what to do and NOT do as critical incident responders. In addition, there are three articles from recent Network Magazines that give perspective and insight to adults when they are called on to bring comfort and help and healing to teenagers affected by a crisis:

Beauty from Ashes
Kevin Young 9/2002

When Crisis Strikes
Steve Fitzhugh 9/2004

Offering Hope in the Midst of Uncertain Times
Ken West 9/2004

Out of a growing national concern following the Columbine and other school shootings, Network leaders decided to create some resources to help local networks prepare for and respond to "Critical Incidents." Critical Incidents (CIs) are crisis events such as peer suicides, multiple-fatality car accidents, or school shootings and terrorist attacks They traumatize groups of students and their families. Whether they are tragedies that never show up in the newspaper, or events that attract national media coverage, CIs provide an opportunity and obligation for youth workers to respond. Careful evaluation of recent school shootings revealed that youth workers are in a unique position to be part of the healing and recovery process, because of their relationship with the students and families involved.

But it takes responsible preparation, relationship building, and training for those in the "faith-based" community to be allowed "inside" by emergency personnel, school officials, Red Cross, etc. to help in Critical Incident Response

The Task Force concluded that there is a need for every adult who works with teenagers - professional or volunteer - to understand some basic issues in a crisis. They proposed a four-level training program to encourage compassionate professionalism, and to assist youth leaders in crisis education. The program is called Help When It Hurts: Helping Teenagers in Crisis. This resource will use multiple means (print, Internet, seminars, etc.) to share this information, as well as outline how an individual youth worker and Local Networks can increase relationship and credibility with agencies and personnel in their communities, so they have a greater platform for ministry. We believe adults who want to care for their students in a time of crisis will benefit from the basic "Awareness" level.

Help When It Hurts will also provide for three higher levels of preparedness, in cooperation with national credentialing agencies. The result will be that youth ministers will greatly benefit, and gain respect and opportunities to help their communities respond to the needs of teenagers and families in Critical Incidents - including their spiritual needs.

Level One: "Awareness"
Time Commitment: less than one hour
Audience: All youth workers
Description: The "basics" that ALL adults need to know, if they want to care for their students in a time of crisis. It includes understanding the role of youth worker in a crisis, how to "read" the signs of traumatic stress and suicide, how to respond and handle spiritual issues with someone in a Critical Incident (CI), and knowing your limits. This will include a Critical Incident Quick Reference Guide that a youth worker can carry in a Bible or date book. This material is being prepared for presentation in seminars, print media, and multi-media forms for maximum distribution to individuals, seminars, on the Internet, and in Network meetings. Goal: ALL Networks should cover this material annually.

Download the HWIH Quick Reference Guide (PDF format)

Level Two: "Engaged"
Time Commitment: two-three hours
Audience: Many youth workers
Description: Building on Level One, MANY youth workers will want to receive more training in CI issues, and study a Help When It Hurts manual that is being published. This leader may be a Network Coordinator, or someone chosen by a local Network as their crisis "champion" or "go-to person" in a CI situation. This training includes additional material to make the youth worker more sensitive to school and community issues, stress awareness, and will help them be more competent and comfortable to minister to larger groups of people in memorials, prayer meetings, etc. Your Network will also learn how to design a CI Response Plan for your community, and consider selecting members for advanced training.

This training was presented at the Network Forum at Glorieta, New Mexico in January 2004.

Level Three: "Specialized"
Time Commitment: minimum of two days of recognized CISM training
Audience: Some youth workers
Description: SOME youth workers will feel called to be more of a resource in CI situations by taking more advanced training. This will include a specialized ICISF*-approved Crisis Intervention for Youth Workers course, designed uniquely for this program. These leaders would be qualified to teach Level One or Two seminars, assist in CI situations in their area, and potentially pursue additional training.

This training was presented at the Network Forum at Glorieta, New Mexico in January 2004.

Level Four: "Advanced"
Time Commitment: minimum of four days of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) coursework, resulting in credentials recognized by national agencies (FEMA, Red Cross, etc).
Audience: A Few youth workers, willing to invest significant time in advanced training.
Description: A FEW youth workers will commit to ICISF- or Red Cross- recognized training such as the four-day Critical Incident Stress Management course, which results in a nationally recognized certification. These leaders could be "on call" for response to CI situations over a broad area, and may want to continue to advance in credentialing.
This training is available currently from the ICISF*. Go to www.icisf.org for details.

*The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. (ICISF) is a non-profit, open membership foundation dedicated to the prevention and mitigation of disabling stress through the provision of:
Education, training and support services for all Emergency Services professions; Continuing education and training in Emergency Mental Health Services for Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Social Workers and Licensed Professional Counselors; and Consultation in the establishment of Crisis and Disaster Response Programs for varied organizations and communities worldwide.