You can call the helpline to arrange Critical Incident Support if you are a manager or HR representative and need support with:
- Violent workplace incidents, threats, assaults, hostage taking, shooting, stabbing, unexplained death or murder
- Unusually high stress work situations, e.g. excessive media involvement, intense conflict, intense workload coupled with intense public scrutiny
- Serious injuries (this could be for the individual affected and/or their colleagues)
- Fatal and non-fatal accidents: air, train, road traffic accidents, explosions, fires
- The sudden death of an employee, family member or contact known to the workforce
- Suicides of staff members, contacts, or patients (if in a healthcare setting)
- Major organisational announcements, restructuring and reorganisation
- Any other event defined as critical in nature such as a natural disaster, earthquake, ice storm, tornado etc.
The goal of critical incident support is to:
- reduce the psychological impact of the incident
- support employees and minimise the likelihood of prolonged stress responses that may lead to absenteeism, and errors or accidents at work
- support managers in how to best support employees and to create a safe and functioning workplace post-incident
- provide guidance and recommendations specific to organisational needs
Dial the appropriate EAP number for the country affected, and request Critical Incident support. You will have a call with one of our critical incident coordinators who will take the details of the incident, the number of employees involved and the support requested. We will work to find the best clinician to support your team within 72 hours. This is a fee for service.
The availability of the service may vary by country, including the hours of operation.
How is critical incident response different to therapy?
Critical incident response connects people with resources and support for their immediate needs in the aftermath of an incident, and promotes safety, connection, hope, and self-efficacy (their belief that they can cope). It might include:
- ensuring people are safe and comfortable
- stabilising, calming and orientating people
- identifying people’s immediate needs
- offering practical assistance
- connecting people with resources, services, family and friend support
- providing basic information on stress reactions and coping, and normalising one’s response
It is not:
- therapy or mental health treatment
- encouraging a detailed discussion of the event
- asking someone to analyse what has happened to them or why they might be responding in a certain way
- encouraging someone to share their feelings or reaction to the event
- telling people how they should feel or what they should do
Most people recover naturally from trauma without the need for formal mental health treatment or therapy. Encouraging them to take up therapy or offering therapy at this time can be unhelpful and unnecessary.
Sometimes people will need referring onto professional mental health support if they have particularly strong emotional response, a complex reaction eg stop eating, are suicidal, or already have a diagnosis of a severe mental health problem.