When Caltrans workers come upon traumatic scenes such as this one, coping with the resulting emotional impact can be challenging. District 2's Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Program can help.
By Haleigh Pike
District 2 public information officer
The Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Program, which was spearheaded by retired Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator Mark Robertson in 2002, aims to help employees who have been exposed to a significantly stressful event or critical incident. The goal of CISM is to ensure District 2 employees are provided a confidential outlet and the support they may need after being exposed to a traumatic event, which will ultimately ensure a long and healthy career at Caltrans.
When Mark Clement started with District 2 as an equipment operator, the odds of being exposed to a significantly stressful event or critical incident was not something he thought about. But with the number of hours he, and many others like him, spend out on the roadways, it’s unfortunately inevitable.
On June 8, 2022, Clement was driving home after his shift when he came across a devastating fatal car crash on State Route 32. Being one of the first on scene, Clement jumped into action and tried to help in whatever way he could. Once emergency personnel arrived, Clement shifted to traffic operations until the scene was cleared.
The following morning, the CISM team responded to the yard, after receiving a request from the Maintenance Superintendent, to speak with Clement and his coworkers. As part of the debriefing, any person directly involved with an incident, or anyone who has shown an unusually strong reaction, should participate. Clement says that morning after debriefing was not only helpful but crucial when dealing with the thoughts and visuals following a devastating incident like the one he witnessed.
“It’s just knowing that they’re there. Even if we don’t go into depth on anything in that morning after meeting, at the end of that meeting, I know I have someone to go to and to me, that’s huge,” said Clement.
District 2 Safety Specialist Jason Suter, who is the CISM coordinator, says this program is key when helping get our employees back on the road. Each time there is a critical incident within District 2, the CISM coordinator receives a notification from Dispatch. The coordinator then follows-up with the supervisor of the impacted crew to see if the CISM team needs to respond. The ultimate goal is to make sure the crews know the CISM team is there for them and are ready to provide support no matter the day or time. This goes for anyone, regardless of position. If you need someone to talk to, you’re encouraged to reach out.
The program not only helps employees at the time of the incident, and the days following, but it also helps weeks, months, and years down the road. This includes assisting employees with EAP services and providing information to help employees recognize when it’s time to reach out for help.
Suter is no stranger to working in dangerous lines of work and he says being part of this program is not only helpful for others, but it’s also helpful for him. “This program is not only helping me but it’s helping other people by making sure they know that I’ve been there and can relate to what they’re going through.”
Following a recommendation from his supervisor, Clement recently joined the CISM team and is looking forward to being able to help others like he was helped. “I really believe in this program. Being in the training, the vibe in there was amazing,” said Clement.
If you have questions about the CISM Program or would like more information, please contact Jason Suter at (530) 227-9928 or visit the Health and Safety page on the Intranet.