Mandate
The ACIPN is to support, advocate, and oversee a peer led, peer driven support network of first responders for first responders, in best practices and delivery of support in accordance with the ICISF-Canada standards.
Scope
The ACIPN is comprised of a committee of peers selected from the membership and appointed by the ICISF-Canada Board of Directors to deliver the above mandate.
ACIPN Peer Advisory Council
Chris W. is a rural firefighter and chaplain. He is the co-founder and chairperson of the Alberta Association of Fire Chaplains, established in 2019.
Chris has been involved with emergency services for 14 years and became his fire department’s fire chaplain over the past several years. Chris is a proponent for the use of best practices with the application of chaplaincy within CISM peer support programs. Chris has experience in CISM Team development, has participated in the delivery of CISM peer support interventions, including ACIPN peer support activations and has provided chaplaincy services for his fire department and community within his region. Chris is interested in seeing how CISM and fire chaplaincy can further complement each other. On the Alberta Critical Incident Peer Advisory Council, Chris brings his experience over the years to help the council learn and develop and be a liaison for any issues concerning chaplaincy.
Curtis R. is a full-time firefighter and primary care paramedic. Curtis has been involved in emergency services for 7 + years.
Curtis was first trained in CISM 4+ years ago and has been his fire department’s CISM Team Lead for the past 4 years. Curtis has experience in CISM Team development and has participated in delivery of CISM peer support interventions. He is a proponent of Pre-Incident Education and CISM refresher training. The reason why he supports this program is seeing the significant change in his membership from not caring about mental health to taking an active role in their own mental health and wellbeing by reaching out to mental health services, making a profound impact in the culture within his department. Curtis is a liaison for fire and paramedics and brings his years of experience to inform the council on trending needs and issues of first responders in Alberta.
Geoff S. is a full-time fire Captain with Chestermere Fire Services. Geoff has been involved in emergency services for 12 years.
Geoff was first trained in CISM 8 years ago and then retrained with ACIPN in 2018 as part of the provincial peer support initiative and became motivated to promote best practices in CISM peer support programming within his department and region. He has been part of his department’s CISM Team for 4 years and has motivated his CISM Team to participate and get on board with the provincial and national standards set forth by the ACIPN and ICISF-Canada. Geoff has firsthand experience in facilitating peer support interventions for both groups and individuals and brings years of emergency service experience and a dedication to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of his fellow first responders to support and inform the council on trending needs and issues in his community.
Lisa A. is a Leadership Development and Culture Specialist with a strong background in working within emergency services in a Human Resource capacity as well as a Leadership Development role.
Lisa has a background in counselling and has had a lifelong passion and interest in mental health and wellbeing, as well as the ethical practice of leadership within emergency services. Lisa was first trained in CISM through the ACIPN in 2018 and has been instrumental in promoting CISM peer support in her area. Lisa’s expertise and experience helps to inform the council on emerging trends with a mental health and Human Resources perspective.
Marc M. is a full-time platoon chief with a military fire department. Marc has been involved in emergency services for 17 years.
Marc had first received CISM Training through the ACIPN in 2018 and has been instrumental in promoting CISM peer support in his community and region. Marc has participated in facilitating peer support interventions for both individuals and groups within his department as well as for mutual aid with other departments and agencies. Marc is a proponent of pre-incident education and promotes best-practices of CISM Peer Support. Marc’s expertise and experience helps inform the council on emerging trends regarding first responder’s mental health and wellbeing in his region.,
Sharon D. is a deputy fire chief of communications, human resources and safety in a rural emergency services department. Sharon has been involved in emergency services for 21 years.
Sharon also has a background in community and workplace traumatology with 17 years of experience in victim services. She became involved with the ACIPN when researching best practices and evidence-based programs to support her emergency services department. Sharon and her department trained with ACIPN in 2018 and since has seen a tremendous shift in culture and the profound benefit of what effective peer support programming can have on first responders. Sharon has experience in coordinating and facilitating peer support interventions for both groups and individuals. Sharon has been instrumental to ACIPN in providing communications resources to provide the 24/7/365 access to the ACIPN toll-free number and continues to promote CISM peer support in her region and field. Sharon’s expertise and experience on the council informs the emerging trends and issue regarding first responder mental health from a leadership perspective.
Tannis B. is a volunteer firefighter and search and rescue searcher, manager, and drone operator. Tannis has been involved in emergency services for 7 years.
Tannis has experience in crisis intervention and psychological first aid and became trained in CISM peer support through the ACIPN in 2018. Tannis has experience in coordinating and facilitating peer support interventions for both group and individuals within her organization as well as mutual aid for other departments and organization in need of support. Tannis has been instrumental in promoting peer support for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue personnel. Her expertise and experience on the council helps to inform emerging trends and issues surrounding the mental health and wellbeing of first responders in her region.
Chairs
The ACIPN Committee shall be chaired, and/or co-chaired by an active ACIPN Peer or by the ACIPN Clinical Director and the ACIPN Network Coordinator if such a Peer is not available.
Membership
The ACIPN Peer Advisory Council will be comprised of at least six and no more than twelve individuals with an interest or experience in committee governance, public safety personnel mental health, who are currently and remain registered as Peers with the ACIPN during their time on this committee, and who have a working knowledge of the best practices in the provisions of peer support as set forth by the ICISF, Inc. and ICISF-Canada. It is proposed that committee members shall serve for a term of one year and be eligible to be appointed by the ICISF-Canada Board for a total of three successive terms. Committee meetings shall be conducted in person or at a distance using available technology (i.e., telephone, Skype).
Points From the Council's Code of Conduct
Specific responsibilities of the ACIPN Committee include but are not limited to:
- Form a Peer Review Board, when called upon, to evaluate any considered membership revocations or suspensions. The Peer Review Board shall be selected by the Clinical Director and Network Coordinator where at least one member be representative of the given agency the member in question is affiliated. For incidents involving clinical issues, the Board must consist of the Clinical Director and two other active members and refer to the procedures as set forth in the ICISF-Canada CISM Best Practices & Procedures Manual; Section 6.5 Peer Review Board Procedures page 67. For non-clinical issues, any three active Board members will do, as well as refer to the procedures as set forth in the ICISF-Canada, Inc. Best Practices & Procedures Manual; Section 6.5 Peer Review Procedures page 67.
- Coordinate complaint resolutions
- Identify and report any gaps in the provision of peer support
- Identify and report emerging trends
- Identify and report quality status and recommend quality improvements
As the governing body, the ICISF-Canada shall make final decisions related to the operations, functions, finances, and role of the ACIPN in accordance to the bylaws and activity of incorporation.
Meetings will be held as required, but not less than twice per year. Meetings will take place in person or via telephone conferencing. The ICISF-Canada will reimburse reasonable travel costs associated with the meetings in accordance with the ICISF-Canada travel policy.
Quorum for meetings will be attendance by a simple majority of ACIPN Peer Advisory Council members.
The committee will remain in place for _______ or until such time as the ICISF-Canada Board of Directors authorizes an alternative governance structure.
The terms of reference may be revised by the ICISF-Canada Board of Directors. The ACIPN Peer Advisory Council may be disbanded or dissolved at any point by the ICISF-Canada Board of Directors.