Regional Crisis Team
Description of Regional Crisis Teams
Crisis teams are a best practice in the field and are recommended by both federal and state agencies. School-based crisis preparation is state law in Connecticut, and the Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation believes organizing crisis teams is in the best interest of all school systems, their students, and their staff.
A regional crisis team (RCT) is a group of helping professionals who meet regularly to train in crisis prevention, intervention, and postvention. After a crisis event, school administrators may wish to activate the RCT to get help for their district and ensure all crisis needs are met. RCTs are generally comprised of experts in behavioral health including school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. In some cases, school nurses may also serve on crisis teams. Finally, some key child-serving agencies may also serve on the RCT.
In Connecticut, our RCTs are led by staff from the Connecticut Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation. When there is a deployment to a campus, we are often accompanied by our partners in the state Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS) units serving adults and children. With the approval of local districts, we work collaboratively to provide supports designed to reduce the impact of the crisis and mitigate the potential for trauma in survivors.
The Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation requires all team members to have their school-based mental health credentials along with ongoing professional development in a variety of crisis-related areas. Some of these trainings include but are not limited to: PREPaRE (a program of the National Association of School Psychologists), QPR, C-SSRS, PFA, CSTAG, and other essential crisis-specific protocols, many of which are offered at little to or no charge through the Center.
Regional Crisis Team Leaders
To support the growth of RCTs throughout the state, the Center employs four Regional School Safety Coordinators. In partnership with the Regional Education Service Centers, our safety coordinators are charged with developing and maintaining RCTs in their respective regions. They are also able to coordinate training, provide consultation, and provide other safety services in their respective regions.
ACES South Central Region: ACES Regional Crisis Team
Contact: Sadie Witherspoon, M.S.
Email: Witherspoons@wcsu.edu
CREC Region: North Central Regional Crisis Team
Contact: Kimberly Myers, Ed.D.
Email: Myersk@wcsu.edu
LEARN and EASTCONN Regions: Northeastern Regional Crisis Team and Southeastern Regional Crisis Team
Contact: Kiley Young, LCSW
Email: Youngki@wcsu.edu
EdAdvance and CES Regions: Western Regional Crisis Team
Contact: Tanya Iacono, DSW, LCSW
Email: Iaconot@wcsu.edu