Who should provide Critical Incident Stress Debriefing after a critical incident?

• A. peers
• B. mental health professionals
• C. supervisors
• D. trained personnel

Answer: (D)

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing must be led by someone who has formal training in this specialized process. A trained facilitator guides the session through a structured sequence, keeps the discussion focused and safe, monitors participants for distress, and knows when to refer individuals for additional help. This training is what prevents well-intentioned but unsystematic discussions from becoming counterproductive or even harmful.

Peers can offer initial support, and supervisors may coordinate responses, but without specific CISD training they aren’t equipped to run the debriefing effectively. Mental health professionals are indeed trained, but the key idea is that the facilitator is trained in CISD procedures. Therefore, the best choice is trained personnel, as they represent the individuals who have the necessary skills to conduct the debriefing properly.