Coast Guard D1 Lessons Learned during COVID (Peer Support Self-Care)

Presentation Details: Since we were an initial COVID hotspot (NY, NJ, CT), we quickly went virtual with our CISM educational/informational services; during this year, our CISM Services were never interrupted. We are first responders so we had to think quickly as to how we could support the approximately 10,000 members and family in the Northeast United States in about three days. We implemented our plan on March 26, 2020.

Early on our platform was Zoom (or Zoom GOVT) for members and Facebook for Families. It took a village of people to help and we had a fluid team approach to our work online and in “hybrid” form (A mix of both live and virtual). We have 36 pieces of content on a page promoting CISM, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Yoga, Chaplain Services, Mental Health, Family and Child Friendly Pieces. Called D1 Mindfulness we had live streams and recordings done and approved quickly by HQ. Full content directory can be provided if selected. We did a virtual multi-component place to put services so all could access without work computers.

We also did defusings and debriefings in parking lots with K-95 masks early on. We have since moved indoors for winter.

Because we as a team focused on Crisis Management Briefing as the hub for our CISM Response this came together beautifully before and during COVID. We reached hundreds of members at a time.

We have lessons learned; how we grappled to make time for self-care and how we grew as a team from these events. No matter their rank, from a new person out of bootcamp (Seaman) to the higher-ranking Admirals, we have been applying the Mitchell Model Principals and SAFER-R now more than ever.

We have shared our approach with Coast Guard Headquarters and even implemented a new Coast Guard form during COVID just for this purpose; virtual CISM response. We would be willing to share our Coast Guard story and how we believed these principals have saved lives in our agency. One person will even share how he used SAFER-R right after taking our class and how it was successful.