Children dream of being Superman, Spiderman, or even Ironman. All visible superheroes in their fictional worlds. Not as many children want to be Kitty from X-men or the Invisible Girl from Fantastic Four. However, they are just as important to the plot line as the main heroes.
That is how I th
ink of the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team, fondly known as KCIT (Pronounced K-KIT). KCIT is a Pennsylvania statewide program of trained volunteers throughout the state that respond to communities after a criminal crisis. There is no crime too big or too small for us to be called to. However, there is no Bat signal for a community to throw up in the sky; we have a hotline (1-855-SOS-KCIT) which is just as effective, but not as visible to the community at large.
Volunteers swoop in quietly; there is no bravado. They are there to provide safety and security to those who chose to attend the Group Crisis Intervention. Participants can vent and be validated in their reactions to what happened, as well gain a sense of prediction for the future. Once completed, volunteers swoop out just as quietly.
Unlike many superheroes, we leave the community with a sense of hope and resources for the future (am I the only one who thinks about who has to pay for the cleanup? For example, in The Avengers, the alien who fell on top of the building… who is responsible for the disposal of that body?). The Project Coordinator follows up a few times to see how the community is doing.
Trainings can be offered to the caregivers of the community. Superheroes and non-super heroes (aka those without magical powers or suits) also experience trauma. They are seeing and hearing the horrible things, but who takes care of them? KCIT can help with a training called Self-Care for Caregivers. This course teaches caregivers practical coping skills that can be used in the field.
So, in times of criminal crisis, who ya gonna call? KCIT! Let KCIT help your community assess the impact, provide crisis intervention, and follow up training.
If you are interested in finding out more, contact KCIT at info@kcitpa.org
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