Risk Assessment
All decisions regarding program operations are made with reference to data from a number of sources. In addition to the consular information sheets and advisory messages posted by the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov), our resident directors and program directors use information gathered locally and through conversations with other providers in the city or country. In making individual decisions concerning participation, we suggest that participants and their parents carefully review the State Department Travel Advisories web page listed above.
Orientation and Training for Participants
Every CIEE Study Center program begins with a comprehensive orientation to the country, city, university, and the program, which includes, among other information, an explanation of any local risks that the Resident Director (RD) has identified and tips for enhancing personal safety. In addition, each RD distributes a local emergency contact information card to each participant. Finally, the RD registers each participant with the local U.S. Consulate or Interest Section.
On-Site Care and Insurance
Each RD maintains lists of recommended health and mental health providers. CIEE includes a mandatory health insurance policy for every participant in the program fee. Each RD also establishes an emergency phone tree to be activated in the event of a necessity to contact all participants quickly. CIEE has established protocols to be used in the event of health emergency, serious accident, political crisis, natural disaster, crime, rape, or death of a participant. For security reasons these documents are not public.
Monitoring
Resident Directors make every reasonable effort to keep abreast of local conditions and changes in local health and safety risks and to inform participants of these changes. Resident Directors and members of the Emergency Response team subscribe to the U.S. State Department’s service and thus automatically receive any Travel Warnings and Advisories as soon as they are issued.
Local Contingency Plans
Each CIEE Study Center has contingency plans which will be activated in case there is a known local condition that requires (a) extra caution, (b) removal of the program to a different site in the same city or country or a nearby country, or (c) suspension of a program and evacuation of participants. For security reasons these local contingency plans are not available to anyone expect CIEE staff.
In the Event of a Local Emergency
- The Resident Director contacts participants as soon as possible to ascertain participants’ well-being, and to provide information, instructions, and advice.
- The Resident Director contacts the local U.S. embassy, consulate, or Interest Section, and also confers with other study abroad providers and/or U.S. enterprises in the area.
- Depending on the situation, the RD may or may not gather the participants together in a group.
- Participants are advised to contact their parents, guardians, or emergency contacts as soon as possible.
- The Resident Director reports to the CIEE U.S. office within 48 hours.
- The CIEE U.S. Office reports to sending schools within 72 hours.
- Depending on the severity of the situation, the CIEE U.S. Office may also report to participants’ emergency contacts.
In the Event of a Worldwide Crisis Such as Armed Conflict Involving U.S. Forces
In addition to the measures in the previous section:
- Each Resident Director advises the CIEE U.S. Office as to what action should be taken, if any, modifying or suspending the program.
- The U.S. Emergency Response Team consults U.S. State Department and other sources of information and confers with other third party providers.
- The U.S. Emergency Response Team holds a conference call with the President of the organization to establish policy and decide on specific actions to be taken, both worldwide and at specific locations.
- The CIEE U.S. Office posts notices on its website, communicates with sending schools, and attempts to communicate with participants’ emergency contacts.
In the Event that the U.S. Office of CIEE is Unable to Open or Communicate
Members of the Emergency Response Team have all critical data regarding participants, insurance providers, worldwide staff contact information, contact information for CIEE Academic Consortium Member Institutions, and other safety and crisis resources at their homes.
As soon as possible, CIEE establishes alternative communication facilities and announces these to sending schools and, to the extent possible, to participants’ emergency contacts.
Advice for Participants and their Families
CIEE strongly recommends that unless specific situations dictate otherwise, participants should designate their parents as emergency contact persons.
- Participants and their emergency contacts should keep in touch with each other throughout the participants’ time out of the U.S.
- Participants should make sure their parents and/or emergency contacts have their accurate and up-to-date local contact information at all times.
- Participants should immediately notify their emergency contacts in the event of any emergency, accident, serious health problem, or other serious mishap.
- Participants are required to notify the RD in the event of any health condition that lasts longer than a day or two.
CIEE advises participants and their families that communication between CIEE and participants’ sending schools is considered “internal communication” in the sense of the Family Rights and Privacy Act, and that therefore CIEE has the right and the duty to communicate all relevant information concerning participants’ health and safety, academic progress, behavior, etc. to appropriate officers at the sending school on a need-to-know basis.
The Terms of Participation of the CIEE Study Center specifically authorize CIEE to communicate any relevant information to participants’ emergency contacts.
Participants and their families need to be aware of the fact that the U.S. Department of State Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management will generally not release information about specific individuals to CIEE or to other third parties.
The U.S. State Department website includes the following statement: “Families in the United States whose U.S. Citizen relatives abroad are directly affected by a crisis can communicate with the Department of State through our Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (202) 647-5225."
CIEE Work, Teach and Volunteer Programs
Contacts
Every participant is provided with contact information for the CIEE office in the U.S. and for a receiving office abroad.You should always carry this contact information with you so you have the information at hand when the need arises.
CIEE in Portland, Maine, U.S.A.
Our main toll-free number for use during office hours is 1-800-40-STUDY (1-800-407-8839) and is answered 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. During business hours, when the recording starts, press the zero key and you should reach an employee. If for some reason the toll-free number is not working, dial 207-553-4000 to reach an operator. After 5pm ET, follow the prompts for our emergency answering service.
Abroad
Upon acceptance, participants receive a participant handbook. The contact information for your receiving office abroad is contained within. Additional information is provided at the orientation sessions, which must be attended by all participants.
Resources
Facts and circumstances regarding health and safety in each program locale are constantly changing. To monitor the latest available information for a program location, please consult the following websites:
- U.S. Department of State
- Center for Disease Control
- World Health Organization
- US embassy or consulate in your country of residence or visit.
For different perspectives, we also advise checking with:
- Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Canadian Department for Foreign Affairs and International Trade
- Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs
- New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom.
Risk Assessment
All decisions regarding program operations are made with reference to data from a number of sources. In addition to the consular information sheets and advisory messages posted by the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov), our receiving offices use information gathered locally and through conversations with other providers in the city or country. In making individual decisions concerning participation, we suggest that participants and their families carefully review the State Department Travel Advisories web page listed above.
On-Site Care and Insurance
Every participant is required to purchase CIEE’s health insurance policy. An insurance handbook with information on coverage and making claims is included with acceptance materials. Receiving offices abroad and work/teach/volunteer supervisors are important resources for where to access care. If you are a U.S. citizen, you can also contact the US embassy or consulate in your country of residence or visit.
Public Announcements
In the event of a major crisis affecting multiple locations, CIEE will:
- Post a message on our website at www.ciee.org.
- Attempt to send e-mail messages to all participants and/or their emergency contacts within 72 hours of the event.
In the Event of a Local Emergency
- The Receiving office will attempt to contact participants as soon as possible to ascertain participants’ well-being, and to provide information.
- Participants are advised to contact their parents, guardians, or emergency contacts as soon as possible.
- The Receiving office reports to the CIEE U.S. office.
- Depending on the severity of the situation, the CIEE U.S. Office may report to participants’ emergency contacts.
In the Event of a Worldwide Crisis Such as Armed Conflict Involving U.S. Forces
In addition to the measures in the previous section:
- Each Receiving office advises the CIEE U.S. Office as to what action should be taken, if any, modifying or suspending the program.
- CIEE consults U.S. State Department and other sources of information and confers with other third party providers.
- CIEE holds a conference call with the President of the organization to establish policy and decide on specific actions to be taken, both worldwide and at specific locations.
- The CIEE U.S. Office posts notices on its website and attempts to communicate with participants’ emergency contacts.
In the Event that the U.S. Office of CIEE is Unable to Open or Communicate
Members of CIEE’s Emergency Response Team have all critical data regarding participants, insurance providers, worldwide staff contact information, and other safety and crisis resources at their homes.
As soon as possible, CIEE establishes alternative communication facilities and announces these to sending schools and, to the extent possible, to participants ’ emergency contacts.
Advice for Participants and their Families
CIEE strongly recommends that unless specific situations dictate otherwise, participants should designate their parents or spouses as emergency contact persons. Your emergency contact should be capable of making significant decisions on your behalf.
- Participants and their emergency contacts should keep in touch with each other throughout the participants ’ time out of the U.S.
- Participants should make sure their parents and/or emergency contacts have their accurate and up-to-date local contact information at all times.
- Participants should immediately notify their emergency contacts in the event of any emergency, accident, serious health problem, or other serious mishap.
- Participants are required to notify the receiving office in the event of any health condition that lasts longer than a day or two.
Participants and their families need to be aware of the fact that the U.S. Department of State Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management will generally not release information about specific individuals to CIEE or to other third parties.
The U.S. State Department website includes the following statement: "Families in the United States whose U.S. Citizen relatives abroad are directly affected by a crisis can communicate with the Department of State through our Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (202) 647-5225. "
Disclaimer
Nothing in this document is a guarantee that any specific action will be taken in any given situation, nor is anything in this document a contract or part of a contract between CIEE and any other party, nor is any statement in this document intended to sell a service to a prospective customer, nor to attempt to persuade any party to avail themselves of any program or service provided by CIEE. Health, safety, and recovery from emergency situations are the sole responsibilities of each individual participant.