Education
Conference Information
Workplace Preparedness and Response for Disaster and Terrorism: Creating a Community of Safety, Health and Security through Integration, Knowledge and Evidence-based Interventions
Bethesda Marriott, Bethesda, MD, June 28–30, 2006
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress will host a national conference funded in part by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The conference will disseminate knowledge on workplace disaster preparedness with a focus on the psychological implications and health consequences involved in preparing for, responding to and recovering from traumatic events in occupational settings.
Attendees from the public and private sector will represent global security, human resources, occupational health, mental health, employee assistance and communications. Speakers include internationally renowned researchers, educators and consultants in disaster planning and disaster response.
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Workplace Disaster Preparedness: National Teleconference Series for Employee Assistance Professionals
(2002—ongoing Teleconference Series).
Conference Products:
Vineburgh (Ed.). National Teleconference Transcripts and related Educational Materials.
“Fall teleconference series examines workplace impact of Sept. 11”, Mental Health Weekly, September 16, 2002
Conference Description. Nancy Vineburgh initiated this ongoing national teleconference series for employee assistance professionals introducing the topic of workplace disaster preparedness on the first anniversary of September 11th (Mental Health Weekly 2002). This ongoing series, sponsored by Screening for Mental Health, engages 40–50 participants per call, offers professional development hours approved by the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA), and features renowned mental health experts who address prevention, intervention and new research findings on alcohol misuse, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, resiliency and disaster mental health. Topics and presenters have included: Alcohol in the Workplace, Eric Goplerud, Ph.D., Director, Ensuring Solutions, The George Washington University Medical Center; Resilience: Individual and Family Perspective, William R. Beardslee, M.D., Harvard Medical School; Impact of Depression/Anxiety Disorders in the Workplace, Cathryn M. Clary, M.D., M.B.A., Senior Medical Director, Pfizer; Research Perspectives on EAP Role in Alcohol Treatment, Paul M. Roman, Ph.D., University of Georgia.
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“Planning for Biological Events: Responses to Terrorism and Infectious Disease Outbreaks”
Pooks Hill Marriott, October 19–21, 2001.
Conference Proceedings and Recommendations: Ursano, R. J., Fullerton, C. S., Norwood, A. E. (Eds.). Responding to bioterrorism: individual and community needs: Proceedings and Recommendations from the conference, Planning for Biological Events: Responses to Terrorism and Infectious Disease Outbreaks (October 19–21). (DTIC: A406540) Bethesda, MD: USUHS, 2002.
Conference Description: This 3 day conference, attended by approximately 50 attendees and expert speakers, conference extended and updated the topic of mental health and behavioral consequences of bioterrorism. The conference addressed the significant, long-term, and most costly effects of a bioterrorist attack on individual and community levels. The conference generated specific recommendations for the integration of mental health and public health in responding to bioterrorist events. The conference took a multidisciplinary approach to speakers, attendees and topics. Conference speakers and attendees included a diverse and multicultural group of scientists, health care responders, first responders, educators and leaders. The conference identified core elements that can result in a better prepared health care and community response.
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“Planning for Bioterrorism: Behavioral and Mental Health Responses to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Mass Disruption”
Pooks Hill Marriott, Bethesda, MD, July 14–16, 2000.
Conference Proceedings and Recommendations: Ursano, R. J., Fullerton, C. S., Norwood, A. E., and McCurry, L. J.: Planning for bioterrorism: Behavioral and mental health responses to weapons of mass destruction and mass disruption. Conference Proceedings and Recommendations. (DTIC: A392688: 189 pages) Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 2001
Conference Description: This 3 day conference, attended by approximately 50 attendees and expert speakers, addressed planning for mental health and behavioral consequence management after a bioterrorist attack with consideration of local, regional and national health care and community needs. The conference considered the mental health and behavioral needs of individuals and large groups of distressed individuals, and the needs of those directly exposed and those who may have been vulnerable before a bioterrorist attack and now bear the additional burdens of lost supports and increased demands. Recommendations were derived from consensus group discussions.
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“Trauma, Stress and Health: Military Women in Combat, Deployment and Contingency Operations”
The Airlie House, Airlie, VA, June 16–18, 1995
Conference Proceedings and Recommendations: Ursano, R. J., Norwood, A. E., Fullerton, C. S., Sutton, L. K. (Eds.): Gender, Stress and Coping in the U.S. Military. Trauma, Stress and Health: Military Women in Combat, Deployment and Contingency Operations. A Conference to Explore the Effects of Combat, Trauma, and Extreme Environments on Women’s Health and Performance” Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, December, 1995.
Conference Description. This 3 day conference, attended by approximately 50 attendees and expert speakers addressed issues of the effects of extreme environments on psychological health and behaviors that put individuals at increased risk. A focus of the conference was on examining these issues in women of all ages and all ethnic backgrounds including Native Americans and immigrants. The conference addressed elements that would show up as morbidity, mortality and also performance decrements that might lead to disturbances that can affect morbidity and mortality. The conference focused on posttraumatic stress responses including: posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, depression, sleep disturbances, suicide, risk factors associated with parenthood, communication styles.
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“Training for the Psychological and Behavioral Effects of the Chemical and Biological (CBW) Environment”
The Airlie House, Airlie, VA, November 6–8, 1987.
Conference Proceedings and Recommendations: Ursano, R. J. and Fullerton, C. S. (Eds.): Training for the psychological and behavioral effects of the CBW environment. A Conference to Explore Training for Operational and Medical Personnel for Coping, Adaptation and Performance in the High Stress Environment of Chemical and Biological Warfare. (DTIC: 203680), Bethesda, MD: USUHS, 1987.
Conference Description. This 3 day conference held in 1987, attended by approximately 50 attendees and expert speakers, anticipated the potential use of chemical and biological agents that would become a reality in the 1990s. The conference goals were to bring together international experts and educators from diverse fields in order to examine analogue situations of responding to disaster and trauma. Topics ranged from response to Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, isolated and contained environments, Buffalo Creek flood, the stress of body identification following mass casualty disasters, and risk assessment in relation to disaster behavior.
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“Individual and Group Behavior in Toxic & Contained Environments”
The Airlie House, Airlie, VA, December 12–14, 1986.
Conference Proceedings and Recommendations: Ursano, R. J. and Fullerton, C. S. (Eds.): Individual & Group Behavior in Toxic & Contained Environments. (DTIC: A203162) Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 1988.
Conference Description. This 3 day conference, attended by approximately 50 attendees and expert speakers addressed issues involved in performance and operations in toxic chemical and biological environments and situations such as CBW. Topics discussed included appropriate communication of risk following a chemical or biological attack and important functions for community leaders and health care providers in order to foster positive health behaviors and protective action. Discussion included topics of behavioral and psychological function as well as the distress of individuals and communities and rapid, effective, and sustained mobilization of health care resources. Published recommendations identified the need for a conference on training for the psychological and behavioral effects of chemical and biological warfare (see below).
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