Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Trauma and PTSD


School Shootings and PTSD:  Trauma can last for months of years
Students at Chardon High School outside of Cleveland are reeling after a school shooting that left three students dead and two others injured.

“It’s just a nightmare I’m waiting to wake up from,” said Mike Wargo, a senior who heard the gunshots shortly after leaving his friends in the school’s cafeteria.

“I can’t even imagine what the parents feel right now,” Wargo told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie through tears. ‘”I wish I was there. I’d rather take bullet for one of those five.”

Neither Wargo, nor most of the high school’s students were physically hurt in the attack.  But they may suffer psychological scars of guilt and grief. Mental health experts say the echoes of such a trauma can last for months -- or if untreated -- for years. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition spurred by a terrifying event. The symptoms interfere with daily life and can include flashbacks, anxiety, nightmares, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and even physical aches and pains. 

   
Grief counselors are on hand to talk to students, teachers and parents affected by the Chardon, Ohio school shooting.

“We don’t want kids to have to deal with these symptoms for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Melissa Brymer, director of terrorism and disaster programs with the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. “They need to get the message that … there are treatments.” Brymer has studied incidents of post-traumatic stress disorder after school shootings in Southern California in 2001 and at Virginia Tech in 2007.

Brymer notes that a certain amount of anxiety and stress following such an event is normal and expected. Students may not sleep well. And rumors flying about what happened exacerbate the situation.

Many students wrestle with guilt about whether they could have stopped the shooting or done more to save a friend or peer. In her research of the Santee, Calif., shooting that left two students dead and 13 wounded, Brymer discovered that about 40 students had information about possible threats before the shooting occured. Those people needed extra support, she said.
But not every student will react the same. 

“Not everyone who has been through a school shooting will get PTSD,” Brymer says. “It’s the kids who were directly exposed who are more at risk.” 

That could include students who were in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting, those who had a friend who was killed or injured, or those who provided first aid to someone who was hurt.
 
In her research following a 2001 shooting at Santana High School in Santee, Calif., Brymer found that about 12 percent of the 1,160 students screened had some symptoms of PTSD nine months later. 
 
And nearly a quarter of the students who were directly exposed to the violence suffered from some degree of PTSD nine months later, according to the study. 
 
Whether and how quickly a student bounces back from the trauma of a school shooting depends on factors including the person’s social support system and individual ability to cope with stress, Brymer said. Kids with a history of mental illness or other traumas may struggle more. Girls and younger teens tend to be at higher risk for developing PTSD after trauma.
Brymer’s research highlights the importance of schools screening students for PTSD following a shooting, and the value of continuing to provide services even months after the event. She urges students, parents and staff to monitor their friends and peers for behavior changes or signs of ongoing stress. 
“It’s important to recognize those who are truly struggling,” she said. “We know that there are effective treatments that help these students. There are mental health professional trained in trauma and grief and we want to connect them.”
In Chardon, all local schools are closed and the school district is providing free grief counseling. School District Superintendent Joe Bergant told a news conference that the community needed to spend time "reflecting on family." He added, "I hope every parent, if you haven't hugged or kissed your kids in the last couple days, you take that time."
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that a number of students had information about threats prior to the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting; research in fact revealed that about 40 students had information about threats leading up to the 2001 Santee, Calif., school shooting.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Daycare, before\after school care, and School Emergency Plans

 to share: Ask your child's school for a copy of their emergency plan for you to keep at home or work.


If your child is in a daycare, or before\after school program request a copy of their emergency plan also.


Daycare programs are not regulated to have a relocation, or emergency plan in the event of a natural, or man-made disaster.

Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research


Program Description

Students are offered the unique opportunity to join one of NIAID’s research laboratories for an internship with a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

U.S. citizens or legal residents who are currently high school juniors and seniors (minimum of 16 years of age), undergraduates, or graduate students including medical students.

Award/Stipend

Summer interns are eligible for a stipend during their internship.

Areas of Research

Search the NIAID Web site to learn more about the exciting research being conducted in NIAID’s Montana and Maryland labs.

Student Testimonials

Read what our past interns are saying about their experiences here at NIAID.

Guidance for Application Preparation

Guidance for preparing your application.

Helpful Hints for Creating a Strong Application

Strategies to craft a standout application.

Online Application

Students may apply online to the Summer Internship Program by completing the application and providing the supporting documentation required.

FAQ

Find answers to frequently encountered scenarios.

Training in NIAID Labs

See other training opportunities.

Contact Us

Contact the Office of Training and Diversity via email if you are not able to find the answers to your questions on these pages.
Wendy J. Fibison, Ph.D.Associate Director
Office of Training and Diversity
Phone: 301-496-2638

Bill would give veteran-owned companies a boost


Military Times

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 21, 2012 16:29:12 EST
An Ohio congressman has introduced legislation that would move veteran-owned businesses closer to the front of the line when seeking contracts from the Veterans Affairs Department.
Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s oversight and investigations panel, is pushing a bill that would make veteran-owned small businesses more competitive for contracts to supply goods and services on the federal supply schedule for purchase by VA. It would not apply to other federal agencies.
If enacted, HR 4048 would open a wide range of contracts to veteran-owned and disabled veteran-owned businesses that are now exempt from veterans’ preference rules. General Schedule vendors provide a variety of goods and services, from food, cleaning equipment and supplies to furniture, medical and dental equipment and supplies, shipping and packing supplies, security systems and a variety of professional services.
The bill was referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for consideration, joining a pile of other employment-related legislation that the committee could package together into an election-year initiative aimed at reducing the unemployment rate among veterans.
Johnson’s bill would help veterans, but would still not make them No. 1 on the list of preferred contractors. Under the government’s complicated contracting procedures, if VA needs something, the top priority is to search its current inventory, then search the inventory of other federal agencies, before buying anything.
If VA does buy goods, priority goes to Federal Prison Industries, then to the blind, then to wholesale suppliers as the third, fourth and fifth choices. Purchasing from the federal supply schedule ranks sixth and seventh in priority, first for a mandatory schedule and then for a supplemental purchasing schedule.
Under current procedures, veteran-owned businesses rank eighth in priority for contracts. They would rise to sixth under Johnson’s bill.
Veterans’ preference in contracts was the subject of a November hearing of Johnson’s subcommittee, with the veterans who owned small businesses complaining that purchasing rules were limiting their opportunities.
One disabled veteran, Bob Hesser, a retired Navy master chief and owner of Vetrepreneur, a Virginia-based company, recommended the change in law as a way to improve chances for a veteran-owned business to receive a contract. He said the current policy seems to be “vets last.”
Steve Gonzalez, assistant director of the American Legion’s national economic commission, shared Hesser’s concerns about the contracting practices. Veteran-owned businesses “have been relegated to last in VA’s procurement hierarchy,” he said. “The irony and greatest insult is that this agency, which was created to help veterans, appears to be actively and knowingly shutting them out when it’s time to award government contracts.”
http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2012/02/military-contracts-veteran-owned-businesses-022112w/

Webinar for Schools. Emergency Management for Schools


Webinar for Schools

The US Department of Education’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center is offering a webinar entitled 

“The Role of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) in School Preparedness” 

Tuesday, February 28th at 3pm Eastern.

For more detailed information on the webinar, please visit:  http://rems.ed.gov/index.php?page=training_webinars  .

Monday, February 27, 2012

International Critical Incident Stress Foundation

Upcoming Conferences in your area

The mission of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. is to provide leadership, education, training, consultation, and support services in comprehensive crisis intervention and disaster behavioral health services to the emergency response professions, other organizations, and communities worldwide.


Upcoming Conferences:
Click on location and date for full details:
See our Table of Courses  for a complete list of courses offered at these conferences.
Click below for complete information and registration:

Additional 2012 Locations and Dates: DETAILS COMING SOON
        Columbia, MD June 28- July1, 2012
        Toronto, ON October 11-14, 2012
        Regina, SK October 11-14, 2012
        Chicago, IL October 18-21, 2012
        Albuquerque, NM November 1-4, 2012
        San Diego, CA December 6-9, 2012
        San Francisco, CA
        Vancouver, BC

3290 Pine Orchard Lane, Suite 106 Ellicott City, MD 21042
Phone: (410)750-9600 | (Emergency): (410) 313-2473 | Fax: (410) 750-9601
E-mail: info@icisf.org

Navigating the Next Era of Crisis & Disaster Response
February 19 - 24, 2013
Baltimore, Maryland

CLICK HERE for more information about the World Congress

11thworldcongresslogomark





Rx Response Emergency Preparedness Seminar April 12, 2012. Washington, D.C.




Thursday, April 12, 2012
K&L Gates • 1601 K Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006

Seminar Overview
For the third year, this interactive educational forum will bring together public and private sector professionals focused on protecting the pharmaceutical supply chain in the event of a severe emergency. Interact with public health and emergency management officials at the local, state and federal government levels to broaden the discussion of strategies that will improve public and private sector communication around surge capability, countermeasure deployment and other key response issues. Senior representatives from HHS, CDC and FEMA are confirmed to attend.

Participate in role-playing activities exploring real-world examples of emergency events that require coordination between public and private sector professionals and discuss collaborative opportunities in business continuity planning that can bridge the gaps in communications. Increase your knowledge of emergency preparedness issues and trends in the pharmaceutical industry. 
Follow @RxResponse on Twitter for the latest Emergency Preparedness issues and events.

At this seminar you will:
  • Learn about current company preparedness efforts on the federal level from HHS, CDC and FEMA officials;
  • Participate in a realistic emergency exercise to identify challenge areas and discuss potential solutions;
  • Understand the external forces that could impact private sector planning and response, including policy initiatives, communications and technology advancements and more;
  • Continue discussions around credentialing for facility or logistical access, critical infrastructure protection and other timely topics;
  • Gain practical insights through case studies and learn about preparedness in the commercial supply chain; and,
  • Meet other private and public sector professionals with unique expertise and knowledge.

Target Audience
This seminar is specifically focused on the distribution and dispensing of pharmaceutical and medical supplies in the event of a severe public health emergency at a local, regional or national level. Content is designed for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, healthcare distributors, retailers, hospital executives and government officials responsible for:
  • Business continuity;
  • Risk management;
  • Logistics and inventory management;
  • Warehouse operations;
  • Crisis communication; and,  
  • Preparedness and response for public health emergencies.
This seminar is closed to the media.

DRI International Certification
Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII), the premier business continuity certification board has approved this program for 7 Continuing Education Activity Points (CEAPs).
Presented by
click here to visit Rx Response's site 
 
Co-Host
 
 
Rx Response Members and Seminar Partners
click here to visit NACDS' websiteclick here to visit Bio's websiteclick here to visit GPhA's website
   
click here to visit PhRMA's websiteclick here to visit AHA's website
   
click here to visit HIDA's websiteclick here to visit NCPA's website

Preliminary Program Agenda
Wednesday, April 11
6:00 PM–7:00 PMNetworking Reception
7:00 PMOpen Evening
  
Thursday, April 12
7:00 AM–8:00 AMContinental Breakfast and Registration
8:00 AM–8:15 AMWelcome and Seminar Overview

Perry Fri,Senior Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership & Education, HDMA
Erin Mullen, RPh, PhD, CEM, Associate Vice President, Rx Response
8:15 AM–9:15 AMEmergency Preparedness and Response: Public Health Initiatives
Recent public health responses, including the H1N1 influenza pandemic, have highlighted the extraordinary importance of the healthcare supply chain to ensuring our health and safety. Hear from federal government leaders on how the government is engaged with the private sector in a broad array of initiatives, including Medical Countermeasure stockpiling, distribution and dispensing and protection of healthcare as an essential piece of the Critical Infrastructure of the nation.

Facilitator: Erin Mullen, RPh, PhD, CEM, Associate Vice President, Rx Response 
Speakers: Greg Burel, Director, Strategic National Stockpile, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
Nitin Natarajan, Coordinating Director, Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Lisa Koonin, Senior Advisor, Influenza Coordination Unit/Office of Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
9:15 AM–10:15 AMPrivate Sector Panel
Panelists will share supply chain perspectives on what they’ve learned from past disaster events and how they’ve incorporated additional resilience into their business continuity plans.

Panelists: Lenny Sharpe, Manager, Business Continuity Management, Target
Chris Wright, Senior Manager of Worldwide Business Continuity & Crisis Management, Amgen, Inc.
Additional panelists invited

10:15 AM–10:30 AMNetworking Break

10:30 AM–11:15 AMRoundtable Discussions
Roundtable discussions provide attendees the opportunity to select a topic to learn and discuss key issues, obstacles and identify potential solutions in small groups. Learn from your peers and come ready to share your comments, questions and insights. Topics include:
  1. Credentialing Inside Disaster Areas
Facilitator: Boyd Stephenson, Manager, Safety & Security Operations, American Trucking Association
  1. CDC Initiatives 

    Facilitator: Greg Burel, Director, Strategic National Stockpile, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  2. Preparedness Approaches for Local Public Health Departments and Pharmacies 

    Facilitator: Joshua Robinette, Strategic National Stockpile Specialist, Acting CRI Coordinator, Health Emergency Preparedness Response Administration (HEPRA), Government of the District of Columbia - Department of Health
  3. Logistics for Disaster Relief

    Facilitator: Lori WarrensExecutive Director, The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations 
11:15 AM–11:45 AMPartnerships at the Local Level
11:45 PM–12:30 PMNetworking Luncheon
12:30 PM–1:00 PMFEMA Private Sector Program Update
FEMA has been pursuing many paths to private sector engagement in emergency management. This session will provide a brief overview of current initiatives, such as the Private Sector Representative position in the National Response Coordination Center, as well as recent efforts to include the private sector in creative brainstorming and dialogue to identify innovative response solutions for a "Maximum of Maximum" catastrophe.

Speaker: Jeanie Moore
Senior Advisor, Private Sector Division, Office of External Affairs, Federal Emergency Management Agency
1:00 PM–1:15 PMCertifying Preparedness 
Learn more about the American Red Cross Ready Rating Program and how organizations can use it to measure their current level of preparedness and then take steps to improve it. Hear how this program has benefited many by providing the building blocks for crafting a comprehensive emergency response plan.

Speaker: Thomas Heneghan, Manager- Preparedness, American Red Cross- National Headquarters
1:45 PM–3:00 PMPharmaceutical Supply Chain Drill
Participate in a business continuity exercise simulating a real-world emergency that severely impacts the pharmaceutical supply system while requiring close coordination between public and private sector professionals. Rx Response will divide seminar attendees into groups and facilitate a discussion as the emergency scenario evolves. Drill participants will learn how robust industry coordination can help recover their business operations quicker and more effectively, and take away strategies for improving their own preparedness programs.

Speakers: Nadav Davidai, Consultant, Crisis & Resilience Consulting, Control Risks
Jeroen Meijer, Vice President & Practice Lead, Crisis & Resilience Consulting, Control Risks
3:00 PM–3:45 PMClosing Keynote Presentation
3:45 PM–4:00 PMWrap-up and Adjournment
This final discussion will summarize key seminar themes to strengthen and improve your preparedness programs.
*Agenda subject to change.





Registration Information
The registration fee includes all seminar materials and conference functions.
For more information, please contact the Meetings & Conferences Department at (703) 885-0278.
 Association Member*  Government, Non-Profit, Academia, (ID Required) **Non-Member
Registration Fee:  $ 495 $ 195$ 895
* Rx Response Members and Seminar Partners: AHA, BIO, GPhA, HDMA,
HIDA, NACDS, NCPA and PhRMA
** To receive this special rate, download the PDF form.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be postmarked, faxed or emailed to the HDMA Meetings & Conferences Department at HDMA by Thursday, March 29, 2012, for a refund, less a $200 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for cancellations received or postmarked after Thursday, March 29, 2012. Registrations are transferable among individuals within the same company.

Seminar Location Information
K & L Gates
1601 K Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
(704) 248-4000
Local Hotels
Capitol Hilton
1001 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 393-1000
www.hilton.com
The Mayflower
1127 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036 
Phone: (202) 347-3000
Fax: (202) 776-9182
www.marriott.com
Embassy Suites Washington D.C.
1250 22nd Street Northwest
Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 857-3388
embassysuites1.hilton.com

Transportation
Directions
From Ronald Reagan National Airport – Virginia (4 miles)
Start out going South on Abingdon Drive towards VA-233. Turn slight left onto VA-233. Turn slight right. Turn slight right onto Airport Exit. Turn slight right onto terminals. Take the ramp towards Washington (I-
395). Merge onto George Washington Memorial Parkway North (GW PKWY N). Take the I-395 North/US-1 exit towards Washington (crossing into Washington, D.C.). Merge onto I-395 N/US-1 N. Take the US-1 North exit on the left.  Merge onto US-1 N. Merge onto US-1 N which becomes 14th Street, NW. Stay straight on 14th Street and turn left onto K Street. The main entrance is on 16th Street, bear slight right on to the K Street service road for Monument Parking. 
**The service road to K Street will be immediately following the traffic light on your right.
From Washington Dulles International Airport – Virginia (27 miles)

Take Dulles Airport Access Road which becomes VA-267 E. Take I-66 E to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge Rt. 50 (crossing into Washington, D.C.).
 
Merge onto Constitution Ave Rt. 50. Turn left onto 18th Street; Turn right onto L Street; Turn right onto 16th Street. The main entrance is on 16th Street, turn right onto the K Street service road for Monument Parking.
From Baltimore-Washington International Airport – Maryland (33 miles)

Take I-95 South to Washington, D.C. Approx 25 mi South, I-95 will merge with I-495. Stay right, following signs to 495 West, College Park/Silver Spring. Take exit 31 Georgia Ave/Silver Spring. Stay in right hand lane – bear right on 16th .The main entrance is on 16th Street, bear slight right on to the K Street service road for Monument Parking.
Metro
The nearest metro station to the K & L Gates is Farragut West on the Blue and Orange lines.

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