Is it really needed? Transfers of Military Equipment to Police. May 2018. RAND Corporation

Is this transfer of military equipment to your jurisdiction needed in your community?

Is there a threat in your community for such force to address normal everyday police and community interactions in our community?

Get involved.  Question.  Attend budget, and council meetings for safety, and law enforcement policy, equipment, and other important issues in our community.

Is it really needed in your community.

BEMA International

RAND research and commentary on the issues that matter most May 24, 2018

Photo by Florence County North Carolina Sheriff's Department

Transfers of Military Equipment to Police There's a Pentagon program that transfers excess military equipment to America's law enforcement agencies. Items include everything from desks to rifles to airplanes. Because of the sensitive nature of some of this equipment, the program has long been the subject of scrutiny. This has intensified in light of recent events, including the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri. A new RAND report finds that this program is efficient, effective, and responsive to oversight. But these attributes are unlikely to change perceptions that the program contributes to the militarization of police. Read more »

Trauma. PTSD.. May 2018

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Volume 14, Issue 1 The Effects of Trauma on First Responders Reports of natural and human-caused disasters are ever present throughout our country. We hear the stories of seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by families, neighbors, businesses, communities, and sometimes entire states or territories. The one constant we can rely on before, during, and after a disaster is the support and service given by first responders. But what do first responders need for their own recovery from traumatic events? This issue of The Dialogue from SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) highlights the challenges first responders experience throughout all phases of disaster response—the visible and obvious and the veiled. The authors provide insight into the unique culture of the first responder community. This awareness is significant to providing effective behavioral health services in a manner that is valuable to and accepted by first responders. What have you found to be essential to the care of your first responder team or community? Are there important lessons learned from your field experiences that could be highlighted by SAMHSA DTAC in future issues of this newsletter? Please share your experiences via email to DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov. Selected reader comments will be printed in a future edition of The Dialogue. Download the full issue [PDF – 1.04MB] Issue Highlights Staying Fit To Protect and To Serve: A Police Officer Talks About Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) A police officer shares his story about developing PTSD after being shot in the line of duty. He discusses the physical and psychological pain of PTSD while relaying the importance of knowing the signs and symptoms and the value of talking through issues, especially with others with similar experiences. Perception Is Reality for Disaster Survivors A rescue specialist with Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MATF-1) relates the importance of first responder training and self-care to better manage survivor reactions to disaster. Including a behavioral health professional as part of the response team is discussed as a proactive approach to fostering team resiliency. Psychological Trauma in First Responders Following Disaster Response The author discusses first responder care, as part of disaster planning, to address the unintended mental burden that can develop from long-term exposure to disaster response. Understanding the culture of the responder community is key to identifying and providing effective behavioral health support services.  How Do First Responders Experience and Cope With Trauma? The author provides a description of possible physiological and psychological responses that first responders may experience during a traumatic event. Coping mechanisms and ways to foster resilience as a first responder are also discussed. About The Dialogue The Dialogue, a quarterly technical assistance journal, is an arena for professionals in the disaster behavioral health field to share information, resources, trends, solutions to problems, and accomplishments. Read previous issues of The Dialogue. The views, opinions, and content expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We value your input. Please complete a brief survey about this SAMHSA DTAC product.

Water Security: Global Water Partnership. May 2018. Improving Water Governance

Improving water governance in Botswana

GWP Southern Africa played a major role in Botswana's development of a national Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency (IWRM/WE) Plan. The creation of GWP Botswana and its involvement in the process was vital to make it a success, allowing the government to access stakeholders from all levels of society, says Bogadi Mathangwane, Director of the Botswana Department of Water Affairs.
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CRISIS. Global Homelessness Crisis May 2018

Homeless in Their Home Country

Conflicts and disasters uprooted 30.6 million globally in 2017, with few long-term solutions in sight.

Africa saw a doubling of people displaced internally by conflict, according to The Global Report on Internal Displacement, published today by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Conflict displaced 11.8 million—including 5.5 million in sub-Saharan Africa and 4.5 million in the Middle East and North Africa. Disasters displaced another 18.8 million.

“Internal displacement often heralds the start of broader crises,” said Alexandra Bilak, IDMC’s director, and while there have been some improvements—in the provision of emergency aid, for example—it doesn’t come close to answering the need, she told ReliefWeb.

2.2 million people were displaced internally in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a result of extreme violence in 2017, Bilak added on Twitter—an especially sobering number given the Ebola outbreak now facing DRC. 

Addressing Emergency Department Psychiatric Boarding: A Continuum of Solutions Tuesday, May 15, 2018 | 12—1 p.m. Eastern Time

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Addressing Emergency Department Psychiatric Boarding: A Continuum of Solutions Tuesday, May 15, 2018 | 12—1 p.m. Eastern Time People with behavioral health emergencies may board for days in hospital emergency departments waiting for a psychiatric bed. These environments are not conducive to providing safe and effective care for these individuals; however, solutions do exist. Because communities and organizations have different needs and capabilities, presenters will discuss a range of possible solutions to improve care for people with behavioral health emergencies and ways to use data to track results. Register for Webinar