The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68124

Nadine D. Mescia, MHS¹, steven fettner, ba², Jennifer N. Baggerly, PhD, LMHCS, RPTS³, W. Michael Reid, PhD, MBA¹, Diane Fojt, MSc, BS, REMT-P⁴, and J. Eric Gentry, MA, MT, CAC, CTS⁴. (1) Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, College of Public Health, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, 813-974-7735, nmescia@hsc.usf.edu, (2) emergency operations coordinator, lee county health department, ft. myers, fl, 3920 michigan ave., ft. myers, FL 33916, (3) Psychological & Social Foundations, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., EDU162, Tampa, FL 33620, (4) MECA, Inc., MECA, Inc., P.O.Box 280418, Tampa, FL 33682

One of the best ways to prepare the public health workforce to effectively manage and respond to the mass psychological trauma of terrorism is through education and training. Recognizing the tremendous, yet unmet, need for skilled professionals to respond to the overwhelming disaster mental health needs of mass trauma survivors, first responders, and communities, the Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness, at the USF College of Public Health, in collaboration with directors and administrators from several county health departments, developed a public health trauma intervention specialist training program and deployment protocol.

The purpose of this program is to develop a comprehensive disaster mental health preparedness and response plan by training public health professionals to provide disaster mental health and field traumatology interventions and services in local, State, and National mass casualty events. To achieve this goal, a 40-contact hour curriculum was designed and developed. Major content areas are field traumatology, cultural competency, critical incident stress management, team building, and compassion fatigue. This training was delivered on-site in each of the seven regions in Florida, to a maximum of 30 public health practitioners per program, for a total of 210 participants. Extensive evaluations of program and learners were conducted.

The presentation objectives will be met by: 1. Establishing need/providing support for an academic/practice partnership in workforce preparedness as evidenced through collaboration on program design, development, and delivery. 2. Providing an overview of program goals, curriculum, and delivery. 3. Sharing best practices, lessons learned, and program and learner evaluation results.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Understand the importance of academic/practice partnerships in developing and delivering public health workforce preparedness training.
  7. Describe the benefits of training public health practitioners to manage and respond to the psychological trauma of terrrorism.
  11. Understand the purpose and functional role of public health trauma intervention specialists in promoting, protecting, and restoring the public's mental health following mass trauma situations, such as terrorism.
  14. Identify the essential content areas in a curriculum for training public health trauma intervention specialists.
  18. Discuss the best practices and lessons learned in developing and delivering a curriculum for training public health trauma intervention specialists.

Keywords: Training, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.