273295 Peace Corps: Meeting the foundational principles of Trauma-Informed Care

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

Timothy Lawler, PhD, MPH , Director, Counseling & Outreach Unit, Peace Corps, Washington, DC
Throughout its 51-year history, Peace Corps has worked to ensure quality, integrated medical and mental health care for its Volunteers. Currently, approximately 150 Peace Corps Medical Officers provide emergent and preventative health care and counseling to over 9,000 Peace Corps Volunteers in 76 countries throughout the world. Though it has not always been labeled as such, month-long training for new Medical Officers and week-long annual continuing medical education to all of Peace Corps Medical Officers emphasize meeting the foundational principles of Trauma-Informed Care.

Special continuing medical education sessions are traditionally provided on trauma and its impact, promoting Volunteer safety both within and outside of the health unit, and ensuring the cultural competence of Peace Corps Medical Officers. Instruction and behavioral rehearsals on shared decision making, understanding the significance of the Volunteer-Medical Officer relationship (and how to foster that relationship), and integration with Peace Corps/Washington medical and mental health clinicians are consistently emphasized in training.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Occupational health and safety
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the Peace Corps' role in meeting the foundational principles of Trauma-Informed Care

Keywords: Global Education, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked for Peace Corps since January 2009 serving to meet the mental health needs of almost 9,000 Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide. With other Peace Corps/Washington staff, I have been an active member of the Women & Trauma Federal Partners' Committee for the past year.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4008.0: Trauma informed care: A women's health opportunity