The Yale Global Mental Health Program and Connecticut Psychiatric Society (CPS), in collaboration with the Connecticut State Medical Society and American Red Cross, will sponsor a disaster psychiatry symposium April 30.
The symposium, “Disaster Mental Health Fundamentals and Training,” will be held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Jane Ellen Hope Auditorium, Room 110, First Floor, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St.
Registration and breakfast will begin at 8:00 am followed by a welcome from CPS President Reena Kapoor, MD, and opening remarks from Robert Rohrbaugh, MD, professor of psychiatry; deputy chair for education and career development; and residency program director. Training classes will precede and follow lunch.
At the conclusion of the symposium, participants should be able to:
- Understand the history of disaster psychiatry and its basic tenets;
- Identify the phases of disasters, disaster mental health services, system issues and risk communication;
- Recognize early and late psychological impacts of disasters including distress, grief, PTSD, depression and resilience;
- Identify the basic elements of Psychological First Aid;
- Describe psychiatric roles in readiness, evaluation, and evidence-based treatment;
- Describe the Red Cross mental health role in disaster response and recovery, and how to participate in ARC Disaster Mental Health;
- Understand the range of psychiatric interventions during the difficult phases after disaster for children, adults, families, and responders;
- Explain the evidence base for psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological interventions post-disaster;
- Describe self-care for first responders and health care professionals;
- Understand acute medical issues in the aftermath of disasters including identifying medical problems, triage and First Aid;
- Consider the legal and ethical issues in disaster mental health.
The fee to register is $60 for CPS members, $75 for non-members, $20 for residents and fellows and no charge for medical students. CME credit will be offered to faculty.