As we head into one of my favorite weeks of the year (the testimony course at the NAC–can’t wait to see some of my FHO readers there!), I’ve updated a couple of the most popular clinical guides: Testimony and Peer Review. Enjoy!
As the Chair of IAFN’s Government Affairs Committee, one of my favorite opportunities is being on the Hill, talking with legislators and staffers about the issues important to clinicians, our patients, and the profession in general. This year’s Lobby Day saw its biggest draw (thanks, in part, to the inaugural Leadership Day that preceded it), so I know I’m not alone in enjoying the process. However, we have fielded questions about lobbying for people who work for nonprofit agencies and/or receive federal grant dollars, and saw a few people not come because of concerns. So I was really pleased to see VAWnet has a new special collection on legislative advocacy for nonprofit organizations that target these specific issues. If you are considering joining us for the 2018 Leadership and Lobby Days here in DC (dates to be announced), or thinking about participating in another lobbying opportunity, I would encourage you to check out the information to make sure you (and your organization’s leadership) understand the left and right limits of your advocacy.
The Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center has a webinar coming up, Addressing the Impact of Trauma When a Mass Violence Incident Occurs. The session will be held July 26th at 2pm ET. From the announcement:
Incidents of mass violence and terrorism present unique challenges to the communities in which they occur. These incidents require a coordinated, cross-sector approach among federal, state, local, and tribal governments; private entities; and nonprofit organizations to drive an effective response. This session will address how to create and maintain partnerships, address resource gaps, develop victim assistance protocols, and use the protocols after an incident of mass violence or terrorism.
Register here.
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Since Last We Spoke, 7-3-17
Hope all of my Canadian readers had a lovely Canada Day; and a happy 4th to US FHO readers! We will be eating (and drinking) with our Army friends and possibly finishing the evening watching fireworks on the docks where our neighbors keep their sailboat. While today was meant to be a work day, turns out, not so much. But I did spend time surfing the web; here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:
The voices of genderqueer and nonbinary survivors
The title of this article could be enough
Marine Corps, trying to find a way past their toxic masculinity issues
Save free speech from the trolls
You know I love me a good packing guide
I can’t recall why I initially clicked on this, but I”m glad I did
Thinking about all the 1st responders in the Bronx last week
Related: no surprise his past includes violence against women
#Seriously (aka, the view from DC right now)
Bookmarked for my nights on the road when jetlag is kicking my ass
The Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention is hosting a webinar next month, Medical Imaging Protocols. The session will be held July 10th at 1pm ET. From the announcement:
This webinar features the Medical Advisory Board of the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, recognized as the leading experts in the field on non-fatal strangulation. These experts will be discussing new imaging recommendations they have developed and released for Emergency Room professionals.
Register here.
I don’t often give mainstream media articles their own post (we wait for Mondays to do that), but 1.) this one is worth it, and 2.) I will be stepping away from FHO until next Thursday, as I take the girlchild on her 1st round of college visits (!). Huffington Post has a terrific article on police-perpetrated intimate partner violence that, while a long read, is definitely worth your time. I encourage you to spend some time with it and consider how your own programs handle patients who present after being assaulted by law enforcement. I’m proud to say in my former program, we had a very specific process for working with this particular patient group that included a unique law enforcement reporting pathway and 2 person team completing the exam (as these cases were always complex and the extra set of eyes and hands was welcomed). The whole piece is a great jumping off point for a team discussion. Even if you only provide sexual assault care, there’s still a conversation to be had about the unique needs and concerns of patients who present after police-perpetrated violence.
Time once again for Articles of Note, our (mostly) monthly frolic through the peer reviewed literature. Lots of stuff for our peds practitioners this go round. A few full-text options available, as well, so keep your eyes open for those. As always there’s a Word doc with active links, and a PDF for ease of printing and sharing. Also as always, please provide attribution if you decide to use or disseminate (and by that, since someone asked, I mean please don’t take my name out of the header, that sort of thing). Enjoy!
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The National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families published a guide this spring, Developing Culturally Responsive Approaches to Serving Diverse Populations: A Resource Guide for Community-Based Organizations (PDF). There’s a lot packed into this relatively brief resource; the active links alone are worth downloading it, regardless of the setting in which you work. As you consider how to best serve all members of the community, this guide can move you closer to your goals.
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Since Last We Spoke, 6-19-17
This weekend was a whirlwind of family–my parents were in town, my kid got here for the summer, and my Aunt and Uncle celebrated 50 years of marriage–so I was entirely consumed with lovely things. Last night, after the dust had settled, I had a chance to see what was happening in the world, and catch up with my social media feeds. Here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:
I testified on the Hill on Friday in front of the Congressional Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. You can see the full proceedings here. I look *very* serious; also my folks and kid are visible in the background 🙂
Cosby mistrial: NSVRC’s statement
Also: I believe Cosby
And: what it tells us about power in America
The stories we tell, and the stories we don’t
So here we are: America, 2017
Out of darkness, a glimmer of something lovely
Pray for peace for her family
Father’s Day–not everyone is so lucky
Anne Lamott is my spirit animal:
June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. In light of this, allow me to point your attention to the dedicated NCJRS page that has a good selection of resources.
And from WHO:
Today is #WorldElderAbuseAwarenessDay.
1 in 6 older adults hv been abused in the past year. Recognize the different forms of #ElderAbuse pic.twitter.com/5aQc6udmC8— WHO (@WHO) June 15, 2017
1 in 6 older ppl experience some form of #ElderAbuse, a figure higher than previously estimated https://t.co/qW4uDrr4lD pic.twitter.com/cpmDroqANC
— WHO (@WHO) June 15, 2017
All types of #ElderAbuse can have an impact on the health and wellbeing of the older person https://t.co/qW4uDrr4lD pic.twitter.com/NJU7GfOI8b
— WHO (@WHO) June 15, 2017
H/t to Kim Day for this info: Indian Health Service Division of Behavioral Health is offering a series of webinars for program supervisors and clinicians on Trauma Informed Care. For those of you working with American Indian/Alaska Native patients:
Webinar for Supervisors presented by Maria Brave Heart, PhD (for SANE Program Manger staff)
All Webinars in this series will last 1 hour and begin at: 12:30 pm Eastern, 11:30 am Central, 10:30 Mountain, 9:30 am Pacific, 8:30 am Alaska
July 12 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 1 Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Aug 1 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 2 Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Aug 22 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 3 Register here: Trauma
ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Sept 12 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 1 (repeat) Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Oct 3 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 2 (repeat) Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Oct 24 Trauma Informed Care and Historical Trauma Informed Care for All Staff Who are in a Supervisory Role: Part 3 (repeat) Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Health Care Provider Webinars presented by Jeanne Bereiter, MD
Unless otherwise noted, all Webinars in this series will last 1 hour and begin at: 2 pm Eastern, 1 pm Central, 12 pm Mountain, 11 am Pacific, 10 am Alaska
June 15 Part I in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: ACES & Why They Matter in Healthcare Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
July 6 Part II in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: Trauma, Attachment, & DSM 5 Diagnoses Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Aug 24 Part III in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: Vicarious Trauma & Burnout in Healthcare Providers and How a Trauma Informed System Can Help Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Sept 26 Part I in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: ACES & Why They Matter in Healthcare (repeat) Begins at: 4:30 pmEastern, 3:30 pm Central, 2:30 pm Mountain, 1:30 pm Pacific, 12:30 pm Alaska Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Oct 17 Part II in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: Trauma, Attachment, & DSM 5 Diagnoses (repeat) Begins at: 4:30 pm Eastern, 3:30 pm Central, 2:30 pm Mountain, 1:30 pm Pacific, 12:30 pm Alaska Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
Nov 15 Part III in 3 Part Series for Medical Providers: Vicarious Trauma & Burnout in Healthcare Providers and How a Trauma Informed System Can Help (repeat) Begins at: 3 pm Eastern, 2 pm Central, 1 pm Mountain, 12 pm Pacific, 11 amAlaska Register here: ihs.adobeconnect.com/
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Roxane Gay on the Daily Show
One of my favorite writers, Roxane Gay, has a new book out, Hunger (review). Last night she was the featured interview on the Daily Show, which I would encourage you to watch (the interview starts at 15:37). You can also read about the history of this book, and it’s reason for being in several media outlets:
We know all too well that people react to trauma in myriad ways. Roxane Gay helps us understand one. I can’t wait to read this.
UPDATE: Roxane Gay on Fresh Air
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Since Last We Spoke, 6-12-17
It was DC Pride this weekend, so I confess to lots of playtime, and very little work. Particularly because this weekend marked the beginning of my slow season, when I make the conscious choice to spend more time with my family, and less time on the road, eating sad hotel dinners alone, I ended up being pretty slothful. No courts martial for the next few months, and only a couple teaching gigs, which means more time for personal projects, like the stuff I do here at FHO. Still, last night I played catch up on social media, and there was plenty to read. Here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:
We went to Pride Shabbat services Friday night and I was so glad our rabbi honored the memory of the victims of the Pulse shooting one year ago today. And here, honoring the survivors.
New study on tonic immobility
Colorado exploring new payment options for sexual assault exams
I love everything about this, except that it’s necessary in the 1st place
I’m pretty sure many of us had the same thought
Yet another reason I switched to Lyft
A husband for home, a wife for away
Man, this whole situation–our worst nightmare as healthcare providers
“Optimal lives are designed not discovered”
A long read, but an important one: America’s Hidden HIV Epidemic
The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health has a webinar coming up at the end of the month that I think could be very informative for forensic clinicians as we talk to our patients about their health status and needs for follow-up care and referrals. Responding to Mental Health Crisis: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Conversation About Diagnosis, Treatment and Medication will be held June 28th at 2pm CT. From the announcement:
In our services it sometimes feels uncomfortable to initiate conversations with survivors about mental health challenges and psychiatric diagnosis and about medication and other approaches to treatment. Our own views and our experiences with mental health systems can contribute to misunderstandings and disconnection for people we intend to assist. This webinar will consider ways to approach these conversations that are transparent about our intentions, support learning about individual preferences, and are respectful of the range of views.
Register for the session here.
KidsTA has a webinar coming up that’s perfect for those of you thinking about expanding your practice to pediatrics. Demystifying the Prepubescent Medical Forensic Examination will be held June 22nd at 3pm ET. From the announcement:
The Medical Forensic examination is an integral component of the child sexual abuse response and requires coordination of services among multidisciplinary team (MDT) members as they are often the gateway to the child’s access to health care and the exam. While the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women’s (OVW) National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations Pediatric (2016) recommends that the urgency of the examination be determined by a health care provider, nonclinical members of the MDT need to understand what the prepubescent medical forensic exam entails, and to be prepared to dispel any misconceptions or fears the child or caregiver may have about the examination. This presentation will highlight key components of the medical forensic examination, and illustrate evidenced based examples of the exam and resources available through the IAFN’s Pediatric Technical Assistance Project and the www.KIDSta.org website.
You can register here.
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Since Last We Spoke, 6-5-17
So, you may have noticed it was pretty quiet on FHO last week. What can I say–trial weeks are sometimes like that. This week I’m signing on from Wichita, KS, where I am looking forward to a lively workshop with the SANEs in this state today. And then it’s on to Boulder, where I’ll be teaching for the Army at my alma mater (go Buffs!), with all my favorite military law nerds. Believe it or not, that will do it for travel for a month (at least work travel), since we are headed into the summer, when my kiddo is home and I take very little work on the road while she’s there. Still, I was in airports this weekend, and there was plenty of time to surf. Here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:
Have you seen it? Seems like we could use a hero right about now.
On a day when I needed a break from racist/islamophobic bullsh*t on the interwebs, this saved my soul
Man, this is so hauntingly beautiful
Enjoying StoryCorp’s Justice Project
I get a lot of questions about program expansion, particularly related to 1.) education; and 2.) funding. Here’s a session that will address the latter, at least as it relates to elder abuse programming. OVW and the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) are hosting a webinar to discuss previous grantees in the Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life grant program and address the necessary steps to apply for these funds. It will be held June 15th, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, at 2pm ET. From the announcement:
Each day, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65. As the number of older individuals in America increases, unfortunately so does the number of potential victims of elder abuse. Research indicates that one in ten older adults are abused and that two-thirds of elder abuse victims are women. This webinar on June 15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) – will commemorate WEAAD 2017 and the efforts of communities and professional around the county to confront elder abuse. This webinar will also provide participants with a detailed overview of OVW’s Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life grant program. This grant program funds communities across the country to address elder abuse through trainings, services, and a coordinated community response. Participants will hear from previous years’ grantees about the impact the grant program has had on their community’s response to abuse in later life. Participants will also learn about steps they can take to prepare to apply for the grant.
Register for the webinar here.
The National Criminal Justice Training Center is hosting a webinar, Human Trafficking: Identifying and Responding to Victims in the Healthcare Setting. The session will be held June 7th at 2pm ET. From the announcement:
A 2017 survey report from the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) found that over half of labor and sex trafficking survivors surveyed had accessed health care at least once while being trafficked. Nearly 97% indicated they had never been provided with information or resources about human trafficking while visiting the health care provider. This webinar will present strategies to equip healthcare professionals to identify and appropriately assist trafficked persons with victim-centered, trauma-informed care and services.
Register here.
It’s time once again for Articles of Note, a walk through the recently published, peer-reviewed research. While the list this month isn’t particularly lengthy, my nerdy heart was more than pleased with what I found. I encourage you to spend some time with the list, as there’s a lot here that’s relevant to practice. As always I am including a Word doc and a PDF, one for live links, one for easy distribution and printing. And as always, a plea that you attribute appropriately if you use my work.
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Since Last We Spoke, 5-22-17
Greetings from Ft Sill, OK, where I have been working all weekend. Not much time online, with the exception of hanging around in airports. Still, plenty to read when I checked my feeds– some uplifting, some bleak. And I see that many of you are at Crimes Against Women in Dallas. Hope you all enjoy yourselves, that’s an enjoyable one. For everyone else, here’s what’s caught my eye since last we spoke:
Decidedly not good news for crime victims
We should have listened to the broken teenagers...
No surprise, this
Who should you listen to on abortion?
The impact of poverty on a life (the title alone…)
A deeper dive on the crisis of gun violence (and IPV)
The impact of the current healthcare bill on the lives of children
All I have is heartbreak and rage (and bewilderment that this story isn’t even bigger)
Finally, animation about how early trauma impacts a child’s brain: