When Disaster Strikes: The Role of Social Work

Touro Graduate School of Social Work presents Community Day, Fall 2014 

When Disaster Strikes: The Role of Social Work

4:15 pm

Welcoming Remarks

Allison Bobick, MSW, LCSW
Director of Student Advancement, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work

Steven Huberman, PhD
Dean, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work
President, New York State Social Work Deans Association

4:30 pm

Disaster Mental Health Basics-The Role of Social Work

Donald Decker, LCSW
Director for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Office of Mental Health Disaster Preparedness and Response.

Donald Decker is a licensed clinical social worker and credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor with 30 years of experience as a clinician and administrator.  He currently serves as the Director for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Office of Mental Health Disaster Preparedness and Response.  In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Metropolitan College of New York.

5:00pm

Keynote: Lessons Learned from Sandy Hook School Shooting

Dr. James Halpern
Professor of Psychology and Counseling, Director, Institute for Disaster Mental Health, SUNY New Paltz

Dr. James Halpern, author of Disaster Mental Health: Theory and Practice, has given numerous presentations on trauma and DMH throughout the US and abroad. He has received highly competitive federal and New York State grants to develop curriculum and to provide training and education in DMH. He has consulted for the United Nations on Assisting Victims of Terror and has developed training modules for the United Nations Emergency Preparedness and Support Teams and UN mission leaders.

5:30pm

From Vicarious Trauma to Vicarious Resilience: Taking Care of Ourselves in the Context of Disaster Response

Madelyn Miller, Ph.D., LCSW
Chair – NASW Disaster Trauma Committee

Madelyn Miller is a clinician, educator, and consultant.  She specializes in working with adult survivors of trauma and loss.  Dr. Miller teaches and trains on these issues, and supports the well-being and resourcefulness of colleagues and organizations closely engaged with survivors and their communities.  She is a member of the adjunct faculty at NYU Silver Master’s program.  Dr. Miller has also taught at the International Trauma Studies Program, and at Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work.

6:00pm

Personal Reflections-A Survivor’s Story

Sarri Singer
Founder and Director of Strength to Strength, a Non-For Profit Organization, Assistant Director, Career Services, Touro College

Sarri Singer is the Founder and Director of Strength to Strength, which focuses on bringing together victims of terrorism from around the world and assisting them with long term psychological needs.  She has addressed audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel to share her unique insight into the ongoing challenges for victims of terror in Israel and around the world.

6:30pm

The Media Influence on Anxiety and Panic

Honored Guest: Michael J. Reilly, D.Ph., MPH
Director, Center for Disaster Medicine, Associate Professor, Environmental Health Science, New York Medical Science

Dr. Michael J. Reilly is the Director of the Center for Disaster Medicine and an Associate Professor of Environmental Health Science in the School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College.  Additionally, Dr. Reilly is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

7:00pm 

Q&A 

Closing Remarks

Steven Huberman, PhD 

Dinner will be served. Please RSVP to Francesca Tindal at francesca.tindal@touro.edu