Panel Discussions
Mass Violence/Gun Violence
Daniel W. Smith, Ph.D.
Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Rochelle F. Hanson, Ph.D.
Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Melissa Brymer, Ph.D., Psy.D.
Program Director, Terrorism and Disaster Program at NCCTS
UCLA School of Medicine and Duke University
Los Angeles, California
Elizabeth Cronin, B.A., Other
Director
NYS Office of Victim Services
Albany, New York
Dean G. Kilpatrick, Ph.D.
Distinguished University Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Sullivans Island, South Carolina
Angela Moreland, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Alyssa A. Rheingold, Ph.D.
Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
The National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC) and National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) focus on identification, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based strategies to prepare and respond to individuals and communities who have experienced traumatic events. This diverse panel, which includes researchers, agency heads, and community members, will share our collective experiences with mass violence incidents (MVI). Panelists were selected based on research expertise, as well as direct experiences in helping communities prepare, respond, and recover from MVIs. The panel begins with a literature review and presentation of data examining behavioral health consequences of MVIs on individuals and communities. These survey data and qualitative interviews were collected across several communities that experienced an MVI (e.g., Parkland, El Paso, Dayton, Newtown) and provided key information on effective ways to prepare for and respond to MVIs, which guides the remainder of the discussion. First, panelists will discuss emergency response planning (i.e., the Readiness Phase), which includes identifying community stakeholders, developing or strengthening relationships among emergency responders, and training strategies to build a behavioral health workforce with expertise in trauma-focused evidence-based interventions (EBIs). The panel will then transition to the Response Phase, reviewing strategies to effectively disseminate critical information and including a review of EBIs for use in the aftermath of an MVI (i.e., Psychological First Aid and Skills for Psychological Recovery). For the Recovery Stage, panelists will discuss specific EBIs that address traumatic grief and other trauma-related behavioral health problems, highlighting those designed to facilitate recovery among individuals experiencing more serious, long-term problems post-MVI. This will include a facilitated, open conversation about EBI adaptations that address unique aspects of MVI-related problems. The panel concludes by sharing lessons learned to guide future efforts to prepare and respond to mass violence and other large scale health emergencies.