21 October 2008 Foundation Course

Foundations of Psychosocial Disaster Management
21 October 2008

 1:00

Welcome
Dr Aaron Groves,Senior Director Mental Health Branch, Queensland Health

1:15

Psychosocial Responses to Traumatic Events
Examines ordinary responses of people to extraordinary situations and within the disaster context. Individual sessions study the reactions of children to traumatic events and the impact of disasters upon special needs groups.
Garry Stevens, Clinical Psychologist, University of Western Sydney and
Dr Aaron Groves, Senior Director Mental Health Branch, Queensland Health

2:15

Break

2:35

Psychological Care
An overview of techniques and issues involved in psychological support including intervention, the ‘do no harm’ principle, and care of psychological support teams.
Stephen Monsiegneur, Senior Project Officer, Mental Health Disaster Preparedness, Mental Health Branch and
Dr Sarb Johal, Clinical Psychologist, Risk and Assurance, New Zealand Ministry of Health

3:35

Break

3:50

The Field Response of Mental Health in Disasters
An examination of the many factors that Psychosocial professionals encounter, and a description of the tools that can be used. This session includes an exercise.
Dr Aaron Groves, Senior Director Mental Health Branch, Queensland Health, Greg Eustace, Principal Advisor - Emergency Management, Queensland Health and Noel Gillard, Director Emergency Management Unit, Queensland Health

4:40

Foundation Course Concludes

22 October 2008 Conference Day 1

9:00

Welcome
Dr Aaron Groves, Senior Director Mental Health Branch, Queensland Health

9:10

Extended Welcome
Professor Beverley Raphael, National Mental Health Disaster Response Committee Chair

9:30

The role of leadership in disasters: The Beaconsfield Experience
Mayor Cr Barry Easther, West Tamar Council

10:15

Case study: The role of media and public communications in minimizing disaster stress -"ABC Local Radio Emergency Coverage: What we learned at Emerald" Stephen McClelland Acting Regional Program Director, ABC Local Radio Queensland

11:00

Break

11:30

Developments around the nation and New Zealand – Part 1
Each State and Territory has 15 minutes to provide an update of their work on integrating mental health into Displans, PPRR activities, guidelines, peer support programs and best practice guides.
Chair: Professor Beverley Raphael, National Mental Health Disaster Response Committee Chair

12:30

Lunch

1:30

Best practice workshops

3:30

Break

4:00

Anticipating the different public responses to disasters

• natural disasters,
• man-made disasters including chemical, biological, radiological and explosive attacks
• multiple, simultaneous attacks (e.g. secondary devices)

Professor Beverley Raphael, National Mental Health Disaster Response Committee Chair and
Garry Stevens, Clinical Psychologist, University of Western Sydney

5:00

Conference Close for Day 1

7:00

Dinner - Brisbane City Hall

23 October 2008 Conference Day 2

9:00

Chair: Athol Yates, Director, Australian Homeland Security Research Centre

9:10

Psychosocial impacts in Hurricane Katrina and lessons for Australia’s disaster managers
Mike Morrison, Emergency Management Consultant, Redlands City Council

9:45

Practical lessons in referrals between those exposed to disasters and clinicians: The Canberra Bushfires experience
Christine Healy, former Director, ACT Bushfire Recovery Centre

10:15

The Social Impact of Equine Influenza and Lessons for the Future
Dr Melanie Taylor, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney

11:00

Break

11:30

Developments around the nation and New Zealand – Part 2
Each State and Territory has 15 minutes to provide an update of their work on integrating mental health into Displans, PPRR activities, guidelines, peer support programs and best practice guides.
Chair: Professor Beverley Raphael, National Mental Health Disaster Response Committee Chair

12:30

Lunch

1:30

Best practice workshops

3:30

Conference Summary
Dr Aaron Groves, Senior Director Mental Health Branch, Queensland Health

4:00

Conference Close and afternoon tea