Panel Discussions
Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders and Disasters
Cynthia Yamokoski, Ph.D.
PTSD Mentoring Program, Associate Director
National Center for PTSD
Kent, Ohio
Allison C. Aosved, ABPP, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Intensive Virtual EBP Team
US Department of Veteran Affairs, Phoenix
Honolulu, Hawaii
Heather Flores, Psy.D.
Program Manager
VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System
Cleveland, Ohio
Jeremy A. Fowler, Psy.D.
Licensed clinical psychologist, Clinical Lead of the Accelerated PTSD Treatment (APT) program
US Department of Veterans Affairs
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri
The need to adjust service delivery models rapidly to respond to the changing environment is essential during emergencies and disasters. The ability to continue to treat mental health conditions while simultaneously offering the needed support and structure patients may need is an important goal. Over the last two years, virtual intensive outpatient programs to treat posttraumatic stress disorder have been implemented at numerous medical centers to address service needs of individuals with PTSD during the pandemic. These programs that are based upon massed delivery of PTSD evidence-based psychotherapies (i.e., Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy) and are designed to require minimal additional resources over and above the time required to deliver weekly evidence-based psychotherapy protocols. These programs are effective, accelerate outcomes, improve drop-out rates, and integrate support, but there are numerous additional benefits emerging from clinical experiences and early program evaluation data. Panelists will address the additional benefits including: flexibility in delivery options to meet the needs of patients and treatment teams (e.g., more rapid episode of care if patients or providers have limited time and hold uncertainty about impact of emergency/disaster on future resources), addressing barriers to care that existed both prior to and during the pandemic (e.g., stigma, support, travel, caregiving roles), providing access to care to under-served populations, improving staff morale and team-based care, and options to rapidly respond to changing circumstances. Panelists will also share experiences implementing new programs during the pandemic and offer recommendations for other sites of care interested in developing new options.