Post-Trauma Services Annual Report 2002
Submitted by Joanne Mills


After two year as the Chair of the Post-Trauma Services Committee I have decided to step down to start a new and challenging endeavor - motherhood. With the expectation of my first child in early March and a year long maternity leave to look forward to, I will be leaving the committee in the very capable hands of our new chair, Kevin Rice.

Kevin is new to Halifax and our committee and has volunteered to be our new chair. We welcome Kevin to our community of Psychologists in Nova Scotia and I personally wish him well in his new role as Chair. Other new members this year to our committee included Hans Asche and Barbara Fox, and returning members included Victor Day, Pam Dixon, Charles Hayes, Janice Howes (Disaster Response Coordinator), Joanne Mills, Michael Thomson and Darlene Whitman. We now have a great combination of experience and new energy, which is part of the reason why I believe this committee is so dynamic and effective.

The Post-Trauma Services Committee met five times in 2002 and within that time created a new informational pamphlet and two new informational handouts to be used if need be in the event of a disaster, and published an article in the Nova Scotia Psychologist regarding the controversy surrounding Critical Incident Stress debriefings. Janice Howes, our Disaster Response Coordinator, also attended a mock disaster organized by the Provincial Emergency Measures Organization (EMO). Her expertise was requested by EMO as the organizations debriefed the experience. We are pleased to report that our relationship with EMO is strong and well organized.

I will keep my fingers crossed that 2003 does not bring us a major disaster to contend with, but I feel confident that our committee and provincial network of volunteers is ready and willing to spring to action if necessary. Best of luck to my Post -Trauma colleagues - it's been a pleasure working with you over these past two years.