Survivors and Experts Available for Interview

Washington, DC (August 21, 2006) - As news reports of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, re-traumatization, substance abuse, and violence call attention to psychological trauma as a serious, growing public health issue, the upcoming anniversaries of Hurricane Katrina and 9-11 provide an alarming and somber look at how disaster, terrorism, war, and violence are impacting our health and well-being.

Witness Justice, in collaboration with the U.S. House Bi-partisan Caucus on Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery, is hosting a national issue briefing-in partnership with consumer groups and experts from a broad range of interest areas (e.g. mental health, crime victim, veteran affairs, child abuse, disaster preparedness, and more)-to highlight trauma as a "common denominator" of all violence and disaster victims that has extremely destructive-but virtually ignored-mental health, substance abuse, and economic effects on individuals, families, and communities across the nation.

Date, Time, Location

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006
8:30 am - 9:30 am (meet & greet breakfast starting at 8:00 am)
B339 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

Confirmed Speakers

• Thomas J. Berger, Ph.D., Chair, PTSD & Substance Abuse Committee, Vietnam Veterans of America (Vietnam War veteran-decorated for valor and bravery-and expert on the traumatic impact of war on veterans and their families)
• Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI), Co-chair, Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus (will address the "psychological Kevlar" of soldiers and their families, as well as the need for long-term support in healing from trauma, in general)
• LaVerne D. Miller, Esq., Director, HTH Peer Advocacy Center (led successful peer support initiative following 9-11 and chairs a committee to develop a similar model for survivors of disaster like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; will address common experiences following disaster and strategies that can be helpful in healing from trauma)
• A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed., Director, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (an expert on the topic of trauma with over 25 years of related experience; formerly worked with the military and as a victim service provider and advocate for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence; will talk about what we have learned about working with survivors of trauma, what we know about trauma, and how we address trauma moving forward)
• Roberta Roper, Founder, Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center (f/k/a Stephanie Roper Committee & Foundation), and Chair, Maryland State Board of Victim Services (survivor of murdered daughter; will speak about her own experience and common struggles that crime victims face in the aftermath of trauma)
• David L. Shern, Ph.D., President and CEO, National Mental Health Association (formerly Director of the National Center for the Study of Issues in Public Mental Health; will speak to the "Nature or Nurture?" question, as well as to the human, social, and economic costs of trauma)

Please RSVP to Helga West at 301-846-9111 or info@witnessjustice.org.

Witness Justice is hosting the briefing in collaboration with the U.S. House Bi-partisan Caucus on Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery. The briefing is sponsored by Witness Justice and co-sponsored by:

• Andrus Children's Center
• Anna Foundation (sexual abuse trauma)
• Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
• Boat People SOS
• Kent Center for Human & Organizational Development
• National Center on Family Homelessness
• National Mental Health Association
• Stop the Silence, Inc. (child sexual abuse prevention/treatment)
• Vietnam Veterans of America

Other Confirmed Supporters

• American Probation and Parole Association
• American Public Health Association
• American Society of Adult Abuse Professionals and Survivors
• Artemis Center for Alternatives to Domestic Violence
• Center for Gender and Justice
• Child Welfare League of America
• Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women
• ElderServe, Inc.
• Family Non-Violence Inc.
• Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
• FORGE
• International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
• Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center (f/k/a Stephanie Roper Foundation & Committee)
• Mental Health Liaison Group (represents 53 national organizations that lobby on mental health services and/or research; includes Alliance for Children and Families, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health, National Association of School Psychologists, and Suicide Prevention Action Network USA)
• Missouri Institute of Mental Health
• National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor-run Organizations
• Montgomery County (MD) Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families, Inc.
• National Consortium for African American Children (NCAAC)
• National Consortium of Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) Programs
• National Education Association
• National Empowerment Center, Inc.
• National Foster Parent Association
• National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, Inc.
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center
• National Sleep Foundation
• National Trauma Consortium
• Sidran Institute
• Therapeutic Communities of America
• United Way of America

Witness Justice is a national, grassroots nonprofit organization created by survivors for survivors. Our mission is to empower and assist victims of violent crime and their loved ones in healing from trauma and in navigating the criminal justice processes. Witness Justice provides direct services for victims across the country, offering support regardless of where a victim lives, when or where the crime occurred, or whether the crime was ever reported. For more information, please visit us at www.WitnessJustice.org.