The goal of this presentation is to share what was learned during a critical incident from a non-first responder perspective. Things that were learned are shared as well as insights on how to support those involved. Unfortunately, events such as these have become all too common. But, after the news teams leave to cover the next big event, the communities affected still have a lot of work to heal and try to get back to a sort of normal life. This presentation will talk about how a Behavioral Health department supported the community in the aftermath of the shooting and beyond.
While the backdrop of this presentation is a shooting incident, the presenter will attempt to expand the content to other critical incidents such as natural disasters, fires and pandemics, where large numbers of people are impacted. Ideally, the presentation will provide ideas and strategies that may be used by your own organization to manage future critical incidents.
LECTURE OBJECTIVES
Presenter:
Dr. Wiley completed his Ph.D. in Social Psychology at St. Louis University in 1996 with an emphasis in Psychology in the Law. He worked for four years as a research assistant professor for the Missouri Institute of Mental Health. While there, he worked on a number of projects including the evaluation of a non-violent offender boot camp and the development of a cultural competency plan for the State of Missouri. In 2000, he was hired by the County of Santa Clara’s Department of Alcohol & Drug Services Data Analysis & Evaluation Unit working as a project development specialist. He was promoted to Director of the Unit in 2004, were he remained until late 2007 when we switched departments and was again promoted to Division Director of the Mental Health Departments Learning Partnership. He directed the activities of the Division comprised of three Units, Decision Support (the Department’s research and evaluation unit), Cultural Competency (ensures that cultural needs of the County’s ethnic and racial populations are met by the Department) and Continuous Learning (responsible for staff development and consumer workforce education and training). In May of 2013, he was promoted to Deputy Director of Mental Health Operations were he assisted in the planning, organization and direction through subordinate managers, of the staff and functions of the Department of Mental Health within the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System. As part of the integration of the Mental Health Department and Substance Use Treatment Services (formerly the Department of Alcohol & Drug Services), he was promoted to Deputy Director of the newly formed Behavioral Health Services Department. He was responsible for administration and coordination of departmental service, administrative and performance improvement functions, including budget, business systems, state audits and reviews, and administrative policies and procedures and acts for the Director in his/her absence until he retired in December of 2019.5