NW3C asked to provide staff Elizabeth Strong to present at the National Fusion Center Association Conference (NCFA) on a topic called, "A Hidden Workplace Hazard: The Importance of Managing Stress in Fusion Centers" in collaboration iwth Trevor Knight, Senior Investigative Intelligence Analyst with the District of Columbia Fusion Center. The presentation is described as, "Fusion center personnel respond to or assist in the investigation of critical incidents and acts of terror, living these moments as they unfold, before reliving them for days or weeks on end, whether collecting physical evidence, collecting evidence of online threats to public safety, or scouring the depths of the Internet to identify malicious actors intent to do harm to their communities and the nation. The lived trauma and vicarious trauma experienced by fusion center staff are not limited to critical incidents and acts of terror--analysts and investigators provide case support to investigations of homicides, shootings, sexual assaults, and child abuse--yet the injuries they sustain are no less significant.
This type of trauma exposure, known as secondary traumatic stress or vicarious traumatization, is an unpredictable and sometimes unavoidable workplace hazard for fusion center personnel. Like exposure to other workplace hazards, trauma exposure has an additive effect. Many exposures are brief and may seem minor but can slowly accumulate until illness or injury leads to a negative outcome, which can be as severe as, if not worse than, a major traumatic event.
This session has three key goals:
To provide attendees a basic understanding of resources that are available now, as well as resource gaps that can and should be filled, so that we can effectively support fusion center personnel and facilitate healing and recovery.
To emphasize the importance of critical incident stress management and other tools available to help prevent acute traumas from developing into chronic, potentially debilitating, conditions.
To detail and discuss current efforts within the National Network of Fusion Centers to advance mental health and wellness within each center.
Please check the box next to the following questions if the answer is 'yes'.
Please enter the applicable Event Date if there is an Event associated with this TTA.
When entering an Event Date, the Time is also required.
If the TTA is targeted to a particular audience or location, please complete the questions below.
Milestones are an element, activity, work product, or key task associated with completing the TTA (e.g. kick-off meeting, collect data from stake holders, deliver initial data analysis).
Please complete the fields below, if applicable, to create a milestone for this TTA.
Please respond to the Performance Metrics below. The Performance Metrics questions are based on the TTA Type indicated in the General Information section of the TTA.
Please submit a signed letter of support from your agency’s executive or other senior staff member. The letter can be emailed to or uploaded with this request. The letter should be submitted on official letterhead and include the following information:
- General information regarding the request for TTA services, i.e., the who, what, where, when, and why.
- The organizational and/or community needs specific to the request for TTA services.
- The benefits or anticipated outcomes from the receipt of TTA services.
By submitting this application to BJA NTTAC, I understand that upon approval of this application for TTA, the requestor agrees to keep BJA NTTAC informed of any circumstances that may impact the delivery of the TTA, including changes in the date of the event, event cancellation, or difficulties communicating with the assigned TTA provider.
Please call [site:phone] if you need further assistance completing this application.