| Description: | This free 90 minute presentation by Lawrence Palinkas, Ph.D., and Howard Osofsky, MD, Ph.D., provides an overview of the relevant research on mental health effects of similar disasters to the gulf oil spill, review available mental health assessment tools and provide advice on how to treat and refer patients to community resources. Dr. Palinkas is a professor of social work and preventive medicine at University of Southern California and an expert in mental health aspects of extreme environments and situations. His research has included studies of psychosocial adaptation to extreme environments and manmade disasters. Dr. Osofsky is Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and is internationally recognized as a leader for his efforts to help children and families exposed to disasters, violence, terrorism, and warfare. He is the author or editor of several books and has written or co-authored more than 90 papers. |