Post-Combat: CE Certification

These classes include a post-test Quiz and the ability to print a CE Certificate

3 Hrs CE credit   John Preston, PsyD, is a faculty member at Alliant International University and is the author of eleven books on various topics including Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists. Dr. Preston is the recipient of the Mental Health Association’s President’s Award for contributions to the mental health community. Dr Preston's Web Lectures present practical and applied strategies for treating PTSD: Empirically validated psychotherapies focusing on - processing of traumatic experiences - reducing nightmares - specific affect management techniques - pharmacology.	6 Hrs CE Credit Claude Munday, PhD has been in private practice in clinical psychology and neuropsychology since 1981, with a specialization in brain injuries and physical disabilities. Dr Munday is a past Director and President of the Brain Injury Association of California and a Director of the California Society for Industrial Medicine and Surgery. The class reviews statistics and epidemiology of TBI, basic classification systems for determining severity, and the standard continuum of care. There will be emphasis on understanding the real world or practical implications of common TBI symptoms to assist the clinician in developing an appropriate treatment plan. The goal of this course is to give a foundation for better understanding the disability flowing from TBI to enable better treatment decisions and proper referrals when appropriate.
5 Hrs CE Credit Robert Grant, PhD, is a consultant and trainer to educational, business, religious, medical, military, relief, missionary and mental health organizations. He works at home and abroad in the areas of trauma, spirituality and cross-cultural issues. As a psychologist he has gone into trauma zones to assess and treat victims, as well as to support professionals working in these locations. Dr Grant's Web lectures cover military culture, essential knowledge in order to gain credibility with veterans, as well as the impact of war, psychologically, morally, interpersonally and spiritually. The material presented also distinguishes between Combat Stress and PTSD and explores sub-clinical presentations of PTSD. Finally, Dr. Grant deals in depth with special issues such as the physically injured, traumatic brain injuries, substance abuse, working with families and loved ones, and negotiating military sponsored aftercare.	1.5 Hrs CE Credit Elinor Robert, JD is the Director of Legal Services for Swords to Plowshares, a community based non-profit which provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing, and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ms. Roberts, an attorney with extensive experience as a policy advocate on issues related to trauma, will clarify the legal and administrative environment which clinicians must understand in order to work effectively with returning Veterans. The class focuses on treatment reporting requirements, confidentiality of clinical notes and records, and questions of operational readiness -- three important areas in which specific obligations are an inherent part of the military healthcare system. Special requirements are described clearly and succinctly, and sources of assistance are identified for situations in which procedures are unclear.
Bridging the Communication Gap with Web Stories An understanding of military culture is essential for mental health professionals who wish to gain credibility and to appreciate an individual’s post-combat experience. Simply knowing the language allows a more natural communication, uninterrupted by the need to intepret or clarify. Cultural and linguistic awareness is needed across the behavioral service spectrum -- for psychologists at DoD Hospitals, rehab specialists at the VA, interns in both systems, and clinicians working at community-based facilities or private practice. Web Stories: Military Talk focus on language and culture by presenting special terms and jargon within the narrative context of real stories told by veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Watching and listening to each Web Story provides a double learning, through the depiction of a way of life, as well as a practical vocabulary lesson with functional definitions hyperlinked to key terminology. Four Web Stories are available online now: Loss of Decorum E-3, Seaman, US Navy      A story involving sexual assault and follow-up procedures Routine Arrest Unknown, US Marines      Description of daily patrol duty out in the villages of Iraq Letter of Commendation EO3-SCWS, U.S. Navy      A body recovery story, a duty often described as more traumatic than combat Outside the Wire (Compiled from Blogs)      An IED blast changes a soldier internally and externally The Web Stories are about five minutes long, with a narrator/storyteller and pictures. The military words and phrases are listed as they are spoken. Each one is presented in segments, pausing at intervals for the listener to select new terms to explain. A Quiz is available at the end, with realistic dialogue to test what’s been learned While stories can never replace direct experience, serious efforts at mutual understanding can help build good working relationships. Web Stories: Military Talk is designed to be part of that larger effort, adding a compelling, human quality to the Certificate Program in Post-Combat Behavioral Health.