Report from the Field-Sandy Hook

We are amazed and humbled by the generosity and caring shown by those in the HAP community. This tragic event has affected not just those in Newtown and Connecticut, but countless people in our nation and around the world.

We have never been more proud to work with the HAP staff and volunteers. In less than a week's time, here is what these amazing people have done and plan to do:

A statewide steering committee - comprised of Carol Martin, Karen Alter-Reid, Don deGraffenried, Hope Payson, Nancy Simons - has been created to assist with developing and determining a coordinated response to this tragedy.
HAP developed materials that were distributed to volunteers and clinicians for their work with victims and others affected by the tragedy.
Valerie Gillies (with Dawn Roy, Linda Rost, Karen Alter-Reid, Cheryl Kenn and Susan Marcus) presented a workshop in Trumbull, Connecticut on December 19, to parents and other concerned adults about strategies to use with children coping with news of the shooting.
HAP conductedseveral workshops.Carolyn Settlepresented a workshop on disaster protocol for children, on January 8 in Stamford, Connecticut. Karen Alter-Reidoffered an EMDR refresher workshop on January 11 in Stamford, Connecticut. Maria Masciandaro presented Recent Traumatic Events Protocol (R-TEP) in Hicksville, New York on January 26 and again on February 22 in New Jersey. Don deGraffenried lead a workshop on working with children who are witnesses of homicide, in early February.
HAP informed local, state and federal officials about the work our volunteers do.
HAP secured a donation for Earth, Air, Water and Fire wristbands that can be used in a grounding exercise; these were distributed with an explanatory card and will be distributed in Newtown and surrounding communities.
The HAP Fairfield County Traumatic Recovery Network (TRN) - led by Karen Alter-Reid and Michael Crouch - met with several EMDR clinicians from the Newtown area and beyond to conduct a needs assessment, and also offered them emotional and informational support, as well as taught them the Earth, Air, Water and Fire grounding technique.

HAP's mission is to build capacity of underserved communities to meet their needs for effective trauma therapy throughout the world. We are not a disaster response organization, but rather, a disaster recovery organization. Though we are responding to the Sandy Hook event this week, HAP is in it for the long haul, and we will be there when other responders have left Newtown. We will provide community mental health education and training to help those who are in need.