In late May, Faithful Response and Lutheran Disaster Response of New York sponsored a seminar on Comprehensive Acute Traumatic Stress Management (CATSM). The CATSM workshops were well attended by members of the mental health community, local hospitals and members from the Suffolk and Nassau counties police and fire departments and Emergency Medical Services. The day-long workshop was designed to help first-responders and the mental health community understand the effects trauma has on its victims. A better understanding can gives responders the skills they need to help victims get through an immediate crisis.

"This course was the first in the series of lectures sponsored by LDRNY, Faithful Response and Nassau County's Office of Emergency Management. The second workshop, scheduled for early November, will build on these basic skills by introducing the next level of more advance intervention techniques," said Michael Arcari, Faithful Response Director. All techniques learned in these workshops were demonstrated in an interactive role-playing that will include many of the attendees.