Welcome to the CPA Traumatic Stress Section website. The website has been designed to provide useful up-to-date information to professionals and the broader public on all the aspects related to the trauma and human psychology.

 

I welcome your participation in building and expanding the network of professionals in their quest for discovering and providing the most effective help to people individually and to community at large. I invite you to give us your feedback and to advise us of any related news, upcoming events, job listings and recent publications.

 

I would also like to extend my sincere best wishes to people whose life has been tragically affected by a traumatic event, directly or indirectly. I encourage you to learn more about the issue, to seek professional help and to navigate your way using the information provided on the website.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact any of the executive committee members of CPA TSS as we remain committed to serving your needs and interests. Thank you for visiting our website.

 

Kind regards,

 

Alain Brunet, Section Chair

The purpose of the Traumatic stress section is to promote  evidenced-based mental health assessment and treatment, educate the public about the importance of appropriate traumatic stress treatment and research, and actively encourage the involvement of appropriate public and private sector agencies in the development of effective policies and procedures to address the psychological effects of traumatic stress within the Canadian population.

Specific goals of the section are to:

1. Promote evidence-based mental health care for trauma survivors;
2. Promote best-practice assessment protocols for use with trauma survivors;
3. Advocate for research funding for the psychosocial consequences of disaster, interpersonal violence, industrial and transportation accidents, medical trauma, emergency work, military, and other types of trauma to which the Canadian public is exposed;
4. Advocate for populations particularly vulnerable to traumatic stress through their status as disabled, e.g., First Nations, refugees, new immigrants;
5. Advocate with both government and private third-party insurers for more inclusive coverage of effective interventions for the psychological consequences of traumatic stress;
6. Inform the Canadian public about the prevalence, economic effects and psychological science pertinent to traumatic stress;
7. Promote discussion of trauma research and related issues through participation in programming the annual CPA convention, section newsletters, and electronic media;
8. Endeavour to facilitate the development of emergency planning in Canada through such measures as public education, promotion of appropriate training for psychosocial interventions, and of lists of trained volunteer psychologists;
9. Establish information exchanges with other national and international associations involved with traumatic stress issues.