Reflections on The Champlain Towers South, Surfside Building Collapse

SYMPOSIUM BRUNCH

Presented By: Cassondra L. Feldman, Psy.D.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

9:00 am - 12:00 pm ET

Registration starts at 8:30am ET

Brunch to follow the presentation.

Home of Barbara Lurie, Ph.D., LMFT

Delaire Country Club, 4700 Cherry Laurel Lane, Delray Beach, FL 33445

3 CE Credits

PRESENTATION:

The Champlain Towers South Collapse in Surfside, Florida, claimed the lives of 98 residents and left traumatic loss, grief, and psychological sequelae in its wake. The initial crisis response involved practical, targeted efforts aimed at search and rescue, and providing psychological first aid for victims’ families, witnesses, survivors, and community members. The long-term response consisted of grief counseling and trauma work.

The collapse represented a unique opportunity for implementing an integrated strategy between two distinct groups of responders represented by numerous organizations. Mental health professionals embodied one group whose explicit role was to provide emotional support and containment. The other group comprised search and rescue professionals responsible for actively dismantling the collapsed pile, who ended up in roles requiring they also provide psychological containment. Response efforts were guided by existing frameworks for crisis response and evolved with the changing needs of those impacted. Upon reflecting on the tragedy, it became clear that the mechanisms by which the rescue and mental health response frameworks coalesced and functioned were more implicit and organically synchronous than explicitly coordinated and agreed-upon. This event highlighted the value and utility of integration and interdisciplinary work in responding to these types of disasters. As the rescue and support efforts were implemented, and a unique “Surfside Collapse Community” emerged, key themes became clear and revealed intrinsic links between the first-responder/search and rescue and psychological strategies. Relevant psychodynamic concepts underpinned, and were observed, in the integrated strategy that was utilized.

PRESENTER:

Dr. Cassie Feldman is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Bay Harbor Islands, FL and an adjunct professor in the College of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. She serves on the board of directors as President of The Southeast Florida Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology. She also is an affiliate of Baptist West Kendall Hospital where she is responsible for training residents in the Family Medicine program. Dr. Feldman responded to the Surfside building collapse providing acute services to survivors and victims’ families as a volunteer through Cadena International, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescue, humanitarian aid, and disaster response and prevention worldwide. She also provides ongoing, long-term care to those impacted by the collapse.

OBJECTIVES:

Participants will be able to: 

PRINTABLE BROCHURE: HERE

CONTINUING EDUCATION

 This program, when attended in its entirety, is offered for 3 CE credits. 

SEFAPP is an approved continuing education provider by the Agency for Health Care Administration of the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (BAP #587, expires March 31, 2023). Division 39 is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.  Division 39 maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Division 39 is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities.  SEFAPP and Division 39 are committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to SEFAPP Administrator at (954) 637-3883.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE)

*In order to receive CE credits for this conference, participants must attend the event in full. To receive CE credits, you must arrive no later than 10 minutes of the start time and must stay until the end of the event when a moderator will take a final tally of complete attendance.

CONFIDENTIALITY

*Ensuring the confidentiality of all clinical material presented at our meetings is of the utmost importance to SEFAPP.  Attendance is contingent on an agreement to adhere to the following guidelines: Clinical material must not be discussed outside of the session in which it is presented and furthermore must not be recorded, conveyed, or disseminated in written or electronic form.  Participants must agree to maintain a secure environment to be utilized solely by the registered participant and protected from intrusion by, or exposure to, unauthorized persons.  Presenters of case material must have either obtained informed consent from the patient (or guardian) or taken other carefully considered measures to safeguard confidentiality.  If at any time a participant suspects he or she may recognize the identity of a patient in a case presentation, the participant must leave the session immediately.  Failure to observe these guidelines constitutes a breach of APA’s ethical principles and may be cause for disciplinary and/or legal action.