Columbine High School shooting survivor among keynote speakers
Franciscan Health Crown Point is hosting a two-day trauma symposium aimed at helping attendees understand trauma in its various forms.
“Understanding the connections between physical trauma and psychological trauma and how the two impact one another can lead to better outcomes for patients, families, healthcare professionals, first responders and the entire community,” said Franciscan Health Crown Point Manager of Trauma and Injury Prevention Jennifer Homan, RN MSN CPSTI. “Franciscan Health Crown Point is proud to bring these professionals together to address and discuss these issues.”
The symposium is designed for healthcare professionals, first responders, students and anyone interested in learning more about addressing trauma-related issues.
The event includes presentations from trauma survivors, information on the development of the Indiana Department of Health’s trauma system, managing pelvic fractures, treating the entire family, motivational interviewing, adverse childhood experiences, managing severe traumatic brain injury and more.
The keynote speaker for day one of the symposium is Columbine High School massacre survivor Heather Martin. Martin was just two days shy of her 18th birthday during her senior year at Columbine when she found herself barricaded in a small office for three hours until a SWAT team rescued her and other students during the school shooting. She was physically uninjured, but the effects of the trauma she experienced continued to impact her for years to follow.
Now the co-founder of The Rebels Project, named for the Columbine mascot, Martin seeks to support survivors of trauma resulting from school shootings and other traumatic incidents.
The keynote speaker for day two of the symposium is Dottie Davis. Davis began her career in law enforcement in 1981 with the Fort Wayne Police Department where she served for nearly 32 years. Davis implemented the Crisis Intervention Team with the Fort Wayne Police Department to better serve individuals in a mental health crisis with dignity and respect. Davis received several awards from the National Alliance on Mental Illness in recognition of her accomplishments.
The Trauma Symposium is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Franciscan Health Crown Point Marian Education Center, 1201 S. Main St. in Crown Point. The cost is $50 for one day, $100 for both days and includes continental breakfast, hot lunch and mid-session snacks.
Registration is due by Oct. 18 and is available online. For more information, contact Marissa Adcock at (219) 488-1380 or Marissa.Adcock@franciscanalliance.org.
