An Evidence-based Approach to Understanding and Addressing Vicarious Trauma in Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, and Victim Assistance and Emergency Medical Services Providers.

Northeastern University (Boston, MA), in collaboration with IACP and other partners, is seeking pilot sites to participate in a national-scope project to implement and evaluate a toolkit addressing vicarious trauma. The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit (VTT) Project, funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), was born out of the critical need to address vicarious trauma in first responders who offer support to victims of crime and are routinely exposed to violent traumatic events. The VTT will be an online repository of tangible tools and resources collected from a nationwide survey of first responder agencies.

Pilot sites are now being sought to test-drive the Toolkit to ensure that it meets the intended purpose of providing a practical resource for agencies to identify and respond to vicarious trauma experienced by law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS) providers, victim assistance professionals, and other first responders.

More information, including the pilot site application form, can be found at: http://www.northeastern.edu/iuhrp/projects/current/vicarious-trauma-toolkit-vtt/. The deadline for applications is October 22, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

You may also review the original post on the IACP Blog for more information at http://theiacpblog.org/2014/09/09/call-for-pilot-sites-national-vicarious-trauma-toolkit/.