Description 

Survivor of torture treatment programs have been profoundly impacted by the effects of COVID-19 in many ways and most particularly in the area of staffing. This webinar delves deeply into the challenges of staff morale, staff retention, burnout of staff, and staff resignations faced by survivor of torture treatment programs. A panel of SOT program leadership discuss how they have met these challenges in their own organizations and what practices they have found to increase attracting and hiring staff as well as promoting team building and staff morale and help prevent burnout and resignations. The webinar attendees were encouraged to join the discussion through a question and answer session.

Panelists
Dinali Fernando, MD, MPH, FACEP, Executive Director,  Libertas Center for Human Rights 
Joan Hodges-Wu, MA, LGSW, Founder & Executive Director,  AsylumWorks
Celia VanDeGraaf, MA, Executive Director, Center for Survivors of Torture

Facilitator
Eugene Augusterfer, LCSW, Deputy Director of the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma 

Objectives

1. Identify effective techniques for attracting, hiring, and maintaining staff.
2. Identify specific practices that enhance staff morale, help prevent burnout, and resignations.
3. Identify specific practices that enhance staff team building and group cohesion in a virtual or in-office environment.

Resources and References

Mollica, R.F., Fernando, D.B. & Augusterfer, E.F. Beyond Burnout: Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic Challenges to Self-care. Curr Psychiatry Rep 23, 21 (2021).

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

World Health Organization: “ICD-11 classifies burnout as an occupational condition” .