SESSION NAME: Traumatic Bereavement Task Force (TBTF)
Session Date /Time: Saturday – December 07, 2002; 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Attendees: Wendy Silverman, Stephanie Handel, Sandra Kaplan, Bob Pynoos, Robin Goodman, Robin Gurwitch, Robert Macy, Chip Schreiber, Matt
Kliethermes, Lucy Berliner, Judy Cohen, Elissa Brown, Dottie Ward-Wimmer, Debra Carr, Deborah Lott, Carrie Seslow, Carrie Epstein,
Barbara Boat, Alise Sochaczewski, Lisa Amaya-Jackson, Tony Mannarino
Notes by: Thérèse Murdza
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
Task Force has been working together since October 2001
Initial activities included modifying treatment manuals and trainings
History of TBTF in NY following 9/11.
Activities Post-9/11 collaborations among task force members have
intrinsically linked “trauma” and “bereavement”; work of Elissa Brown
and Robin Goodman described as an example of combining field work
and research, science and direct service)
The Evolving Concept Discussion re place of Traumatic Bereavement in PTSD field; interplay
of “Traumatic of trauma and grief
Bereavement” TBTF is position to provide guidelines and bring attention to this field;
opportunity to inform the national PTSD agenda
Discussion re focus on epidemiology and the need to gather evidence- Robin Gurwitch to look at aging down the Expanded Grief
based data Inventory
Focus of the TBTF Discussion re looking at school-based models and those models TBTF to include a representative from the Cleveland site re
involving parents on site at clinics suicide (to be assigned)
Reminder that TBTF can utilize Network members with different Wendt Center is available to contribute to evidence-based
expertise in different child developmental levels data
Discussion about making assessments available to the wider groups
(example: Expanded Grief Inventory)
Discussion re experience of mass casualty events; TBTF will have a
dialogue with the Terrorism and Disaster Branch
Discussion re suggested next steps: define Traumatic Bereavement;
develop a common language
Discussion re education about Traumatic Bereavement while waiting
for more evidence-based data
TBTF will create two subcommittees: 1) to look at forwarding a Subcommittee re definition of Traumatic Bereavement has
Next Steps definition of Traumatic Bereavement through the creation of a “state been formed. Robin Goodman to take the lead in creating
of field” paper and 2) to gather instruments and measures toward a SIP for the group. The following people to be active in the
gathering evidence-based data re children’s experience of traumatic subcommittee: Robin Goodman, Matt Kliethermes, Carrie
bereavement Epstein, Robert Macy, Dottie Ward-Wimmer
Subcommittee re traumatic bereavement epidemiology has
been formed. Lisa Amaya-Jackson to take the lead in
creating a SIP for the group. The following people to be
active in the subcommittee: Elissa Brown, Carrie Epstein,
Stephanie Handel; Lisa Amaya-Jackson.
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