SMCS honors emergency medical services teams

Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS) honored 70 local emergency medical staff and volunteers last week in celebration of Emergency Medical Services Week, May 17th – 23rd.
http://www.springfieldmed.org/SpringfieldMedicalCareSystems/News/tabid/78/id/803/SMCS-Honors-Emergency-Medical-Services-Teams.aspx

SMCS Honors Emergency Medical Services Teams Posted on 5/22/2015 Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS) honored 70 local emergency medical staff and volunteers, on Tuesday, May 19th, at the Crown Point Country Club, in celebration of Emergency Medical Services Week, May 17th – 23rd. “First and foremost, we want to recognize and thank each of you for the work you do, putting yourself on the line day and night as first responders, in serving the emergency needs of our residents,” commented Tim Ford, Chief Executive Officer of SMCS. He continued, “You provide a valuable service and, on behalf of the SMCS organization and our communities, we want to thank you and your families for your dedication to responding to the calls for emergency services.” After dinner, a presentation entitled “Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building a Healthy Community,” was provided by Dr. Adam Ameele, Director of SMCS Behavioral Health Services, and Bill Brown, MA, CMHC, HCRS Adult Outpatient Services. Dr. Ameele commented, “Our goal, through this discussion, is to share information about developmental trauma and the role it may play for adults and children in the situations you face in your emergency response situations. The role trauma and toxic stress play in brain development, and their impact on an individual’s response mechanisms later in life, can be an important consideration in emergency response situations. It is equally important as we work to improve the health of our residents, the area’s workforce, and our communities.” SMCS is partnering with several local organizations with a mission to “Build a healthy community using trauma-informed prevention, education and consultation.” One important piece of this work includes reaching out to local behavioral health professionals and EMS teams to share information about developmental trauma as a first step in developing community-wide partnerships and collaboration in this effort. Future goals include additional community outreach to build awareness for developmental trauma and its effects, and to encourage healthy growth and opportunities for area residents. Sports and music were discussed as examples of programs that make strong contributions to healthy communities. For more information about the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) workgroup or to participate in this effort, please contact Anna Smith at Springfield Medical Care Systems, 802-885-7621 or e-mail annasmith@springfieldmed.org, or Trevor Hanbridge of the SMCS Community Health Team at 802-886-8998 or e-mail thanbridge@springfieldmed.org.