The CA WHS Wellness and Resilience Series continues! In this one hour virtual presentation, Sandra Shields will review and discuss the current mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in mass violence incidents.  She will also present two sets of tools emergency managers can use to improve their disaster response plans including the California Disaster Behavioral Health Plan (2020)  as well as tools for Mass Violence Response planning from the DOJ Office of Victims of Crime Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism Toolkit.   

Sandra Stark Shields, LMFT, LPCC, ATR-BC has 30+ years of experience as an Emergency Manager and Disaster Mental Health responder. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the MAP- Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization program at Antioch University - Los Angeles where she teaches PSY 5711 – Disasters, Mass Violence, and Psychological First Aid. She is also currently working as a disaster behavioral health Subject Matter Expert (SME) contractor with Constant Associates, Inc. She also serves as the disaster behavioral health SME to the California Public Health and Medical Emergency Operations Manual (EOM) workgroup. 

Sandra recently retired as a Senior Disaster Services Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Office of Administrative Operations - Disaster Services Unit where she was responsible for the disaster mental health response planning for the department. She spent 21 years with the County and held two previous Senior Staff positions in the Department of Health Services - EMS Agency, Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program (2004-2016) and the County Office of Emergency Management (2001-2004). Prior to working for the County, Sandra spent 10 years working for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region as the Associate Director of Planning and Preparedness and Supervisor of Disaster Mental Health where she remains as a leadership disaster mental health volunteer. Sandra is the immediate past Chair of the California Disaster Mental Health Coalition as a representative of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).

Sandra has a B.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine and an M.A. in Clinical Art Therapy/Marriage and Family Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC).