A study conducted by NATA found that 82% of members surveyed felt they were not prepared to deal with psychological impact of catastrophic events.
In 2014, the NATA Board of Directors approved the development of a peer-to-peer support program to assist members in the aftermath of a critical incident or catastrophic event. The program, ATs Care, will offer training opportunities to athletic trainers from a leading organization in crisis management training. The training will enable members to enhance their knowledge of crisis intervention in order to equip them to support their peers in the aftermath of a critical incident.
ATs Care will also offer materials to educate NATA members about the psychological impact a critical incident can have on their personal and professional lives.
ATs Care will provide the following support:
Pre-Event - Provide athletic trainers and collegiate athletic training students with educational materials about critical incidents, post-traumatic stress and the effects of each in the workplace and in one’s personal life.
Training - Offer training to ATs and athletic training students at national, district and potentially state meetings and create a network of athletic trainers trained in psychological first-aid.
Post-event Assessment - Provide psychological and emotional support to athletic trainers through phone calls, on-scene assessment support, demobilization intervention, post-incident defusing or one-on-one interaction, group debriefings and follow-up.
For more information on the ATs Care program, you can read the feature that begins on page 21 in the July NATA News.
The tentative program launch is spring 2017. If you have questions or would like more information about becoming a peer support provider, contact Katie Scott in the executive department.
NATA- ATs Care from National Athletic Trainers' Assn on Vimeo.
