Trauma Spectrum Disorders: Reintegrating America's Returning Warriors

Much attention is given to returning veterans with war-induced syndromes such as PTSD. An estimated 10-20 percent of returning soldiers have PTSD. The experiences of the other 80-90 percent are not as well understood, including whether their experiences are clinically significant or indicative of psychosocial problems. There is a growing body of literature on subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder, but little empirical evidence on subthreshold PTSD and its implications. Reliance on diagnostic models of psychiatric disorders has led to a lack of investigation of the posttraumatic sequelae that does not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and has limited the way clinicians interact with returning veterans. This class will discuss the subtle aspects of coming home from a war zone, the nature of sub-clinical presentation of PTSD, and what social workers should be attuned to with respect to returning warriors. Intimate stories from real cases and COL Yarvis’ own war-time experiences will be used to explore the challenges associated with caring for warriors and their families when the warrior comes home with so-called war-induced trauma spectrum disorders, military sexual trauma, moral injuries, substance use disorders, intimacy and communication concerns, and re-adjustment issues to the family, the workplace, and to campus. Issues particular to female veterans will be addressed. The key role of social workers will be discussed. Finally, social justice and social impact issues will be considered.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Social workers who take this class will be able to:

1. Describe the impact and opportunities for prevention of subtle trauma presentations.  
2. Describe the impact of returning soldiers to garrison, the civilian workplace, and college campuses and how colleagues identify and respond to subtle indicators in a veteran’s behavior.  
3. Identify the relevance of sub-clinical and subtle presentations in returning veterans with respect to comorbid medical and psychological conditions.  
4. Describe the extent to which intimate communication is necessary when reintegrating warriors to their families.

Colonel Jeffrey S. Yarvis, PhD, MSW, MEd, MSEL, MSS, LCSW, BCD, ACSW

COL (US Army, retired) Jeffrey “Jeff” S. Yarvis, is currently a high-reliability organization functional subject matter expert and executive leader coach to the Veterans Health Administration High Reliability Organization Support Team and contractor to the Veterans Health Administration Office of Healthcare Transformation, Pharos Group Inc. & Victory Leadership Consulting, LLC., and Senior Professor of Practice at the Tulane University School of Social Work. He is a 35-year veteran leader in student/soldier affairs, executive medicine, clinician, life-long educator, and highly published social work and military scholar in the field of psychological trauma. Awards include: 2022 NASW Pioneer, 2022 Outstanding Faculty Award-Tulane University, 2021 Researcher of the Year-Texas A&M University-Central Texas, 2015 DiversityMBA.org-Top 50 Executives Under 50, 2008 Uniformed Social Worker of the Year, 2007 US Army Social Worker of the Year, 1997 ISTSS Mental Health Professional of the Year, Military Alpha Designator as a Professor & Military Scholar in Social Work, the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge, the Legion of Merit, Order of Military Medical Merit, and Fellow of the APA. COL Yarvis was the first Army Social Worker to Command a Combat Support Hospital, Medical Brigade, and Hospital Center. His latest publication is a new Oxford University Press book Combat Social Work: Applying the Lessons of War to the Realities of the Human Services with co-authors Charles Figley and Bruce Thyer. COL Yarvis is a founding member of the Fordham University International Military Social Work Working Group and Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Social Service and is a contributor to the group’s book Military Social Work Around the Globe published in December 2022.

Class fees are listed below:

• Full Tuition - $90
• GSS Alumni - $75
• Current Field Instructor - $75
• Current Adjunct Faculty - $75
• SWHPN Member - $75
• 3+ members registering from one agency - $60 per registration
• Non-Fordham Current MSW or Social Work PhD Student - $60
• Veterans - $60
• Fordham Faculty and Staff - $60
• Current Fordham MSW or PhD Student - $45
• Fordham Alumni Palliative Care Fellow - $45
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellowship Field Instructor/Career Mentor - $45
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellow or Montefiore Fellow - $0

Continuing Education Hours

Completion of this class will result in the receipt of three (3) continuing education hours. CEHs are not awarded for partial completion of the class.

You will receive the Zoom link for joining the class by the day before the class. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE LINK BY THIS TIME, PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER. 

You will need a computer and a reliable WiFi connection. The computer may be a desktop or a laptop. It may be an Apple or Windows computer.

If you have never used Zoom before, you will likely be prompted to download an applet, which is a small program that allows Zoom to communicate with your computer. This is safe and you will need to do this to join the class.

It is NOT advised that you participate using a table (e.g., an iPad) or a cellular phone. The software is not optimized for these devices.

Please plan to join the online class 15 minutes before the start time to be sure that you don’t have any problems connecting. We cannot provide technical support to you and refunds won’t be offered if you have technical problems. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact us at [email protected] at least a few days before the class.