Center for the Studyof Traumatic Stress2020

CSTS
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) is part of the Department ofPsychiatry in the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) School of Medicine (America’sMedical School). The Center supports USU, the Military Health System (MHS), and theDepartment of Defense (DoD).
Since it was established in 1987, the Center has been working to mitigate the impact oftrauma from exposure to war, disasters, terrorism, community violence, public health threats,and humanitarian operations throughout the nation and across the globe.
The Center’s work encompasses both military and civilian populations, but it focuses on
health issues of special interest to the military, including combat, post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), suicide and suicide-related behavior, and theimpact of death and loss on the families of Service members.
CSTS is comprised of a multi-disciplinary and collaborative team of scientists, educators,clinicians, and leaders who help inform our nation’s policies and responses to the impactsof exposure to trauma from disasters, both human-made and natural. The Center is wellpositioned to rapidly respond to DoD mission-relevant activities. CSTS sustains nationalreadiness, enhances national security, and serves an essential role for the DoD and the nation.
USU
School ofMedicine
Dept ofPsychiatry

CSTS

COVID-19 Response Highlights
In 2020, CSTS was involved with the DoD’s COVID-19 response from the beginning of thepandemic. CSTS Scientists and staff maintained key collaborations with the National Guard
Bureau, the New York National Guard, and New York City, among other entities. The
Center developed COVID-19 knowledge products on critical topics related to COVID-19,
including talking to children about COVID-19, managing grief during the pandemic, andestablishing better sleep patterns while working remotely or in new environments. Inaddition, CSTS was instrumental in helping USU leadership assess the impact of COVID-19
on the workforce through consultation on the USU Operational Resilience survey.
SERVING OUR NATION SINCE 1987

CSTS Mission
The Center provides leadership, education, training, research, scholarship, service, outreach,consultation, and global health engagement. CSTS informs and educates community, regional,state, national, and global stakeholders in government, industry, healthcare, public health,and academia. The Center’s work includes innovative and ground-breaking research thatOurMission
ranges fromthe micro
level in laboratories to the macro level in communities, the nation, andall across the world. CSTS helps to foster community and national resilience, and improve
trauma-related care by preparing treatment providers to address the impact of trauma.
As an integral part of USU, CSTS activities

humanitarian operations. CSTS has been involved

The worksupportof thetheCenter
also:Framework andUSU Strategicin nearly every major disaster our nation hasthe combines
mission of the DoD.
is committed
toexperienced
in thepast 30 years. The Center helps• Uniquelyand CSTS
integrates
militaryanddisasterpsychiatry.
advancing trauma-informed care. We are dedicatedto ensure that behavioral health is addressed in the• Moves sciencefromthe geneto theofcell,organism,tothreats,
the person,
to theto furthering
the nation’s
understanding
the to thefaceof public healthdisaster planningandcommunity.
impactoftrauma
onindividuals,families
anddisasterrecovery.
• Applies state-of-the-art approaches to neuroscience and precision medicine.
communities. The Center is part of our nation’s
Mitigating the effects of disaster and trauma in• Moves fromknowledge
to action.
federal medicalschool (America’sMedical School)
military and civilian populations is part of the effort
at USU and the Center’s mission is aligned with
to foster
community
andpublic
national resilience.
• Helps ensurethat behavioral health is addressedin theface ofhealth The
threats,
the needs of the DoD and the nation, and is wellCenter informs and educates community, regional,
disasterpositioned
planning,anddisasterrecovery.
to rapidly respond to DoD missionstate, national and global stakeholders in government,relevant activities.
The Center’s work includes
a broad range of trauma
exposures: combat,terrorism, naturaland human-madedisasters,
public healththreats,andindustry, healthcare, public health, andacademia. CSTS contributes toadvancing trauma-informedcare by providing
leadership in research,education,training,consultation,globalhealth, andservice.

2017 ANNUAL REPORT | 3

The Center consists of more than 100 people. In 2020, CSTS directed more than
$65 million in funding through a core grant and 15 external grants.
For more information, visit the CSTS website at: www.CSTSonline.org
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, USU

ResearchCSTS research encompasses a broad spectrum both in the laboratory and in the field. All theCenter research is designed to support the Military Health System (MHS) in its efforts toprovide a medically-ready force to Combatant Commands in both peacetime and wartime,
and to deliver integrated, affordable, and high quality health services.
The four core areas of CSTS research are:
• Research on Service members.
• Research on the children and family members of Service members.
• Research in neuroscience and neurobiology.
• Research on disasters and terrorism.
Examples of specific research topics include
the causes of suicide in Service members,
psychological responses to trauma
and disasters, and clinical investigationsof the symptomatology and treatmentof PTSD.

ServiceMembers

Disasters

CoreResearch
Areas

Children&Families

Neuroscience& Neurobiology

Research Highlights in 2020
• In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSTS worked with the National Guard Bureau (NGB)
to help the New York National Guard (NYNG) develop a rapid public health surveillance
assessment to inform NGB leadership and provide recommendations.
• The Center’s Child and Family Program (CFP) consulted with public health organizations
regarding COVID-19 preparedness, and developed a number of child and family informational
resources to address the impact of COVID-19.
• CSTS assisted in the development of an operational assessment of resilience of students andpersonnel working at USU.
SERVING OUR NATION SINCE 1987

Education and Training
The Center provides educational resources to interagency organizations (including DoD andother federal entities) as well as state and local agencies, professional associations, and others.
Center Scientists educate and train USU medical students committed to service in ournation’s Army, Air Force, Navy, and Public Health Service. The Center provides education tointeragency and private sector leaders and other personnel.
The Center advances the field of military and disaster psychiatry through publications,presentations, outreach, and training. CSTS sponsors and participates in conferences,seminars, symposia, workshops, and collaborations with educational and training objectives
across the U.S. and internationally. The Center also educates and expands knowledge
through public health efforts and interventions during and after disasters.
CSTS disseminates educational materials to stakeholders, including healthcare providers,
community leaders, families, first responders, teaching professionals, and policy makers. The
Center creates and disseminates customized, easy-to-read, just-in-time educational fact sheets
to assist stakeholders in effectively managing the adverse effects of traumatic stress throughenhanced preparation and response to disaster events.

Conferences

Symposia

ForumsGraduate
Programs

Education and Training Highlights in 2020
• Transitioned an eight-week Neuroscience and Behavioral Module entirely online; theModule received the ‘Teaching with Technology’ award for this successful transition todistance learning.
• Developed more than 30 new COVID-19-specific facts sheets that were widely disseminatedto other organizations early in the pandemic.
• Provided ongoing consultation and remote training for medical personnel in the Puerto Rico
Veterans Administration healthcare system.
• Provided educational resources and support to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors,
and district branches of the American Psychiatric Association in support of the devastating
wildfires that affected the western United States, as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, USU

Consultation
The Center develops relationships with, and provides consultation to, many agencies andorganizations throughout the DoD and other federal agencies, as well as with state, local,and national agencies, professional associations, and international organizations.
Since its inception, establishing and maintaining consultative relationships have been
cornerstones of CSTS’s work, and include a wide variety of organizations both inside andoutside government, and internationally. These collaborations build bridges that provide
opportunities to contribute Center resources and expertise in the service of others and tomonitor real-time needs of other organizations.

National &International
Activities
MultilateralAgreements
EpidemiologicConsults
Global Health
Initiatives

Consultation Highlights in 2020
• Provided review, input, and consultation on the California Disaster Behavioral Health Plan, at
the request of the State of California.
• Provided valuable contributions to the development of a five-module resilience training
program that was delivered to more than 1,000 personnel within the New York City (NYC)
healthcare system. This was at the request of the NYC Mayor and USNORTHCOM Commander
during the spring COVID-19 surge that affected NYC.
• Completed the second edition of the Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster HealthProfessionals: Disaster Behavioral Health. This was a joint effort between CSTS and theNational Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health.
SERVING OUR NATION SINCE 1987

Knowledge Dissemination
CSTS disseminates knowledge through a variety of means, including:• Publishing research findings in peer-reviewed
scientific journals.
• Publishing books, volumes, and newsletters.
• Making presentations at scientific meetings andconferences, and other events.
• Giving briefings and interviews.
• Developing and disseminating fact sheets.
• Conducting educational campaigns.
• Posting information and other resources on theCSTS website.
• Developing pocket cards to address leader support
for Service member activations during mortuary
affairs and pandemics.

Health Education
Campaigns
Publications
Online Presence
Newsletters
Disaster Education
Fact Sheets

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Knowledge Dissemination Highlights in 2020
• 37 publications.
• 52 presentations at scientific or professional meetings, conferences, and symposia.
• 32 new COVID-19 related fact sheets.
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, USU

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
www.CSTSonline.org