Conference Opening
| Monday, March 4, 2024 |
| 8:30 AM - 10:25 AM |
| JW Grand Ballroom |
Overview
8:30am - 8:40am
Welcome to Country
8:40am - 8:55am
Official Welcome, Housekeeping and Lived Experience Acknowledgement
Tara J Lal AFSM, Senior Firefighter and Peer Support Officer, Fire and Rescue NSW, Researcher, University of New England & Conference Chair
8:55am - 10:25am
Keynote Pan-Shop - Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Moderator: Tara J Lal AFSM, Senior Firefighter and Peer Support Officer, Fire and Rescue NSW, Researcher, University of New England & Conference Chair
Keynote Panelist: Dr Nikki Jamieson, Specialist Advisor - Suicide Prevention, and Founder, Moral Injury Australia
Keynote Panelist: Professor Zachary Steel, Chair of Trauma & Mental Health, UNSW & St John of God Health Care
Keynote Panelist: Associate Professor Jacqueline Drew, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University
Keynote Panelist: Chaplain Rob Sutherland CSC, Principal Veterans’ Chaplain, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Speaker
Associate Professor Jacqueline Drew
Associate Professor
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University
Keynote Pan-Shop. Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Abstract
This panel will raise awareness and understanding of suicide and moral injury among first responders, exploring the unique challenges they face, and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to support and intervention.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Biography
Dr Jacqueline Drew is an Associate Professor with the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University. Jacki has over 20 years of experience in law enforcement, as a practitioner and researcher. Jacki began her career in law enforcement with the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Jacki’s work focuses on police organisational practice and experiences of police personnel, specifically the areas of police mental health, suicide, police leadership, career paths of women police and recruitment and retention. Jacki has been awarded an Australian Research Council (Linkage) Grant, working with the Queensland Police Commissioner, to develop a workplace health and wellbeing early warning system to improve the mental health and wellbeing of police personnel. Jacki works internationally with law enforcement in the United States (US), she is a lead investigator on a national (US) biennial survey research program with the National Fraternal Order of Police focused on police wellbeing.
Dr Nikki Jamieson
Specialist Advisor - Suicide Prevention
Founder, Moral Injury Australia
Keynote Pan-Shop. Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Abstract
This panel will raise awareness and understanding of suicide and moral injury among first responders, exploring the unique challenges they face, and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to support and intervention.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Biography
Dr Nikki Jamieson is a suicidologist, author, researcher and AASW registered social worker in Australia. Nikki’s interest in military suicide and moral injury, was born from lived experience and has led to pioneering research on moral injury and suicide, several publications, a book and national and international keynotes and workshops.
Nikki is an established leader in suicide prevention and moral injury, and has worked strategically within suicide prevention across a range of government departments including DVA, Health, Education and more recently for the Department of Defence where she currently holds a key role in suicide prevention.
Tara J Lal AFSM
Senior Firefighter, Peer Support Officer, and Researcher
Fire and Rescue NSW and University of New England
Keynote Pan-Shop. Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Abstract
This panel will raise awareness and understanding of suicide and moral injury among first responders, exploring the unique challenges they face, and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to support and intervention.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Biography
Tara is a professional firefighter and peer support officer with Fire and Rescue NSW and a researcher at the University of New England. Her doctoral thesis for which she was awarded an Australian Rotary Health scholarship explored the impact of suicide on firefighters and is currently under examination. She is also the internationally published author of Standing on My Brother’s Shoulders – Making peace with grief and suicide. Tara has managed the psychological wellbeing program in Fire and Rescue NSW and has worked with researchers at the Black Dog Institute to implement programs aimed at building resilience and improving mental health outcomes in firefighters. She is also a registered physiotherapist and was a finalist in the Rotary Inspirational Woman of the Year awards in 2017. She was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2022 for her work supporting the mental health and prevention of suicide in firefighters. She is also an ambassador for Fortem Australia and StandBy Support After Suicide.
Her mission is to embed the voice of lived experience into translational research practices to co-create knew knowledge in the frontline mental health and wellbeing sector. Tara passionately believes that it is only through true collaboration which respects and equally values the experiences of all that we can effect meaningful change at individual, organisational and community level.
Professor Zachary Steel
St John of God Chair of Trauma and Mental Health
UNSW & St John of God Health Care
Keynote Pan-Shop. Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Abstract
This panel will raise awareness and understanding of suicide and moral injury among first responders, exploring the unique challenges they face, and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to support and intervention.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Biography
Professor Zachary Steel holds the St John of God Chair of Trauma and Mental Health, a partnership between Richmond and Burwood Hospital in NSW and the Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health at University of New South Wales. He has more than 30 years’ experience as a researcher and clinician with a focus on the impact of trauma on veterans, first responders, frontline workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and civilian populations. He is also the immediate past president of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (2019-2021) and is on the Board for the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS).
Chaplain Rob Sutherland, CSC
Principal Veterans’ Chaplain
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Keynote Pan-Shop. Empowering Frontline Resilience: Tackling Moral Injury Together
Abstract
This panel will raise awareness and understanding of suicide and moral injury among first responders, exploring the unique challenges they face, and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to support and intervention.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Points discussed include:
Broadening the scope of moral injury beyond the military: The conversation highlights the need to expand the understanding and support for moral injury beyond the military context, acknowledging its prevalence among other first responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.
Unique challenges for first responders: Speakers discuss the specific and unexpected challenges faced by first responders when dealing with suicide, such as the disconnect between their worldviews and the existential threat posed by suicide.
Cultural and psychological factors: Emphasis is placed on considering the cultural context, subconscious beliefs, and emotional experiences of different groups like first responders when addressing suicide and moral injury.
Other points include:
Academic and philosophical perspectives.
Comparisons with military experiences.
Resources and future discussions.
Biography
Chaplain Rob Sutherland, CSC, BTh, MMin is the Principal Veterans Chaplain in the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
As an Infantry Officer, Rob studied theology and was ordained an Anglican priest. He has been part-time and full-time Army chaplain since 1998.
Rob has deployed overseas on operations as a chaplain seven times, mainly with Special Operations Task Groups. Seeing the effects of combat and operations on soldiers, Rob looked for recovery and healing options for veterans.
Rob has been to the US and Canada (including a Churchill Fellowship) studying programs for recovery. He has developed or worked on numerous Moral Injury, spiritual wounds, suicide prevention, mental health and resilience programs. He has contributed to books and numerous articles and presentations on healing for veterans and families.
Rob has been a prison chaplain (Goulburn CC) and Parish priest and is Director of Warrior Welcome Home, a faith-based recovery program for Moral Injury and spiritual wounds.
He wrote the 2021 Report into the need for Pastoral Support, Spiritual Health and Chaplaincy Effects for Former Serving Members and Families. He is seconded to DVA as Principal Veterans Chaplain leading the Veterans Chaplaincy Pilot Program.
Conference Chair
Tara J Lal AFSM
Senior Firefighter, Peer Support Officer, and Researcher
Fire and Rescue NSW and University of New England
Moderator
Shinade Hartman
AST Management
Rachel Tookey
Research & Program Manager
Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association
Justine White
Event Manager
AST Management
