Inside this Edition
- 20th Annual IDMH Conference
- New Leadership for IDMH
- IDMH Out and About
- Student Research Spotlight
- First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment
- Stay Informed with The Frontline Review
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20th Annual IDMH ConferenceThe Winding Road: Sustaining Recovery and Resilience in Disaster-Affected Communities
October 14, 2025 | SUNY New Paltz
Disasters—whether natural or human-made—leave lasting marks on individuals, families, and communities. While emergency response efforts often take center stage, the complex process of long-term recovery can be underfunded, overlooked, and emotionally draining. This year’s IDMH conference focuses on The Winding Road of sustaining recovery and resilience, emphasizing the importance of continued care for survivors and those who support them.
Join first responders, mental health professionals, and community leaders as we explore practical tools, strategies, and collaborative approaches that promote long-term healing and resilience. Mark your calendar for this important gathering as we come together to strengthen the systems and communities that carry us forward after a crisis.
Conference Registration Opens Today - August 4!
We’re excited to announce that registration for the 20th Annual IDMH Conference is now open! Don’t miss this opportunity to join first responders, mental health professionals, and community leaders as we explore long-term recovery and resilience in disaster-affected communities. Stay tuned—our full agenda and speaker lineup will be announced soon!
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Keynote Spotlight:
We are proud to feature Deanne Criswell and Dr. C.J. Huff as keynote speakers at the 20th Annual IDMH Conference, each offering unique insights shaped by their leadership and experience.
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Deanne Criswell
Deanne Criswell is an emergency management professional who served as the 12th Administrator of FEMA from April 2021 to January 2025, becoming the first woman to lead the agency. Previously, she was Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management from 2019 to 2021, leading the city’s response to extreme heat, blackouts, COVID‑19, and large-scale events. A former firefighter and Senior Master Sergeant with the Colorado Air National Guard (1992–2013), she has over two decades of experience in disaster response at local, state, and federal levels. Criswell holds degrees from Colorado State University, the University of Colorado–Denver, and the Naval Postgraduate School.
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Dr. C.J. Huff
A lifelong educator and former superintendent of Joplin Schools, Dr. Huff brings over 20 years of experience in education and crisis leadership. On May 22, 2011, when an EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, destroying 10 of the district’s 19 schools, Dr. Huff emerged as a national figure of resilience. His unwavering commitment to reopening schools on time became a rallying point for the devastated community and a model of hope and determination for the nation. In his keynote, Dr. Huff will share powerful lessons in leadership, community response, and long-term recovery in the face of disaster. Don’t miss this inspiring story of courage and conviction.
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Thank you to our Sponsor!
We’re proud to recognize the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) as a key sponsor of the 20th Annual IDMH Conference. DHSES plays a vital role in strengthening New York’s preparedness, response, and recovery efforts, and their continued support helps make this important gathering possible. We’re grateful for their partnership in advancing resilience and disaster mental health across our state.
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We’re excited to be using the Whova app again for this year’s IDMH Conference! Whova makes it easy to access the latest event updates, connect with other attendees, and explore sessions and speaker info—all in one place. While it’s not required, we highly recommend downloading the app to get the most out of your conference experience.
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New Leadership for IDMH
We want to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Amy Nitza for her dedication and leadership at the IDMH. Her impact on the field and our community has been invaluable, and we wish her all the best in her next chapter!
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Robin Jacobowitz has stepped in as Interim Director. With her experience and commitment to our mission, IDMH will continue its important work in disaster mental health, resilience, and preparedness.
Dr. Jacobowitz brings extensive experience in research and policy, having led critical studies on mental health, public education, and first responder needs. She has collaborated with organizations such as the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, focusing on the mental health challenges faced by first responders. With a background that spans NYU, the University of Chicago, and Harvard, as well as over a decade of service on the Kingston City School District Board of Education, Dr. Jacobowitz’s expertise will be invaluable in shaping research and evaluation initiatives at IDMH.
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IDMH Out and About
Dr. Jacobowitz and Dr. Nitza traveled to Japan to present findings from the New York State First Responders Needs Assessment at the annual conference of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM). Their presentations focused on the stressors and mental health impacts of first responder work, and barriers to seeking care for personnel in Emergency Medical Services and the relationship between stigma and first responders’ experience of mental health challenges.
Dr. Jacobowitz and Andrew O’Meara, IDMH program manager, traveled to the NYS Preparedness Center in Oriskany, NY to present findings from the Mental Health Needs Assessment to a statewide audience interested in officer wellness.
Dr. Jacobowitz was interviewed by the Associated Press about the devastation from the flooding in Texas and the implications for first responder mental health.
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Earlier this year, the New York State First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment was released, offering critical insights into the stress, challenges, and barriers to care faced by over 6,000 first responders statewide. Commissioned by DHSES and conducted by the Benjamin Center and the Institute for Disaster Mental Health, this important study is available anytime on our website.
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Student Research Spotlight
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Megan Mooney & Daria Rudyk
This year, graduate students and former IDMH employees Megan Mooney and Daria Rudyk conducted a timely and impactful study examining how disaster preparedness efforts can better serve vulnerable populations in Orange County. Their work highlights how climate-related and human-caused disasters—including floods, wildfires, extreme heat, and the COVID-19 pandemic—have disproportionately affected communities such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, migrant farm workers, non-native English speakers, and the unhoused. Through interviews with community leaders, the research identified key barriers these populations face during disasters, including limited physical accessibility, communication challenges, and longer recovery timelines. Despite these challenges, the study also found strengths in the deep dedication of those working with vulnerable groups and emphasized the need for inclusive planning and cross-sector collaboration. Mooney and Rudyk hope their findings will encourage open conversations and guide more equitable preparedness and recovery strategies moving forward. This research was funded through the Inequality in the Hudson Valley grant.
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Morgan Atwater
SUNY New Paltz undergraduate student Morgan Atwater explored the mental health challenges faced by first responders who serve in multiple roles—such as a firefighter who is also an EMT or a 911 dispatcher. Drawing from data collected through the NYS First Responder Needs Assessment, a statewide survey of over 6,000 participants, her study examines the concept of "role strain," which occurs when individuals juggle several high-stress responsibilities across different emergency service settings. The findings show that first responders with multiple roles are more likely to encounter traumatic events and job-related stressors, and report higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD compared to those with a single role. Atwater’s work recognizes that many first responders take on multiple first responder roles, underscores the need for increased mental health support and targeted interventions for multi-role responders and calls for future research to better understand and address their unique stressors and coping needs.
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Stay Informed with The Frontline Review
Formerly known as the DMH Responder, The Frontline Review is a biannual newsletter created in partnership with the NYS Department of Health. Each issue takes a deeper dive into the intersection of frontline response work and mental health, offering timely insights, resources, and stories from the field. Don’t miss the next edition—subscribe today and stay informed, inspired, and connected.
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Contact Us
Institute for Disaster Mental Health
Science Hall 148
1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561-2440
Phone: (845) 257-3477
Email: idmh@newpaltz.edu
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