May 6, 2016
 
 
April Highlights
 
VOICES Center of Excellence for Community Resilience
New Jersey Symposium
 
 
 
On Wednesday, April 6, 2016, VOICES hosted our New Jersey Symposium, "Promoting Resiliency in Communities Impacted by Trauma." The event featured presentations by accomplished subject matter experts and clinicians working in the fields of trauma, grief and disaster mental health.
 
VOICES thanks the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Rutgers School of Social Work and the United Way of Central Jersey for supporting this educational initiative.
 
Click here for a summary of the presentations and to view a photo gallery.
 

 
VOICES of Experience:
Helping Communities Heal After Traumatic Events
 
 
Through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, VOICES has created Voices of Experience: Helping Communities Heal After Traumatic Events, a training program based in part on the research findings from our Preparing for After Resource Kit. The training assists communities in preparing for acts of terrorism, mass violence, and natural disasters and is intended for a broad range of community stakeholders.
 
VOICES team and partner organizations conducted two pilot sessions of the training, in Brigantine, NJ and at our New Brunswick office. The sessions were led by Dr. Joseph Napoli (pictured above), Psychiatrist and Co-Director, Resiliency LLC; Christine Miller, MSW, Coordinator of the Intensive Family Support Service for the Mental Health Association of New Jersey and Mary Fetchet, LCSW, VOICES Founding Director.
 
We are very excited about this important initiative, so watch for more details in the coming months!
 

 
VOICES at the 9/11 Memorial 5K Run/Walk & Community Day
 
 
On Sunday, April 24, VOICES participated in the 9/11 Memorial's 5K Run/Walk and Community Day, along with our partners from the Mental Health Association of New York City. 

Visitors to VOICES booth received information on the World Trade Center Health Program and participated in an Memorial Quilt arts project, creating squares in memory of the responders and survivors who have died of 9/11-related illnesses. Pictured above with VOICES Project Director Stephanie Landau is September 11 Memorial & Museum President Joe Daniels.
 
 
Newsworthy
 
Governor Cuomo Announces NY State to Ensure Continued Benefits for Volunteers with 9/11-Related Illnesses
 
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that the 2016-17 state budget includes $9 million to cover the cost of lost wages and health care expenses for volunteers who contracted illnesses at the World Trade Center site in the year after Sept. 11, 2001. This ensures that volunteers will continue to receive benefits and financial support even though federal funding allocated to the state for this purpose has been exhausted.
 
For more information on these benefits, visit our website.
 
To learn more about benefits available under the World Trade Center Health Program, click here.
 

 
Declassifying the 28 Pages
 
 
Almost 15 years after 9/11, there is renewed interest in the declassification of the 28 pages that were redacted from the Congressional Joint Inquiry Report, which was released on July 24, 2003.  The report includes findings and conclusions, accompanying narrative, and recommendations related to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  One 28-page section - Part Four, pages 395-422 - was almost entirely censored.  At the time of the release of the report, Senator Bob Graham, Co-Chairman of the Joint Inquiry, wrote "Through its investigation the Joint Inquiry developed information suggesting specific sources of foreign support for some of the September 11 hijackers while they were in the United States."  Both Senator Graham and former Congressman Tim Roemer, a member of the Bipartisan panel and a 9/11 Commissioner, have been proponents of the declassification of the 28 pages.
 
In addition, Congress is currently considering related legislation, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which is currently pending in the Senate. The legislation will allow individuals to sue foreign governments involved in the planning, funding, or coordination of terrorist attacks. The bill, authored by Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, would prevent Saudi Arabia and other countries accused of having terrorist ties from invoking their sovereign immunity in federal court.
 
We have included links to information about both the declassification and pending legislation:
 
Click here to view 60 Minutes coverage of this story.
Click here to view the 9/11 Commission Chairs statement.
Click here to learn more about efforts to pass the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.
 
Upcoming Events
 
Save the Date: Saturday, May 14 & Sunday, May 15
NBC 4 & Telemundo Health and Fitness Expo
 
9:00 am - 4:00 pm: MetLife Stadium
 
The Health and Fitness Expo, a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly health and fitness weekend event, is free and open to the public. The event is aimed at motivating people to engage in a healthy lifestyle with their community. Visitors will have the opportunity to walk on the field, tour the locker rooms, and meet Giants players, as well as NBC and Telemundo talent. Activities include free health screenings, fitness activities, and meet and greets.
 
Look for the VOICES team with information on the World Trade Center Health Program!
 
For more information, visit the event website.
 

 
Responders and Survivors who Perished from WTC Illnesses
to be Remembered on May 21
 
Saturday, May 21, 10:00 am
9/11 Responders Remembered Park
Corner of Smithtown Blvd. and Gibbs Pond Rd.
Nesconset, NY
 
On Saturday, May 21, the public is invited to attend a ceremony to commemorate the responders and survivors who have perished since September 11, 2001 from 9/11-related illnesses. The ceremony will be held at the Responders Remembered Park, with a reading of new names which have been added to Wall of Heroes.
 
For more information, contact martineapont@gmail.com, or phone 631-807-9208.
 

 
Save the Date: VOICES 15th Anniversary Events
 
Mark your calendars for our upcoming Symposiums!
 
Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10, 2016
New York Symposium and 15th Annual Information Forum
 
Monday, September 12, 2016
Inaugural Symposium
Grace Farms, New Canaan, CT
 
 
Our Sincere Thanks to
VOICES Social Work Interns
 
 
VOICES New Jersey office is enriched by the wonderful social work interns who come to us through our partnership with Rutgers University. Since the New Jersey office opened in 2009, we have been fortunate to have students from the School of Social Work participate in our academic year internships, where they work alongside of staff to provide support services and assist with educational and commemorative events.
 
This year, we were privileged to have Katie Loane and Cara Leahy as part of the VOICES team. Katie and Cara are graduating from Rutgers and will continue their educations as Advanced Standing students in the University's MSW program.
 
"Interning for VOICES was a wonderful experience," says Katie. "The amount of skill and care the staff puts into their work is evident. I am very happy to have been part of such a passionate community."
 
"Interning at VOICES has taught me so much about long-term trauma and resiliency among clients of varying genders, ages, ethnicities and experiences," adds Cara. "My time at VOICES has taught me so much, and I am excited to see what their future holds as an organization!"
 
Visit our website to learn more about VOICES internship program.
 
 
Building Resilience Together
 
Each week, the VOICES staff receives many emails, notes and phone calls from many of the families, responders and survivors we are honored to assist on their healing journeys. Here is a recent comment:
 
"Thank you for all the splendid work that you do in connecting, educating, and teaching us coping skills. Your conferences are inclusive of all the areas that individuals face during this difficult time in their lives."
 
We rely on donations and sponsors to provide funding for our programs. Please consider making a charitable gift to VOICES today!
 

 
 
 
Voices of September 11th, 161 Cherry Street, New Canaan, CT 06840
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