Sandra Stark Shields, LMFT, LPCC, ATR-BC, has 30+ years of experience as an Emergency Manager and Disaster Mental Health responder. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Masters in Psychology- Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization program at Antioch University – Los Angeles where she teaches PSY 5711 – Disasters, Mass Violence, and Psychological First Aid.
Sandra retired in March 2022 as a Senior Disaster Services Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Office of Administrative Operations – Disaster Services Unit, where she was responsible for the disaster mental health response planning for the department. She spent 21 years with the County and held two previous Senior Staff positions in the Department of Health Services – EMS Agency, Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program (2004-2016), and the County Office of Emergency Management (2001-2004). Prior to working for the County, Sandra spent 10 years working for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region as the Associate Director of Planning and Preparedness and Supervisor of Disaster Mental Health where she remains as a leadership disaster mental health volunteer. Sandra is a former Chair of the California Disaster Mental Health Coalition as a representative of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
Sandra has a BA in Psychology from Pepperdine and an MA in Clinical Art Therapy/Marriage and Family Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), and Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC).
I have 30+ years of experience as an Emergency Manager and Disaster Mental Health clinician responder. I am truly honored to be a Senior Lecturer in the MAP- Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization program at Antioch University – Los Angeles. I have been the Professor for this course since January, 2021 and teach this class in both the Winter and Summer quarters.
I retired two years ago as a Senior Disaster Services Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Office of Administrative Operations – Disaster Services Unit where I was responsible for the disaster mental health response planning for the department. In my 21 years with the County, I held two previous Senior Staff positions in the Department of Health Services – EMS Agency, Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program (2004-2016) and the County Office of Emergency Management (2001-2004). Prior to working for the County, I spent 10 years working for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region as the Associate Director of Planning and Preparedness and Supervisor of Disaster Mental Health. I remain as a leadership disaster mental health volunteer.
I am also a past Chair of the California Disaster Mental Health Coalition as a representative of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
I have a B.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine and an M.A. in Clinical Art Therapy/Marriage and Family Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC).
Mental Health Publications:
Schreiber M, Shields S, Formanski S, Cohen JA, Sims, L Code Triage: Integrating the National Children’s Disaster Mental Health Concept of Operations Across Health Care Systems Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine; December 2014;14 (4), 323-333.
Schreiber M, Shields SS, Hanfling D. Behavioral Health Issues. In: Preparing Your ICU for Disaster Response. Farmer JC, Wax RS, Baldisseri MR, eds. Mount Prospect, IL: Society of Critical Care Medicine; 2012:117-126.
Schreiber M, Koenig KL, Schultz, C, Shields S, Bradley D. PsySTART Rapid Disaster Mental Health Triage System: Performance During a Full-Scale Terrorism Exercise in Los Angeles County Hospitals. Academic Emergency Medicine, May 2011; 18 (5), S26
Meredith LS, Eiseman DP, Tanielian T, Taylor SL, Basurto-Davila R, Zazzali JL, Diamond D, Cienfuegos B, Shields, S (2010) Prioritizing “Psychological” Consequences for Disaster Preparedness and Response: A Framework for Addressing the Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Effects of Patient Surge in Large-Scale Disasters. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2010;4:doi:10.1001/dmp.2010.47
Meredith LS, Zazzali JL, Shields S, Eiseman DP, Alsabagh, H (2010) Psychological Effects of Patient Surge in Large-Scale Emergencies: A Quality Improvement Tool for Hospitals and Clinic Capacity Planning and Response. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 2010; 25(2):107-114
Gold JI, Montaño Z, Shields S, Mahrer NE, Vibhakar V, Ybarra T, Yee N, Upperman J, Blake N, Stevenson K, Nager, AL (2009). Pediatric Disaster Preparedness in the Medical Setting: Integrating Mental Health. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, 4, 137-146.
Shields S (2009) Preparing Hospitals and Clinics in Los Angeles County for Psychological Causalities Following Disasters, The Los Angeles Psychologist, May-June 2009, 12-13
Shields S (1991) Mothers of Incestuously Abused Children in Group Art Therapy. Adult Art Psychotherapy: Issues and Applications, edited by Helen B. Landgarten and Darcy Lubbers, Brunner/Mazel Inc; chapter 5 111-143
Greenspoon D, Holmes J, Morton M, Stark S (1989) Post-Graduate Art Therapy Supervision Art Therapy, Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, Fall, 1989
Emergency Management Publications:
Wilson M, Shields S, Kim J, (2010) Disaster Healthcare Volunteers: Preregistration is Crucial to Rapid Deployment. RX for Prevention, LA County Department of Public Health, September 2010; 1(8): 7
Shields S (2007) Los Angeles County Launches Disaster Medical Volunteer Program. Los Angeles County DHS EMS Agency Newsletter EMERGI PRESS, Vol 12-2, Summer 2007
Shields S (2002) A New Type of Legal Eagle: How Two Attorneys Helped Their Community Following 9-11. in The Forum, Los Angeles County Operational Area, Vol. 3-1, April, 2002
Shields S (2000) What is ENLA: CBO’s in Disaster Recovery. The Forum, Los Angeles County Operational Area, Vol. 1-1, April, 2000
Presentations:
• Presenter, Annual CAMFT Conferences – American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health courses 2015-present (when requested)
• Speaker for the annual California Hospital Association disaster planning conference on either mental health or volunteer management 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014. Other state or national level conferences include: Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness Summit (2011, 2012) NACCHO (2011), National Healthcare Coalition (2013, 2014), CDPH (2014), Webinar for SAMSHA “LAC EMS Psychological Preparedness Activities for HPP Hospitals and Clinics” (March 2014)
• Contract Instructor for OES California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) 2006-2015. Instructor for FEMA G-197 Disaster Planning for People with Access and Functional Needs and G-366 Planning for the Needs of Children in Disasters
• Instructor for Disaster Mental Health with the American Red Cross since 1995.
Sandra is a former Chair of the California Disaster Mental Health Coalition (CDMHC) and currently continues to serve as a member representing the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
Sandra is an active member in California Women in Homeland Security https://ca-whs.org/
Subject Matter Expert Collaborations:
California Disaster Behavioral Health Plan (2020) – SME for the plan and author of Appendix C – Mental/Behavioral Health and Spiritual Care Resources (by Type and Mission) pages 63-85 https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/MasterSearch?qt=California+Disaster+Behavioral+Health+Plan
HHS ASPR TRACIE Disaster Behavioral Health Self Care for Healthcare Workers Modules, August 2019
https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-dbh-self-care-for-healthcare-workers-modules-description-final-8-19-19.pdf
HHS ASPR TRACIE Tips for Healthcare Facilities: Assisting Families and Loved Ones after a Mass Casualty Incident, August 2018
https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/family-assistance-center-summary.pdf
- PSY 5711 Disasters, Mass Violence, and Psychological First Aid