Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts and Solutions

Distance Training Glossary | Print Version | Email This Page To A Friend

Training Details

Event Dates and Timeframe
Any Time
Location and Delivery Method
Delivery Method
Independent / Correspondence
Cost Range
To be determined

Host And Instructor

Host
Mental Health First Aid National Council for Behavioral Health
Instructor
Dr. Joe Parks, Medical Director of the National Council for Behavioral Health
class/provider logo image

Training Overview Description

It’s time to tune out the noise and listen to the science. Learn about the complex causes and effective interventions from the Medical Director Institute’s (MDI) landmark report, “Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts and Solutions,” a reasoned, evidence-based and actionable examination of mass violence.

Mass violence is complicated; there are multiple causes that require multiple solutions. According to the report, “people with serious mental illness are responsible for less than 4 percent of all violence and less than one-third of mass violence.”

You may have already read about the report in ABCNews.com, NPR, NBCNews.com, PBS NewsHour or POLITICO. Now, join the National Council’s medical director and co-chair of the MDI, Dr. Joe Parks, for a special episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast that offers insights into the MDI paper.

Created in partnership with Mental Health Risk Retention Group (MHRRG) and Negley Associates, this podcast is a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into the causes and solutions to mass violence with one of the report’s authors. For questions about the MDI report or the podcast, please contact us at Communications@TheNationalCouncil.org.

Event-specific Details

It turns out that the National Council's Medical Directors Institute was wrapping up a lengthy report, titled Mass Violence in America, around the same time that Merrill's episode aired. As such, the council graciously offered to have Dr. Parks joins me to discuss the report's findings.

First, here's a little background on Dr. Parks: In addition to serving as the Medical Director of the National Council, Dr. Parks is a Distinguished Research Professor of Science at the University of Missouri-St.Louis, as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Colombia. He also practices outpatient psychiatry at the Family Health Center, a federally funded community mental health center established to expand services to uninsured, and under-insured populations.

In this episode, Dr. Parks and I discuss the following:

  • How he first became involved in this research project.
  • How the MDI researchers defined mass violence for the purposes of their report.
  • What motivates mass shooters.
  • Prevention strategies that are and aren't helpful.
  • The role of "threat assessment."
  • The role of "problem solving," courts.
  • And most importantly, what individuals can do if they suspect someone is behaving in a manner consistent with mass shooter profiles.

If you're interested in reading the MDI report, click here to access it. And for more information about the National Council for Behavioral Health, click here.

This podcast was supported by the Mental Health Risk Retention Group and Negley Associates.

Registration Information

Now, join the National Council’s medical director and co-chair of the MDI, Dr. Joe Parks, for a special episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast that offers insights into the MDI paper.

Funding: Grant funded by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority through the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development.

UAA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: http://alaska.edu/titleIXcompliance/nondiscrimination

UA is committed to providing accessible websites. Learn more about UA's notice of web accessibility.