Celebrated social work scholar to lead community discussion on Resilience as Public Health

SCRANTON -
If there was a way to infuse children with resilience and protect them from the mental and emotional suffering associated with feelings of helplessness - would you do it?

The community is invited to explore that question at Resilience as Public Health, a free lecture and discussion to be held Friday, Sept. 20, at 8:30 a.m. at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Continuing education credits (CEUs) will be available for social workers, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists and nurses.

At the event, Geisinger College of Health Science's Resilience Colloquium will reconvene to discuss the question, "Can NEPA Become a Community of Resiliency?"

Giving a talk and leading the roundtable discussions will be renowned social work scholar and celebrated author and lecturer Michael Ungar, PhD.

"We are honored to host Dr. Ungar and excited that our community will have the opportunity to interact with him," said Leighton Huey, MD, Geisinger College of Health Sciences associate dean for behavioral health integration and community care transformation. "Last year, our Resilience Colloquium discussed the question Can NEPA Become a Community of Resilience? Dr. Ungar's expertise is perfectly matched to that question. Of note, Dr. Ungar has a particular interest in coal, oil and gas-producing communities as they transition to more green economies. His insights and advice will be invaluable to plan for a resilient tomorrow in our region."

The talk's topic is "Nurturing Community Resilience: Systemic Thinking for Everyday and Uncommon Challenges."
Afterward, he will host a roundtable discussion for all attendees discussing the theme, "Sharing Stories of Successfully Building the Resilience of People and Their Communities."

Dr. Ungar is the Canada Research Chair in child, family and community resilience and a professor and head of the Resilience Research Center at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His research on resilience around the world and across cultures has made him the No. 1 ranked social work scholar in the world, with numerous educational institutions, government agencies, nonprofits and businesses relying on

his research and clinical work to guide their approaches to nurturing child, family, organizational and community well-being under stress.

To register or for more information, visit go.geisinger.edu/resilience.

About Geisinger College of Health Sciences
Geisinger College of Health Sciences is the research and education arm of the Geisinger family. Geisinger is committed to making better health easier for the more than 1 million people it serves. Geisinger is the inaugural member of Risant Health, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding and accelerating the adoption of value-based care. Founded more than 100 years ago by Abigail Geisinger, the system now includes 10 hospital campuses, a health plan with more than half a million members, and the College. The College houses a Research Institute, graduate medical education, and schools of medicine, nursing and graduate education, in addition to faculty and professional development programs. The College is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities. Visit geisinger.edu/gchs.