VOICES Community Preparedness Training: A Victim-Centered Approach

Using social work practices, she guided the development of programs that provide continuity of care and promote resiliency in the lives of victims' families, responders and survivors. Today, Ms. Fetchet is also helping communities heal after other traumatic events through VOICES Center of Excellence for Community Resilience, an initiative that she launched in 2014.

Under her leadership, VOICES launched the 9/11 Living Memorial Project in advance of the 5th anniversary to document the nearly 3,000 lives lost and stories of survivors. As a clinician, she recognized the importance of commemoration and supporting families through the emotional but therapeutic process of honoring their loved ones in a meaningful way. The 9/11 Living Memorial Project is now an extensive digital collection of over 70,000 photographs and personal keepsakes contributed by thousands of family members. The collection is located on VOICES website and is also a core component of the In Memoriam exhibit at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.

A strong advocate for the rights of victim's families and survivors, and public policy reforms to make the country safer, Ms. Fetchet advocated for an appropriate process for the notification of human remains, the Victim's Compensation Fund and the creation of the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site. She was also instrumental in campaigning for the 9/11 Commission and the implementation of reforms based on their recommendations. She testified before the 9/11 Commission and the U.S. Congress on five occasions.

Ms. Fetchet's work through the VOICES Center of Excellence for Community Resilience includes establishing public-private partnerships, educational initiatives and research projects to document best practices in preparing communities to more effectively respond to the long-term needs of victims' families, responders and survivors. Through a U.S. Department of Justice grant, VOICES produced a publication, Preparing for After, a resource kit of best practices based on interviews conducted with those who responded to the 9/11 attacks; the Oklahoma City bombing; and the shootings at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University and Tucson, Arizona. Currently, she is leading several research projects that are examining the long-term needs of families and communities impacted by traumatic events.

An expert on the long-term needs of victims and survivors, mental health care, preparedness, and national security reforms, she has personally advised organizations and federal agencies both nationally and internationally. Ms. Fetchet has made hundreds of appearances on national television and at conferences in the U.S. and abroad, and contributes regularly to print and radio. Her awards include induction into the Hall of Fame at Columbia School of Social Work in NYC, the Social Work Managers Award, Hometown Heroes on DIRECTTV, ABC News Person of the Year, Moffly Media Light A Fire Award and NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams Making a Difference.

As part of this work, Stephanie continues to coordinate collaborative efforts with World Trade Center Health Program partners and clinical centers. Stephanie has worked extensively on many research projects including the “Canadian Community Response Program: Recommendations on a Framework for Community Stakeholders in Preparing For, Responding To and Recovering from Acts of Mass Violence” as well as “Investigating the Long-Term Impact of Bereavement due to Terrorism: Factors that Contribute to Trauma, Grief, Growth and Resilience" and “Preparing For After” – an on-line resource kit for communities impacted by tragedy. She is currently, along with Executive Director Mary Fetchet , updating the two day professional training Voices of Experience to be launched in the fall.

Over the past 16 years, Stephanie has provided thousands of hours of case management services to assist 9/11 families, survivors, and responders in accessing resources and support services.

As project manager for the 9/11 Living Memorial Project, Stephanie scheduled and conducted hundreds of workshops in communities throughout the tri-state area and Washington, D.C. Her team met with over 1,600 families – assisting them through the emotional but therapeutic process of commemorating their loved ones. Today, the 9/11 Living Memorial Digital Archive commemorates the lives of the 2,977 who perished on 9/11 with an extensive collection of over 87,000 photographs, documents, and mementos. Along with the VOICES team, Stephanie is launching the expansion of the 9/11 Living Memorial to honor the lives of the thousands of responders and survivors who have died since, of 9/11-related illness.

Stephanie works closely with VOICES Director of Events in planning meaningful content for the survivor and responder community at the 2 Day Annual September Remembrance Symposium.