2025 Conference on Violent Crime: Full Schedule

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3:00pm EDT

Echoes of the Incident: Addressing the Realities of Critical Incident Aftermath

Wednesday May 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Adam Blevins is a former Virginia State Trooper, licensed resident in counseling, and Operations Director for the Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program. This session blends clinical insight, lived experience, and cultural awareness. The real weight of a critical incident often shows up long after the scene is cleared. The emotional, psychological, and organizational echoes can ripple through individuals, teams, and entire agencies, sometimes for years. This workshop takes an honest, trauma-informed look at what it means to face the aftermath of a critical incident from every angle: the personal impact on first responders, the role of leadership in shaping recovery, and the subtle ways organizational culture can either support healing or deepen the wound. Attendees will explore the lingering effects of trauma and moral injury on responders, what peer support looks like when it works, how agencies unintentionally contribute to long-term damage, and how to stop it, the difference between “getting through it” and actually recovering, and real-world strategies for supporting personnel, rebuilding trust, and restoring operational wellness. Whether you're on the front line or leading those who are, this session is about what comes next and how to make sure no one is left behind in the aftermath.

Speakers

Adam Blevins

Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program (VALEAP)

Adam is a certified Critical Incident Stress Management (CCISM) professional and has been the Operations Director of the Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program (VALEAP) since January 2022. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in clinical... Read More →

Wednesday May 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Smithfield

Breakout