Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin, director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Penn State Behrend, will offer a training session about how best to support victims of interpersonal violence on Wednesday, March 22. The program, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation, or CORE, is part of "Safer State: A Student Driven Initiative."

Hetzel-Riggin is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in teaching, research, academic leadership and community outreach. She serves on the executive board for the Erie Coalition for a Trauma Informed Community and is a certified trainer for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She has trained more than 600 educators, mental health providers and community members in trauma-informed practices.

The March 22 training program will focus on the signs of interpersonal violence and the best strategies for minimizing danger and supporting the victim. The program will include interactive activities and role-playing components.

A guide-to-reporting workshop, also sponsored by Safer State, will precede the program, beginning at 4:30 p.m. in Reed 150. That program, which will focus on how to report concerning student behavior and how to support students through the reporting process, will include representatives of University Police and Public Safety, Health and Wellness, Student Affairs, the Crime Victim Center and SafeNet.