Dr. Madrid co-authored the chapter, “Creating Disability through Inadequate Disaster Response: Hurricane Katrina and its Aftermath” in the book Disability: Insights from Across Fields and Around the World, Volumes I, II, and III. Edited by Catherine A. Marshall et al. Praeger, 2009. ISBN 9780313346040
* Recognized as one of the most significant print contributions of 2009 by Choice journal's subject editors.
Dr. Paula A. Madrid is a New York State Licensed Clinical Psychologist with Masters and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Madrid also did postgraduate work at New York University's International Trauma Studies Program. She has been a Fellow at the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma since January of 2010 and serves as Adjunct Faculty at Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness.
Dr. Madrid was the Director of the Psychosocial Preparedness Division at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, at Columbia University from 2004 until June of 2009. As part of her work at the National Center, Dr. Madrid directed The Resiliency Program, a 9/11 clinic and staff training program for almost six years, serving over ten-thousand individuals significantly impacted by the terrorist attacks and their aftermath.
Dr. Madrid directed Mental Health Services for "Operation Assist," a joint initiative by the Children's Health Fund and Columbia's NCDP to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina from 2005 until 2007. She led a mental health initiative that resulted in three mental health programs and spearheaded a series of training programs which led to the training over 3000 professionals. As a result of this work, Dr. Madrid was appointed as the Senior Director of Mental Health Programs at the Children's Health Fund and was charged with assisting in the integration of medical and mental health programs throughout their network of over 20 projects nation-wide until December of 2008.
Dr. Madrid has extensive clinical experience as she has worked in inpatient, partial program clinics, and outpatient services in addition to holding a private practice. Dr. Madrid has published articles and presents nationally and internationally on the impact of underserved populations in disasters, resilience as an essential aspect of disaster preparedness, and developing psychosocial programs post-disaster.
Dr. Madrid was selected as one of Latina Magazine's Phenomenal Latinas of 2006 for her work in Louisiana and Mississippi helping victims of Huricanes Katrina and Rita