Out of Reach, Not out of Mind (Managing Mental Health Crises in Remote Emergency Settings)
November 6, 2025 from 2:00pm MDT to 2:50pm MDT
Mental health emergencies don’t stop at the trailhead. In remote and austere environments—where psychiatric support is unavailable and evacuation may take hours or days—providers must be prepared to recognize and manage acute mental health crises with limited tools and high stakes. This presentation explores practical strategies for assessing and responding to behavioral emergencies in wilderness, expeditionary, and resource-limited settings.
Using real-world scenarios, we’ll cover rapid identification of psychiatric red flags, de-escalation techniques, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, and how to make safe decisions about evacuation versus on-site stabilization. Attendees will gain actionable skills in triage, communication, and ethical decision-making to improve outcomes for individuals in psychological distress far from traditional care.
Speakers / Panelists
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Out of Reach, Not out of Mind (Managing Mental Health Crises in Remote Emergency Settings)
November 6, 2025 from 2:00pm MDT to 2:50pm MDT
Katharine Victoria Lee
PA-C
Katharine Victoria Lee
Kate Lee has been an assistant professor at Marshall University’s Physician Assistant (PA) Program since November 2022. She earned her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona, in 2017. Kate began her PA career practicing emergency medicine in Georgia and has since leveraged the lateral mobility of the PA profession to gain diverse experience across internal medicine, telehealth, obesity medicine, aesthetics, and family practice. Her passion for serving rural communities, particularly in Appalachia, drives her commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes in underserved areas.
Before transitioning to PA studies, Kate worked in surgical pathology and microbiology, and also explored her passion for photography. She is particularly passionate about teaching topics such as point-of-care ultrasound, trauma, ECG interpretation, neurology, OB/GYN, wilderness medicine, parasitology, and mental health. Currently, Kate is pursuing a fellowship in wilderness medicine, further broadening her expertise in the field. Outside of her professional pursuits, Kate enjoys canoeing, white-water rafting, and traveling with her husband, their dog, and her son.