Insight Matters
Spring, 2003

Disaster Plan Begins to Take Shape.
Disasters and Communities: Managing Mental Health Response and Recovery
Marion Sherman, M.D., Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster Mental Health

Literature documents the ameliorative impact of disaster planning, preparation, and building relationships with key partners. On April 24-25, 2003, the Ohio Psychiatric Association, in collaboration with ODMH and NEOUCOM, sponsored the disaster mental health training, "Disasters and Communities: Managing Mental Health Response and Recovery." Participants learned disaster definitions, classifications, contexts, and phases, as well as common, population-specific, age-specific, and phase-specific reactions and response approaches. The organizational nature of disaster planning and response was also reviewed, including roles and responsibilities of local, state and national disaster-related agencies/entities. Participants learned the Center for Mental Health Services Crisis Counseling Model as applied to community reactions to disaster response and recovery phases. They learned the unique features of terrorist events, including issues related to preparedness as a primary response strategy toward terrorist activity. Finally, in small group format, participants formulated physician action plans, and presented these to the larger group with discussion. These psychiatry disaster action plans will be collated and distributed.

Both verbal and written feedback from the training was very positive. Evaluation feedback is summarized below:

Psychiatrists expressed their intent to apply their new knowledge in the following quotes:
· I will discuss this initiative with NetCare Pres. & Board members (inclusive of suburban police chief) to make them aware of initiative & so my own understanding of local status of prep/structure is improved
· Find out about Franklin Co. Emergency Plan & keep informed of OPA activity about it; review slides;
· Have some outline of what can share with media, service groups; discuss w/ co-workers; participate in any mock Disaster Plan
· Share ideas with colleagues; understand issues re disasters, with pts.
· I am medical director of large CMHC - we need to have an organized response plan among our staff & in county.
· I will establish connections with EMA in my counties of residence and work and pursue Red Cross Disaster Mental Health training.
· Educate those who are interested in the patterns of disaster evolution and the mechanics of optimal recovery initiation; maintain info file.
· Teaching clinicians I work with re disaster training; learn what my organization plans as their role.
· Identify resources. Establish relationships. Make contacts.
· Clarify what the plan is/should be in case of a disaster.
· To worry less about acute response & be ready for F/U (?) mental health needs.
· Clarification of my role and potential roles to disaster org.
· Address local and regional organization of disaster response services. A letter of introduction to county EMA would help - copy me.
· Teaching; helping to prepare plan.
· I plan to contact my local EMA director & see how I can plug into systems already in place.

Psychiatrists who attended expressed the need to pursue specific avenues as professionals and as an organization. These stated needs included:

· We need a clear call to action e.g. specifics of EMA/MH status by county so we know how/who to contact in our locale. Three clear options for contact would be preferable to an infinite option follow-up.
· Follow-up: brief bi-monthly or quarterly e-mail of status of volunteer initiative.
· Will wait to get card acknowledging me as Disaster Vol.; recommend this program be repeated & agencies send representatives; not ready to go out & speak yet but will try to get ready.
· More detailed discussion of behavior in disasters.
· More ongoing programs - continuing follow-up as to progress of upcoming
· I still have no idea how to locally fit in with whatever plans might already be in effect because I don't know what they are.
· The course was more about organizational response to disaster. I was looking for a course on clinical aspects. I am disappointed.
· It might be helpful to describe array of options first to help in ? of overall ?
· Make available at local level. Clarify FEMA-Red Cross relationship; feels like there are territorial issues.
· Need introductions to EMA local & county, etc. Would like to be considered as a trainer.
· Key - emergency management reps from all agencies & mental health agency should have this training.
· More disaster mental health training needed. Would like training for trainers for disaster mental health. Appreciate the OPA commitment to disaster MH training, organization and linkage.

Next month we will present the physician action plan created by the group at the training, and will also follow up with updates on the above questions and concerns. Thank you to those of you who have gotten involved in the February and April trainings, as we continue to define our roles and responsibilities in mental health disaster response in Ohio.

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