Insight Matters
Winter 2005

The Three Faces of Disaster
By Marion E. Sherman, M.D., Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster Psychiatry

The OPA Disaster Committee has collaborated with ODMH AHL to create a one day Psychiatry Track at the April 2005 ODMH conference, Responding to the Behavioral Health Needs of Disaster/Terrorism: A Cross Training for Behavioral Health Providers and First Responders. On Friday April 15, 2005, please join us for the psychiatry track, Three Faces of Disaster, as follows:

Part I - Mitigating Disaster

A. Living in the Shadow of a Nuclear Power Plant in an Age of Terrorism - Doug Smith, MD & Sri Jatla, MD

B. A New Face at the Disaster Table: High Level Clinical Consultation from Behavioral Health - Marion Sherman, MD

Since September 11, 2001, many Americans have noted an increase in their general anxiety levels in everyday life. Apart from the Civil War and Oklahoma bombing, prior to the destruction of the World Trade Center most United States citizens were not aware of or educated about acts of mass aggression in their own back yards. This part of the presentation will focus on anxiety states and coping mechanisms that are now more relevant than ever.
In the 2001 ODMH Report to the Governor, cornerstones were laid for ODMH disaster preparedness. The Behavioral Emergency Incident Command System (BEICS) is a new mechanism for fulfilling one of the fundamental cornerstones of the ODMH planned behavioral collaborative planning initiatives. This cornerstone involves the design, training and implementation of a High Level Clinical Consultant (HLCC) to assist disaster leadership in clinical issues at the state level, with the help of Behavioral Health Clinical Resource Responders.

Part II - What happens after a disaster?

A. Basic Stages of Disaster Response and How it Impacts Special Populations - Kenneth Miller, MD

B. Maintaining Patient Care in Marietta During the Flood of 2004 - Max McGee, MD, Leah Jaquith, PhD, and Ron Rees

Part II of the "Three Faces of Disaster" examines what happens following a disaster. Kenneth Miller, M.D., will discuss the "Basic Stages of Disaster Response and How it Impacts Special Populations." Beginning with an overview and review of the different types of disasters, there will be a discussion of the organizational network response, the phases of reactions, mental health interventions and the impact on the young, old and disabled. The workshop component will then conclude with an Ohio disaster response case study presentation by Max McGee, M.D., Leah Jaquith, PhD, and Ron Rees who will share first-hand experience and the lessons learned from "Maintaining Patient Care in Marietta During the Flood of 2004."

Part III - But why would someone create a disaster?

The Terrorist Mind: Outside and Inside - James Wasserman, MD

This pragmatic workshop component will explore the terrorist mindset from a number of perspectives. We will review the cultural and religious theoretical interpretations used by terrorists to justify their actions. Using these foundations we will then look at the specific psychology of the terrorist within various levels of the organization to include: suicide/homicide fighter, regular soldier, political terrorist and charismatic leadership. The central focus will be on Islamic-based terrorism, but will also survey other groups, including Christian and Ecological-based terrorism. Some historical examples will be used, but focus will be on current world/national threats.

Conference Information
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services are hosting a conference to cross-train behavioral health providers and first responders on the psychosocial effects of terrorism and disaster. The conference, which includes 36 workshops will be held April 14-15, 2005 at the Holiday Inn Worthington. The Ohio Psychiatric Association is a co-sponsor of this event and there will be a track specifically geared to meet the educational needs of physicians on Friday, April 15.

Registration materials and information about CME credit are available on the Ohio Department of Mental Health's Web site at http://www.mh.state.oh.us or by contacting Tina O'Grady, ODMH All Hazards Coordinator, at (614) 466-6152 or o'gradyt@mh.state.oh.us.

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