Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114726

Tia B. Jenkins, MPH, Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, Nevada Division of Mental Health and Developmental Services, 6161 West Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146-1126, (702) 486-7842, TJenkins2@yahoo.com, Deborah Ballard-Reisch, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, 274/University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, Kristen Clements-Nolle, PhD, MPH, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, MS 274, Reno, NV 89557, and David A. Caloiaro, MSW, LISW, Planning and Evaluation Unit, Nevada Division of Mental Health and Developmental Services, 505 E King Street, Room 602, Carson City, NV 89107-3790.

Purpose: Disasters, whether natural or caused by malicious human intent, often causes psychological devastation. In spring, 2004, in response to a growing need for mental health preparedness and response capacities, the State of Nevada offered a free training series in Critical Incident Stress Management for current and prospective mental health responders. To foster effective workforce development, a baseline program assessment was conducted to determine: 1) trainee perceptions of preparedness; 2) gaps in training and implementation challenges; and 3) future training needs of Nevada's Mental Health Disaster Response Team. Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with 91 (51%) of trainees in fall, 2004. All training participants who agreed to participate in the interview were asked a series of open and close-ended questions in the 3 focus areas. Results: Qualitative and quantitative analysis indicated a need for: 1) responsive and consistently updated standard operation procedures; 2) development and preservation of collaborative and cohesive response teams; 3) training relevant to responders with varied experience and expertise; 4) response team resource development and dissemination; 5) increased awareness about and preparedness for Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and bioterrorism; and 6) aggressive recruitment and training of a diverse and representative mental health disaster response team. Conclusions: Results of this assessment gave the State real-time information regarding the training needs of Nevada's mental health disaster responders. Findings and recommendations generated will serve to further inform and develop future mental health disaster responder training initiatives across the State.

Learning Objectives:

• Realize the unique role that mental health responders would play in an emergent disaster.
• Understand the training needs of mental health disaster responders to effectively address emergent crises.
• Be aware of the potential for academic/practice partnerships to meet agency needs for program assessment.
• Conceptualize the development of a grounded and approach to program evaluation.

Keywords: Disasters, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation