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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kathleen Hale, BA, South Florida Mental Health Association, 2140 S. Dixie Highway, Miami, FL 33133, 805-854-5827, Khale@sfmha.org

Although many parts of the United States have long-term experience with emergency management, the process of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters and other major emergency events, the awareness of the entire nation was heightened as a result of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. While this heightened awareness has resulted in a widespread increase in activity related to disaster preparedness and response, many contend that these efforts have not assured continuity of disaster management before, during, and after an event, nor have they effectively established horizontal or vertical integration of preparedness efforts. While the health impacts of a disaster are a foremost concern, the mental health aspects have not been adequately addressed. Mental health implications are unique among health issues because they are likely to be experienced before, during, and after an event and persist through secondary and tertiary affects that have significant implications not only on recovery to a specific disaster event but on future disaster preparedness and response behaviors. Further, unlike impacts on physical health, impacts with regard to mental health can be experienced by a wide range of individuals who may not have been directly affected by a specific event. This paper presents a health planning approach to the inclusion of a comprehensive mental health component into emergency management planning, illustrating the ways in which a systematic approach based on established planning principles can serve to address many of the identified deficiencies.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain exposure to the implications that disasters have for the mental health of the population.
• Learn about the aspects of disaster preparedness planning with particular implications for mental health.
• Learn how a health planning approach can be used to address the mental health implications of disasters

Keywords: Disasters, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No