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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Joyce B. Wale, ACSW, Robert R. Moon, CSW, and Karen R. Roth, MSW. Office of Behavioral Health, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, 125 Worth Street, Room 423, New York, NY 10013, 212/788-3457, walej@nychhc.org
The WTC disaster resulted in a level of trauma unparalled in the history of New York and the United States. Whether impacted directly or simply affected, New Yorkers are grieving, angry, demoralized and/or continuing to reassess their lives. In addition, the economic impact of the WTC crisis resulted in stressors that impact citizens' psychological well being. The NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, the City's public hospital system, was asked by City and State mental health agencies to play a crucial role. Since 9/11, the Corporation has provided trained mental health professionals to staff two Disaster Assistance Centers for families and those impacted by the WTC disaster. In addition to staffing the Relief Centers, each HHC facility has established services to meet local need. Facilities have developed warm lines, support centers for families, trained primary care staff, and provided outreach, education, debrieing, trauma assessment and treatment services. In our presentation, we will discuss the activites at the relief centers, the crisis counseling protocols developed, the number and types of clients seen, referral and follow up protocols, and the challenges that the Corporation experienced and continues to experience in meeting individual's needs. We will also share some of the innovative outreach and crisis counseling programs developed by the Corporation's 11 acute care facilities and outpatient prorgrams in response to the WTC disaster.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Disasters, Mental Health Services
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.