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

Abstract #107681

Nadine D. Mescia, MHS¹, Jennifer N. Baggerly, PhD, LMHCS, RPTS², Sandra Ruzycki, MS³, Michael Haney, PhD, NCC, CCISM⁴, W. Michael Reid, PhD, MBA³, Kathryn Hyer, PhD, MPP⁵, and Lisa Brown, PhD⁶. (1) Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, College of Public Health, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, (2) Psychological & Social Foundations, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., EDU162, Tampa, FL 33620, (3) Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, College of Public Health, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, (4) Children's Medical Services, Florida Department of Health, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN A06, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1707, 850-245-4200, Mike_Haney@doh.state.fl.us, (5) School of Aging Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, (6) Department of Aging and Mental Health, University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., 1441, Tampa, FL 33612

The Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness (FCPHP), College of Public Health, University of South Florida developed and delivered a series of disaster mental health training programs, including Bioterrorism Trauma Intervention Specialist Training (BTIST). During 2003 and 2004, the FCPHP delivered BTIST trainings to 165 participants in Florida's seven preparedness planning regions. Many were employees of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). The BTIST curriculum includes field traumatology, cultural competency, critical incident stress management, team building, and compassion fatigue. FDOH officials requested a roster of BTIST trainees and copies of the FCPHP's audio CD “Understanding Compassion Fatigue” immediately after Hurricane Charley struck. The former were asked to assist in the response to the hurricane and the latter were distributed to employees and others engaged in the exhausting response effort. The FCPHP conducted a follow up on-line survey of the BTIST participants in November, 2004, that asked about their experiences and value of the BTIST training in the hurricane response. This paper summarizes the BTIST training curriculum; the FDOH's approach to disaster mental health, the deployment of the trainees, and the use of the CDs; and, the responses of the BTIST trainees who replied to the survey (response rate 40% - 133 trainees could be contacted, 53 responded). The respondents reported the training was applicable and valuable in responding to the hurricanes. The FCPHP plans to seek certification for its trainees for the FDOH's disaster mental health strike team being created in response to the NIMS requirement for “asset typing.”

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