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Learning From The Past and Planning For The Future
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT June 11, 2004 "When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it.
After my experience, I have come to hate war. War settles nothing." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Short Subjects
LINKS Rocky Mountain Region
Disaster Mental Health Institute
CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
3rd Annual Hawaii
International Conference on Social Sciences
June 16 - 19, 2004
Location: Honolulu Hawaii, USA
Contact: social@hicsocial.orgSociety for the Psychological Study of
Social Issues (SPSSI) Convention
June 25 - 27, 2004
Location: Washington, DC, USA
18th Conference of the International
Association of People Environment Studies
July 7 - 10, 2004
Location: Vienna, AUSTRIA17th Congress of the International Association
of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP)
August 2 - 6, 2004
Location: Xi'an, CHINA
Contact: Zheng Gang
Institute of Psychology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
100101 Beijing, China
Email: iaccp2004@psych.ac.cnSixth International Conference of
the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2004):
"Embracing Diversity in the Learning Sciences"
June 22 - 26, 2004
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
International Society of Political Psychology
27th Annual Scientific Meeting
July, 15-18, 2004
Location: Lund, Sweden
62nd Annual Conference of the
International Council of Psychologists
August 3 - 6, 2004
Location: University of Jinan
Jinan, CHINA
Contact: Dr. Natividad Dayan
Scientific Chair
99 General Ave
GSIS Village, Project 8
Quezon City, Metro Manila
01108 PHILIPPINES Telephone: 632-724-5358
Email: bereps@pacific.net.phXXVIII International Congress of Psychology
August 8 - 13, 2004
Location: Beijing, CHINA
Contact: XiaoLan FU, Deputy Director
Committee for International Cooperation
Chinese Psychological Society
Institute of Psychology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
P.O. Box 1603
Beijing 100101, China
Telephome: +86-10-6202-2071
Fax: +86-10-6202-2070
22nd Nordic Congress of Psychology:
"Psychology in a World of Change and Diversity -
Challenges for our Profession"
August 18 -20, 2004
Location: Copenhagen, DENMARK
Contact: Roal Ulrichsen, Chair
NPK2004 Organizing Committee
Danish Psychological Association
Stokholmsgade 27, DK-2100
Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Email: bh@vanhauen.dk
Lummi Nation First In Nation With Hazard Mitigation
FEMA Regional Director John Pennington met with Lummi Nation Vice-Chairman Willie Jones on Monday, 7 June 2004 at the Lummi Indian Reservation Tribal Center to recognize the Lummi Nation as the first government entity in the nation to fully comply with the provisions of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2K), and achieve full federal approval for its Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan under the Standard State Plan category. For Full Story, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=12384
Seattle Hosts National Flood Conference
Emergency managers, insurance agents, lenders, real estate professionals and claims adjusters from around the nation converged in Seattle May 2-5, 2004, to attend this year's National Flood Conference. The four-day conference was sponsored by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and was held at the Westin Hotel, 1900 Fifth Avenue. It offered 35 workshops on topics ranging from claims, floodplain management and floodplain mapping to lending, marketing and underwriting topics. For More Information, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=12067
President Orders Disaster Aid For Nebraska Tornado Victims
The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that President Bush has authorized the release of federal disaster funds to help meet the recovery needs of families and businesses in southeastern Nebraska victimized by tornadoes and other severe weather that began late last week. Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, said the President ordered the aid under a major disaster declaration issued immediately after receiving FEMA’s analysis of the state’s expedited request for federal relief. The declaration covers damage to private property from severe storms, flooding and tornadoes beginning on May 20. For mor information, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=12334
Bam Earthquake Response
On Dec. 26, 2003 a massive earthquake struck Bam, Iran. The quake leveled the city and killed more than 40,000 people. In response, the United States sent medical and search and rescue teams to Iran, the first official U.S. delegation in 24 years. FEMA.gov presents a collection of photos telling the story of this remarkable journey. To view this collection and accompanying stories, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/bamearthquake/
Plan For The Worst, Train For The Worst, Hope For The Best
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted an all-day joint table top exercise with full field simulations Thursday, 8 April 2004 at Magnussen Park in Seattle. The scenario began with investigations of a suspected drug manufacturing lab and rapidly accelerated as initial field tests indicated the presence of suspected chemical warfare "precursors." The joint exercise provided realistic training for EPA field and command crews, FEMA response cells, FBI liaison and local police and fire departments.
The Psychological Impacts of Bioterrorism
Since September 11, 2001, federal, state, and local government agencies' emergency response planning has focused on possible terrorist attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) weapons. Shortly after the destruction of the World Trade Center and the attack on the Pentagon, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to media outlets and government officials. Twenty-two people became ill and five died. Although these acts of bioterrorism were limited, millions of people were made anxious and the routine act of opening the mail became dangerous. The U.S. Postal Service was disrupted, a Senate office building was shut down, and widespread psychological, behavioral, and social impacts were felt in affected communities. Before September 11, 2001, government agencies and public health leaders in states from representative regions of the country had not incorporated mental health as a component of their overall response plan to bioterrorism. Anticipating the psychological and behavioral consequences of a bioterrorist attack is now an urgent task facing our government's leaders and our nation's health-care system.
Understanding and planning for the public's psychological response to terrorism has far-reaching implications for the practical management of a bioterrorist event. Bioterrorism raises special issues such as administering vaccination programs, distributing prophylactic medication, evacuation, isolation, and quarantine, all of which demand skilled psychosocial management. Developing a risk communication and public education program that addresses these concerns is essential to sustain the public trust and ensure people will follow directions that help control the spread of disease.
CBRNE terrorist acts may be motivated by any number of objectives: wielding power to achieve a political goal, exacting revenge, punishing nonbelievers, or enacting an apocalyptic vision. The victims who are killed, injured, or even directly affected are rarely the primary target. It is the fear and terror instilled in the public's psyche, the loss of one's sense of personal and community safety, and the disruption of critical social infrastructure that can cripple a nation's economy and leadership.
In the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, individuals and communities may respond in adaptive, effective ways based on information and directions from trusted leaders or they may make fear-based decisions, resulting in unhelpful behaviors or even panic. Understanding the psychological responses to a CBRNE attack enables leaders and medical experts to talk to the public, promoting resilient healthy behaviors and sustaining the social fabric of the community. Recognizing the influence that psychological distress has on physical symptoms, illness, and injury allows medical personnel to more effectively triage and treat patients. Managing psychological distress that will be ubiquitous, as distinct from psychiatric illness, is appropriate and restorative and decreases the likelihood of future mental health problems. For the complete Article, Go To: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/458656
The Iraq War Clinician Guide, 2nd Edition
The Iraq War Clinician Guide was developed by members of the National Center for PTSD and the Department of Defense. It was developed specifically for clinicians and addresses the unique needs of veterans of the Iraq war. For the complete Guide, go to: http://www.ncptsd.org/war/guide/index.html
At UN, students and diplomats engage in dialogue on future of Iraq
8 June 2004 – The future of Iraq, and the role of the United Nations and the international community in helping the reconstruction of the country in the aftermath of the war, was the focus of a student-diplomat summit Monday at UN Headquarters in New York. For More Information, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11001&Cr=iraq&Cr1=
Eritrea suffering profound water shortage, UN says
Eritrea has been suffering from such intense drought that people have started migrating from one area to another in search of new water sources and fresh grazing lands for their animals, the United Nations said. The drought has led people to start migrating from Northern and Southern Red Sea and Gash Barka, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). For More Information, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11006&Cr=eritrea&Cr1=
UN agriculture project to help farmers in Nuba Mountains region of Sudan
About 150,000 people in Sudan’s troubled Nuba Mountains region have received seeds, tools and construction materials as part of a scheme by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to rehabilitate the area’s farming industry. The project – which aims to revive degraded agricultural land, create dams and build up stores of seeds – is designed to benefit farmers living on both sides of the long-running civil conflict between the Sudanese Government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). For More Information, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10976&Cr=Sudan&Cr1=
THE MEDICAL MINUTE: THE MYTH OF THE HEALTHY TAN
Summer is almost here. Memorial Day is the beginning of sun season for many Americans with trips to the beach, rounds of golf, swimming, backyard activities and much more. But according to the latest edition of the Medical Minute, a service of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, if you are hoping to get a little color this summer, think again. The lighter skinned among us are developing skin cancer at an increasing rate. There is no such thing as a "healthy tan." However, with a few precautions you can enjoy the summer sun without burns, cancer, cataracts or the telltale signs of premature aging. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/7081
TRAUMA,TERRORISM, WAR, CHILDREN AND RETURNING MILITARY: EFFECTS IN THE RURAL WEST
(Compiled from comments, papers presented and results of panel discussions at the recent CRISES IN RURAL AMERICA Conference held in Casper, WY - April 21-24, 2004 - Second in a series of brief summaries of papers, comments and panel/symposium discussions.)
In September 2001, our concept of national security and our responsibility to our first responders was completely changed. We were soon presented with a new and bold concept for the protection and safety of our homeland and how to thwart terrorism. The threat of terrorism within the United States has been more than a topic of discussion. There are serious attempts being made to deal with such eventualities.
September 11, 2001 had a profound effect on this country. People directly affected by those events who live and work on the east coast underwent some severe trauma individually by direct contact or vicariously. People in the rural Rocky Mountain West were not as close to the events, yet did have vicarious exposure through TV, photos and radio. There were also some direct connections with relatives, colleagues, and friends (e.g. airline pilot from Colorado). Children of various ages watched and/or were aware of what happened on September 11.
The war in Iraq and subsequent insurrection events there have been a major focus of this country for over two years. The National Guard and Reserve Forces, as part of the Total Force, have been integrally involved in the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Personnel from Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and other western states have been serving in these areas. Recent events have resulted in military Reservists and Guard members serving in Iraq having their one year tours extended by at least 3-4 months. They and their families had been previously told these tours would be for one year. Most of these members have left jobs that provided for them and their families. They are civilian soldiers.
Rotation of assignments, completion of military obligations, etc. are also resulting in many Reservists and Guard members returning home from assignments in Iraq or Afghanistan. They will be returning from a war environment to civilian, peaceful situations.
Some questions of concern about the above situations were discussed at the recent CRISES IN RURAL AMERICA Conference held in Casper, WY April 21-24, 2004. These included:
• What effects, short and long-term, have there been on communities in the rural Rocky Mountain West as a result of September 11?Discussion• What effects did exposure, vicarious or otherwise, to the events of September 11 have on children in rural communities?
• How was the situation explained?
• What lasting effects, if any, are there for children?
• How are they being prepared for possible future events?
• What effects does the war in Iraq and subsequent insurrection events have in the rural Rocky Mountain area?
• How does this affect children in our rural communities?
• What is the role of mental health responders in rural communities in the Rocky Mountain West?
• Are we at risk?
• How do we deal with the vicarious exposures that occur on an almost daily basis?
• Are rural communities in the west too isolated to be concerned about?
• Should we be concerned that we may have terrorists in our communities?
• Are people safer or do they perceive themselves as being safer and/or protected or distanced from terrorism or terrorist activities in rural western communities than in more urban and/or eastern communities?
• How does the deployment of National Guard and Reserve Forces affect the daily lives of families and children of both military and non-military families in our rural communities?
• What effects on morale, families, children, communities and military members will the extended tours of duty of Guard and Reserve members have in rural communities?
• What is the role of mental health providers, clergy, and other community helpers in helping families, communities, children and military members cope with this situation?
• What can Reservists and Guard members expect to encounter upon returning home as a result of rotation of assignments?
• What does the community and the families expect of them?
• Is PTSD a possibility for some of them?
• What can mental health professionals and other responders do to assist in a smooth transition back into civilian life?
• What should families do?
• How active should mental health professionals and other responders be?
• Are there any connections that can be made between professionals and military service groups such as military family services?
• How can we all work together?
• As the military returns home to rural communities, especially in the frontier states, what can we expect to see as far as transition? They are being dispersed rapidly. What problems could we expect to see and/or work with?
The following is a synopsis of the discussions that attempted to address at least some of the concerns outlined above during symposium panels at the conference.
Children And Vicarious Trauma
The effects of these situations on children was also discussed by panel mambers and delegates. There are news reports of these events every day. Children are absorbing at least some of these reports on TV and through other resources. One delegate recalled the focus on body counts on the News every night during the Viet Nam War. It was pointed out by others that these images and News reports can be re-traumatizing. However, they can not be avoided. Therefore, we do need to talk about them. It is a new world that we are living in. We cannot avoid this because children know what is real and what is fiction. Talking about it helps. Additionally, it was pointed out that just because someone sees these events on TV does not necessarily mean they will need help. If children cry, talk to them and go on. If behavior problems begin to occur, then help people to find ways to talk about it and work through it. The goal is to integrate these events and to move on. Discussing what is troubling is important. Let children and others know that what they are experiencing is normal and is a normal reaction to some very abnormal events. A few delegates recalled the funeral of President John F. Kennedy and the shooting from the University of Texas Tower in Austin, Texas in the 1960s. They recalled the images and the events, but are not traumatized by them. Images can be very troubling when encountered. However, most people integrate them, adjust to them and move on. It is important that we not assume that there will always be long-term trauma associated with such events with all who have been exposed.
Returning Military And Families
During the Viet Nam War, military personnel did not go to war as a unit. We have learned some things from that experience. Reservists and Guard members are being activated as units and are returning home as units. The larger military installations to which they return have built-in support and provide many amenities. However, those who have gone from rural states such as Wyoming will not have access readily available upon return to their homes. The only contacts that they will have will be on their weekly, monthly or other Guard or Reserve schedule. They will not be on a base or even near one to gain follow-on support if needed. About 50% will probably never re-up. The lack of contact could be problematic for some. VFWs, Legion Halls, and other Veteran groups will help. The debriefings that the returning Reservists and Guard members receive will be important. The Reserve and Guard centers will probably have support for them. However, there is a different mentality among them then among the career military. The mental attitude is different. They are not coming home to go to work in the military tomorrow. They are coming home to go back to work in their business, for their employer, on the farm or ranch, or to complete school, etc. They may not have the support of a job. This will be a hard situation for the Reservist or Guard member. Their salaries, in many cases, were cut by the deployment. High paid individuals went in and had their take-home pay cut in half or more. Then, how does the family survive? The Reservist or Guard member will have worries about the family.
Prior to deployment, it is as though most people are moving at a nominal speed of perhaps 25 miles per hour cognitively. Then things speed up to maybe 125 miles per hour. Upon return home things again slow down to around 25 miles per hour. This can result in a cognitive whiplash. Some friends and family members will want to hear a small amount about their experience. However, the family members want to catch them up on all of the past year's experiences at home. Some may take advantage of support groups and some may not. An estimated 3% may need intervention of some type. We need to not only address the returning soldier, sailor or airman, but also the family. Expressing what they need to others may be a difficult thing to do. They may have a need to express what they want their families to understand.
An example of a scenario that could play out often in small communities is the following. Two men return together and are greeted at the local airport by a large group of family, friends, and well-wishers. There are children with flags and baloons and there is even the local high school band which plays a number of patriotic marches and songs. There are hugs and sincere expressions of thankfulness and welcoming home. They are greeted by the mayor and other dignitaries from the community. Perhaps a small parade and/or party is held in their honor.
This scenario is a deserved homecoming. However, what will happen when all the hoopla is over? What resources will the returning Reservist or Guard member have to turn to? After all dies down in a few months, who can they turn to with any questions, problems or concerns? How can community members observe and note red flags such as possible increases in alcohol use/abuse?
Another example might be when a family member is deployed and misses his/her children's graduation. The family is hurting. Are there local support teams available to provide family support? Information on these problems and available resources needs to get to the communities. Family support units at military bases and Guard and Reserve units were mentioned as a resource.
Another area involves changes in the family that may have occurred during a member's deployment. Household rules may have changed while the Service member was deployed. Parenting problems may occur when a father returns and the rules are changed and expectations are different. Mother has run the home while he was away. Now, where does Dad fit in? How does Mother give up some of the controls? Discussants pointed out that this was one of the problems that many Viet Nam Veterans faced. Families had become so used to no Dad. Then, all of a sudden, this "stranger" came in and took over. Contacts and support and information about what to be expecting needs to be provided to families. Many of those returning will be young people in their 20's who have limited knowledge of such possible problems and solutions.
Another area involves families of Guard and Reservists who re-up and/or seek additional deployments. Panel members pointed out that there has been a great effort to train managers of Guard centers. A lot of effort has been expended to sensitize managers to potential problems.
A number of conference delegates discussed incidences where families had come to them in past similar types of situations saying that they did not want to go to work. Others have had families with children who, following a trauma, cry about Mom or Dad going back to work. Most delegates felt that there will likely be a lot of issues surrounding returning Service members and the readjustments they will be facing. Re-entry or coming home may be a more difficult adjustment than was the adjustment to the war environment itself. Some immediate questions might revolve around such things as: where did the new TV, car, appliance, etc. come from? Younger members coming home to more secluded smaller or isolated communities are not going to get the support and contact as regularly as those in larger communities or cities. We need to provide services to the families of returning members, surviving families of those killed in action, and the Service members themselves. Help will be needed for re-entering the family. Re-entry can be likened to a cold shower. Members have received training to go to war. However, they do not receive training about coming home and re-integrating back into the community. The VA and others in the communities need to assist with this transition.
REFERENCES Above represents comments, papers presented and results of panel discussions at the recent CRISES IN RURAL AMERICA Conference held in Casper, WY - April 21-24, 2004. Presenters and abstracts are located at: https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/rural-presenters.html
To search for books on disasters and disaster mental
health topics, leaders, leadership, orgainizations,
crisis intervention, leaders and crises, and related
topics and purchase them online, go to the following url:
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html
RECOMMENDED READING
Trauma Interventions in War and Peace: Prevention, Practice, and Policy (International and Cultural Psychology
by Bonnie L. Green (Editor), Matthew Friedman (Editor), Joop de Jong (Editor), Susan D. Solomon, Terence M. Keane, John A. Fairbank (Editor), Brigid Donelan (Editor), Ellen Frey-Wouters (Editor)
Editorial Review
From Book News, Inc.
Contributors in mental health, various medical specialties, social work, social sciences, and other fields, most in the developed world, identify strategies for practice and public policy to mitigate the effects of traumatic stressors on people and communities throughout the world. Among the topics are social deprivation, people with mental and physical disabilities, refugees and internally displaced people, natural and technological disasters, United Nations peacekeepers and civilian field personnel, and responding to social and humanitarian crises. The volume was produced by the United Nations and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Info
Georgetown Univ. Medical Center, Washington, D.C. Provides a global perspective and conceptual framework for interventions in the wake of abuse, torture, war, and disaster on individual, local, regional, and international levels. Presents model programs to be implemented at any level. For psychologists. Softcover, hardcover not available.
Book Description
With traumatic stress an increasing global challenge, the U.N., the NGO community and goverments must take into account the psychological aftermath of large-scale catastrophes and individual or group violence. Trauma Interventions in War and Peace is a volume created to address this global perspective, and as such it provides a conceptual framework for interventions in the wake of abuse, torture, war, and disaster on individual, local, regional, and international levels. To be useful to both practitioners and policy makers, the book identifies model programs that can be implemented at every level. These programs vary in target and intensity to include social policy, safety programs, public education, coordination, capacity building, training, self-help, counseling, and clinical intervention. A core group of chapters covers the general concepts of traumatic stress, intervention, and social deprivation, while others focus on specific traumatic events like refugees and child abuse in peacetime, each addressing the scope of the problem, reactions to the traumatic stressor, intervention issues, and recommendations. One whole chapter is devoted to caregiver reactions. Special features of the book are the integration of cultural, gender, poverty, and marginalization issues into each discussion, as well as the contributions of internationally noted academic and professional experts. U.N. and NGO personnel provided input and feedback on each chapter to provide the best working guidelines available for those responding to trauma around the world.
Additional Readings at:
Also try looking here for September 11, 2001: A Simple Account for Children.
Videos on Terrorism
Other videos about terrorism**********************************************************************
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Contact your local Mental Health Center or
check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists,
therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in
your area for further information.
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Copyrighted and published by the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute. No part of this document may be reproduced without written consent.The Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Newsletter is published online weekly by:
Rocky Mountain Region
Disaster Mental Health Institute, Inc.
Box 786
Laramie, WY 82073-0786
Newsletter Online: https://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news
Institute Home Page: https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odoc/rocky.html
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