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MENTAL HEALTH INVOLVEMENT IN POST MENTAL HEALTH INVOLVEMENT IN POST DISASTER RESTORATION EFFORTS DISASTER RESTORATION EFFORTS

“THE BAHAMIAN EXPERIENCE” “THE BAHAMIAN EXPERIENCE”

20042004

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AGENDA AGENDA Information Will Be Presented Under The Following Information Will Be Presented Under The Following TopicsTopics::

1.0 INTRODUCTION2.0 ISLANDS AFFECTED3.0 PLANNING STAGE4.0 TREATMENT MODALITIES5.0 REACTIONS TO US6.0 KEY MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS7.0 HELPING8.0 MULTI – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS9.0 CHALLENGES10.0 LESSONS LEARNT11.0 TRAINING COMPONENT12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS13.0 SEASONS

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Mental health was not apart of the original National Post Disaster Plan, however, the need became obvious after the country received widespread damage as a result of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in September 2004. It soon became apparent that it was necessary not only to assist with the restoration of building, but also with the restoration of lives.

The Mental Health Post Disaster Team was able to respond immediately due its previous experience with other disasters:

Hurricane Andrew – 1992Hurricane Floyd - 1999Hurricane Michelle – 2001Collision At Sea – August 2 2003

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2.0 ISLANDS AFFECTED

LONG ISLAND GRAND BAHAMA * ELEUTHERA ABACO * SAN SALVADOR CAT ISLAND MAYAGUANA ACKLINS CROOKED ISLAND INAGUA

Key:* Received catastrophic damage

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3.0 PLANNING STAGE

• Approximately 83,000 (27.4%) of the Bahamian population had been directly affected by the hurricanes. 2000 persons were left homeless, many more suffered significant property loss.

INFORMATION SHARING

The data needed to assist the planning efforts for individual communities, was the number of:

• Persons affected by the trauma• Elderly persons living in the community• Mentally ill• Children & adolescents• Persons who have suffered major loses• Person grieving• Deaths

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4.0 TREATMENT MODALITIES

HOW

     Town meetings

     Group meetings  

HOW THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE RECOVERY PHASE 

Allow participants to:

Connect with each other Ventilate about their losses Share experiencesNormalized reactionsAccept their temporary situationFocus initially on survival issues rather than a mental health focus

 

GROUPS SEEN      Adolescents     Social Workers      Post disaster relief workers     Health care workers     Multi-sectorial community meeting      First responders 

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5.0 REACTIONS TO US

Reactions were mixed. There were persons:

i. That were glad to see the committee, welcomed us and involved us in their activities;

ii. That felt that the team’s presence suggested that they were “crazy” and this was not so;

iii. Expected the committee to provide information on much expected disaster relief supplies.

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6.0 KEY MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

v Depression

v     Acute Traumatic Reaction

v     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

v     Anxiety Syndrome

v     Persons with a history of mental illness, may have a relapse

v     Stress reaction & burn out in the disaster workers

      Uniform branches

    Health care workers

      Post disaster workers

First responders

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77.0HELPING DDebriefing sessions and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) questionnaires revealed that 30% of those surveyed reported experiencing PTSD symptoms. Thus indicating that there was a definite need for counseling and information sharing regarding traumatic experiences & the phases of recovery. Information was shared with:      The general population      First responders     Recovery workers     Health care workers TThese services were provided for approximately 3,096 persons

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8.0 MULTI-AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS

Advantages

v     Have specific objectives

v     Funding available to accomplish identified objectives only

v     These groups have available:

Disadvantages

Lack of communication between agencies

Duplication of efforts

No information sharing

No mental health involvement

Concerned with a specific group

Their Challenges

Their mental health needs

     Their mental health needs

Loses (personal)

Demands from the public

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9.0 CHALLENGES

1. Sub-population & language barriers

2. Geography

3. Coordination of efforts

4. Duplication of efforts due to a lack of central command

5. Mental health not a part of the initial assessment

6. Facilitating acceptance

7. Funding

Activities restricted

Excessive time spent securing funding

Less than 24 hours to prepare for visits

Only 2 islands visited vs. 10 identified

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9.0 CHALLENGES CONT’D

Limited available data

No NEMA protocols

Limited necessary preparation on the ground

Questionnaires not returned

Formation of the Your Grand Bahama Mental Health Team

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1. REPRESENTATION

Mental health must be represented at every level;

Planning, Training, Initial Assessment & Ongoing Assessment

2. COMMUNICATION

     Between agencies government & non- government

Agencies updating the public regularly

Early contact with agencies:

Build relationships & Restore confidence

3 TEAM’S RESPONSIBILITY

The post disaster mental health must be able to:

Address the needs of persons they come in contact with

Or

Find out where they can get information or assistance

10.0 LESSONS LEARNT

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11.0TRAINING

1.0 Who’s on first?

What is the order of response for mental health personnel?

2.0 What to do?

What are the responsibilities of the mental health post disaster response team?

3.0 How to do it?

Training for the members of the mental health post disaster response team.

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1. Identify and secure available funding 2. Identify contact persons in affected communities3. Immediate inclusion of post disaster mental health

management in NEMA Protocols4. Define the responsibilities of various groups and

first responders 5. Provide timely relief for persons who worked

before, during and after the disaster 6. Empathy needed for persons delivering services 7. The Haitian community needs to be assessed and

communicated with during a disaster

8. Each community needs its own recovery team

12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

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9. The Department of Social Services’assessments needs to be timely

10. Need for rapid assessment tools and timely response of the multi – sectorial team.

11. Timely processing of insurance claims

12.  The public needs frequent and timely communications from disaster relief agencies, government and non-government agencies

12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS CONT’D

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13. SEASONS

HURRICANE SEASON STARTS 01 JUNE 2005

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