Events around the world continue to present challenges for first
responders and mental health professionals. Natural and man-made
disasters continue. Evidence mounts concerning potential events such as
global warming and the effects this may have worldwide. Avian Flu
remains a concern as do forms of biological terrorism and natural
hazards such as tsunamis, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. The 2004
tsunami in Sri Lanka and Thailand continues to have a significant impact
on that area of the world. Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continue to
impact those countries, the Middle East and the United States. Preparing
our communities and families not only for deployments and support of
those deployed and their families, but also for the aftermath and return
of our military and National Guard personnel into our communities is
important for all.
What can we expect from all of these? How do communities and first
responders handle these? What role does mental health play? How do first
responders and mental health professionals plan together for responding
to future events and learning from past ones. Using a strategic planning
approach, how do we identity potential threats and identify target
populations and groups? What resources are available for which
identified threats? How do we do such planning, how often, and how do we
exercise such plans prior to events? What can we learn from such events
and how do we incorporate what we learn into future planning?
It is crucial that response, resilience, recovery and follow-up be
included in our planning. Additional variables important in responding
include cultural knowledge and sensitivity. We need to prepare to
respond appropriately within a culture not our own, whether locally,
nationally, or internationally.
November 8-10, 2007, the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health
Institute held their Annual Disaster Mental Health Conference in
Cheyenne, Wyoming. The theme of this conference was: From Crisis To
Recovery: Resilience and Strategic Planning for the Future.
RM DMH Institute Press
PO Box 786
Laramie, WY 82073-0786
Phone: 307-399-4818
www.rmrinstitute.org
"Learning from the past and planning for the future"
An Imprint of Loving Healing Press www.LHPress.com
