Citation

Pfefferbaum B, Flynn BW, Schonfeld D, Brown LM, Jacobs GA, Dodgen D, Donato D, Kaul RE, Stone B, Norwood AE, Reissman DB, Herrmann J, Hobfoll SE, Jones RT, Ruzek JI, Ursano RJ, Taylor RJ, Lindley D. Disaster Med. Public Health Prep. 2012; 6(1): 60-66.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City (Dr Pfefferbaum); Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Flynn); Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Ohio (Dr Schonfeld); Department of Aging and Mental Health, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa (Dr. Brown); Disaster Mental Health Institute, University of South Dakota, Vermillion (Dr Jacobs); Division for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health, and Community Resilience, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC (Dr Dodgen, Mr Donato, and Ms Kaul); Commissioned Corps Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland (Ms Stone); Center for Biosecurity, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr Norwood); National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (Dr Reissman); National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC (Mr Herrmann); Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (Dr Hobfoll); Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Virginia (Dr Jones); National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Dr Ruzek); Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Ursano); and SAGE Analytica, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland (Drs Taylor and Lindley).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Publisher Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1001/dmp.2012.1

PMID

22490938

Abstract

The close interplay between mental health and physical health makes it critical to integrate mental and behavioral health considerations into all aspects of public health and medical disaster management. Therefore, the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) convened the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee to assess the progress of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in integrating mental and behavioral health into disaster and emergency preparedness and response activities. One vital opportunity to improve integration is the development of clear and directive national policy to firmly establish the role of mental and behavioral health as part of a unified public health and medical response to disasters. Integration of mental and behavioral health into disaster preparedness, response, and recovery requires it to be incorporated in assessments and services, addressed in education and training, and founded on and advanced through research. Integration must be supported in underlying policies and administration with clear lines of responsibility for formulating and implementing policy and practice.

Language: en