Citation

Steinberg J. Brief Treat. Crisis Interv. 2002; 2(2): 173-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/brief-treatment/2.2.173

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The size and scope of the World Trade Center attack and the number of people who were affected by this incident presented a unique management problem requiring a significant number of mental health workers to address the emotional needs of the survivors, the emergency responders, and the families of all those affected. In this article, I address some of the basic issues of traumatic stress and types of services, specifically group interventions that are useful when providing effective mental health resources in the response to such a large-scale crisis. How trauma is embedded in a community and social context is examined. What response is necessary or possible to provide by groups such as the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), the American Red Cross, municipal, county and state level agencies, the corporate community, and the Critical Incident Stress Management Teams is discussed. The role of specialists trained in the treatment of traumatic stress reactions are also considered. It is imperative for communities to provide qualified disaster mental health resources for managing catastrophes of this magnitude.