Disaster and mental health intervention

The psychological reactions to a major school bus, train accident and the intervention techniques that were utilized by a community mental health center as a response to this disaster are explored.

Abstract

Major disasters offer an important opportunity for the community psychiatrist to put into practice many of the principles of community mental health. By reaching out to the victims and primary care givers during the crisis, the development of posttraumatic symptoms can be averted. This entails a major departure from the traditional role of the mental health professional. This paper explores the psychological reactions to a major school bus, train accident and the intervention techniques that were utilized by a community mental health center as a response to this disaster.