Mental Health Service System Capacities to Deal with Disasters

Mental Health Service System Capacities to Deal with Disasters

Principal Investigator: Carole Siegel, Ph.D.; Co-Investigators: Judy Samuels, Ph.D., Eugene Laska, Ph.D.

PROJECT GOALS

To provide methodology to assess the current and extended capacity requirements of a mental health system to respond to disasters.
To provide estimates of the ability of the NYS formal specialty mental health providers to respond to disasters.
To gain an understanding of the use of informal (naturalistic) providers to offer supports to persons having mental health problems as a result of disasters

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

1. A mathematical formulation of the equation to estimate extended capacity needs was developed and gaps in information identified. A paper submitted for publication to American Journal of Public Health was revised and accepted for publication (Siegel, Laska, Meisner, 2003).
2. A study was conducted using available NYS data in which the ability of the formal mental health system to extend its capacity was estimated. Variations were seen across the State in service delivery rates that was not well explained by system or population variables. Assuming that all clinicians who did not produce services at the median service delivery rate could do so, provided an overall statewide estimate of a potential ability to increase services by 10%. Using this estimate along with epidemiological data developed post 9/11 on manifest mental health problems, an estimate was made of the shortfall in the production of services required if only specialty mental health providers were used to deliver services. The data are being reviewed by NYS OMH. A paper has been submitted for publication on this work (Siegel, Wanderling, Meisner, 2003).
3. A study commenced in which the aim was to examine the natural coalitions and consortium that developed post 9/11 outside of the formal mental health system to deal with the mental health problems being experienced by the general population. An instrument was developed to examine what was accomplished, how funds were obtained, linkages, triage methods, successes and barriers. In May, 2003 this approach was presented to Kelly Ryan, Director of Mental Health Disaster Planning for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, We learned that she had already completed a project that had major overlaps with our planned project. In response to this planner’s needs, we have now shifted gears to examine the naturalistic persons/groups in the community who provide informal mental health supports to persons in need.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Our work is geared to provide information useful for mental health disaster planning for future incidents.

PLANS

To develop a protocol for understanding the help seeking patterns for mental health care by community persons post disasters with focus on the non-formal persons/groups that may provide supports.

PUBLICATIONS

Siegel C, Laska EM, Mesiner M. (2003). Estimating capacity requirements for mental health services after a disaster has occurred: A call for new data. Accepted, American Journal of Public Health.

Entered: June 17, 2002
Updated: July 8, 2003