Meeting mental health needs following a natural disaster: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina.

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina had a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of Louisiana and Mississippi families. Housing was destroyed, jobs were lost, and family members were separated, sometimes in different states and without communication. Postdisaster stress reactions were common, with vulnerable individuals most affected. Mental health services were not adequate to meet immediate needs, and postdisaster mental health issues often emerge over time. This article describes the mental health needs of dislocated and evacuee children and families and the steps that were taken to develop mental health programs that would be sustainable over time to meet this new level of need.

Extreme Weather-Related Events: Implications for Mental Health and Well-Being

“…Shortly after experiencing a disaster, children frequently evidence regression, behavioral difficulties, and social withdrawal (Madrid & Grant, 2008). Many exhibit moderate PTSD symptoms 3-4 months after an event (Vernberg, Silverman, La Greca, & Prinstein, 1996).…”

Federal Disaster Mental Health Response and Compliance with Best Practices

“…Some parts of the state had flood levels exceeding Port, Mississippi, destroying all in its path. Over 90,000 square miles were declared national disaster zones (Madrid & Grant, 2008). Homes were swept away by the storm surge leaving barren land where once communities thrived (See Figure 3.5 for picture of Gulfport, MS).…”

Trauma Among Survivors of Hurricane Katrina: Considerations and Recommendations for Mental Health Care

“…Cultural factors were among the barriers to treatment for PTSD identified by Davis et al (2008) among low-income African Americans. Thus, as some clinicians and researchers point out (Jones, Immel, Moore, & Hadder, 2008;Madrid & Grant, 2008), cultural competence is an additional feature of effective engagement in mental health care for survivors of this natural disaster and other traumatic events.…”