Hurricane Katrina: Evacuee Mental Health and Care

Mental health planning and care delivery to evacuees from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters requires a 1) public health approach for populations, 2) treatment delivery for expected normal rates of all psychiatric illness in the population, 3) care for trauma related disorders, 4) care for emerging disorders such as substance withdrawal and associated medical conditions with psychological consequences and perhaps most importantly, 5) community building. The relocation of hurricane survivors from the New Orleans Superdome to the Texas Astrodome following Katrina is a primary model for this plan. This evacuation will move as many as 20-25,000 people.

Related Categories: