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By Elizabeth Millard
Through its Homeland Security initiatives, the United States might
be prepared to take care of its citizens' physical well being following
a terrorist attack. But how effectively could their psychological
needs be met? Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.) recently addressed
that question by introducing the National Resilience Development
Act of 2003, also known as H.R. 2370.
If it passes into law, the Act would provide funding for services
such as crisis counseling, outreach and screening programs and would
authorize the Center for Mental Health Services to provide grants
to states to develop disaster plans. Also, a new task force would
be created within the Department of Health and Human Services with
the sole purpose of implementing the Act's goals.
When he introduced the legislation, Kennedy pointed out that if
another terrorist attack like Sept. 11 happened, resources for psychological
care would be lacking. "Our current mental health system is already
overburdened and with limited resources," Kennedy says. "If another
such terrorist attack occurs, they might be unable to adequately
respond to the increased need for mental health services that would
invariably occur."
The Act's primary goals are to increase psychological resilience
and mitigate distress reactions and maladaptive behaviors of the
American public in the wake of a terrorist action. The legislation
would also allow for further research into the psychological consequences
of terrorist threats and attacks.
Ernesto Anguilla, press secretary for Kennedy, says that in the
country's current terrorist response plan, very little exists for
addressing emotional and mental health threats. He says, "This legislation
would require states and the federal government to build in a mental
health component to their response plans."
In the version of the bill that is currently in the House of Representatives,
Kennedy included a wealth of research to make his point. Cited first
was an article from the New England Journal of Medicine, stating
that after Sept. 11, Americans across the country, including children,
had substantial symptoms of stress. The bill notes that this shows
that even clinicians who practice in regions far from attack sites
should be prepared to assist people with trauma-related symptoms
of stress.
Another incident mentioned in the bill is the 1995 chemical weapons
attack in the Tokyo subway system by terrorists. According to Military
Medicine, psychological casualties outnumbered physical casualties
by approximately four to one. Anguilla says lack of communication
in Tokyo resulted in hospitals being flooded by patients who thought
they'd been affected by the poison gas.
"Even though they had no symptoms, there were hundreds of people
who went to the hospital just because they had been in the area,"
Anguilla says. "The government didn't release information on what
kind of symptoms they should be looking for and it created a panic."
He adds that better communication between officials and the citizenry
would cut down on similar incidents in this country.
The main focus of the Act, however, is less about anticipating
specific attacks, and preparing more generally for the psychological
ramifications of terrorism. To this end, Kennedy proposes bringing
together many agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security,
the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the
American Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
among numerous others. The agency developed by the Act would serve
as a kind of conduit for program development and establishment of
treatment protocols.
Those eager to see the Act put into place quickly may be disappointed,
though. Like other pending legislation, the bill is still working
its way though the process.
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