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The Oklahoma City bombing, intentional crashing of airliners on September 11, 2001, and anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001 have made Americans acutely aware of the impacts of terrorism. These events and continued threats of terrorism have raised questions about the impact on the psychological health of the nation and how well the public health infrastructure is able to meet the psychological needs that will likely result. ''Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism'' highlights some of the critical issues in responding to the psychological needs that result from terrorism and provides possible options for intervention. The committee offers an example for a public health strategy that may serve as a base from which plans to prevent and respond to the psychological consequences of a variety of terrorism events can be formulated. The report includes recommendations for the training and education of service providers, ensuring appropriate guidelines for the protection of service providers, and developing public health surveillance for pre-event, event, and post-event factors related to psychological consequences.
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PREPARING FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY Committee on Responding to the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health Adrienne Stith Butler, Allison M. Panzer, Lewis R. Goldfrank, Editors THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. Support for this project was provided by the Institute of Medicine, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The views presented in this report are those of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Responding to the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism and are not necessarily those of the funding agencies. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Preparing for the psychological consequences of terrorism : a public health strategy / Committee on Responding to the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health ; Adrienne Stith Butler, Allison M. Panzer, Lewis R. Goldfrank, editors. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-309-08953-0 (pbk.) ISBN 0-309-51919-5 (PDF) 1. Mental health services—United States—Planning. 2. Crisis intervention (Mental health services)—United States—Planning. 3. Terrorism—Government policy—United States. 4. Terrorism—United States—Psychological aspects. 5. Terrorism—Health aspects—United States. 6. Victims of terrorism—Rehabilitation—United States. [DNLM: 1. Stress Disorders, Traumatic—prevention & control—United States. 2. Terrorism—psychology—United States. 3. Disaster Planning—United States. 4. Mental Health Services—United States. WM 172 P927 2003] I. Butler, Adrienne Stith. II. Panzer, Allison M. III. Goldfrank, Lewis R., 1941- IV. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Responding to the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health. RA790.6.P735 2003 362.2’0973—dc21 2003013770 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu. For more information about the Institute of Medicine, visit